Build Your Pillars of Inclusion
Access
Your club can build the pillar of “access” by making sure all participants with disabilities have access to a variety of programs, services, activities and environments. There should be nothing that hinders the enrolment of participants with disabilities in your club’s programs.
Club Reflections
Think About Your Sports Club and Consider...
Improve Access
What policies or practices can you implement that improve access to your programs among participants with disabilities?
Prevent or Reduce Barriers
Are there any barriers to participation that your club can prevent or reduce, such as physical barriers, attitudinal barriers or financial barriers?
Improve Access
What policies or practices can you implement that improve access to your programs among participants with IDD?
Prevent or Reduce Barriers
Are there any barriers to participation that your club can prevent or reduce, such as physical barriers, attitudinal barriers or financial barriers?
Club Approach
Check Out How Other Sports Clubs promote inclusive sport
Communicate Your Club's Inclusive Sport Policy
Once you’ve developed your Inclusive Sport Policy be sure to communicate and implement it.
Adopt a Natural Proportions Policy
Adopt a Natural Proportions Policy to make sure children and youth with disabilities are participating in proportions similar to their presence in the population. In Canada, more than 540,000 youths aged 15 to 24 years (13%) had one or more disabilities (2017 Canadian Survey on Disability). For a team of 20 participants, this means about 2-3 participants may have a disability.
Provide equal access
Provide parents of participants with disabilities with the same range of programs options as other parents so that everyone accesses sport equally.
Participation
Your club can build the pillar of “participation” by using a variety of learning and coaching approaches that promote engagement, positive sport experiences and a sense of belonging for every child.
Club Reflections
Think About Your Sports Club and Consider...
Meaningful Participation
What can you do to make sure participants with disabilities participate fully and meaningfully in your program?
Valued Teammates
How does your sport club make sure participants with disabilities feel welcome, valued and part of the team?
Support Your Coaches
In what ways do you develop and support your coaches so they can champion and implement inclusive sport programs?
Meaningful Participation
What can you do to make sure participants with IDD participate fully and meaningfully in your program?
Valued Teammates
How does your sport club make sure participants with IDD feel welcome, valued and part of the team?
Support Your Coaches
In what ways do you develop and support your coaches so they can champion and implement inclusive sport programs?
Club Approach
Check Out How Other Sports Clubs promote inclusive sport
Coaching tips, tools and strategies
The Be An Inclusive Sport Game Changer section is your go-to for multiple coaching tips, tools and strategies.
Host an event
Host an event at the start of the season to welcome all participants to the team. Get to know each child and their parents, highlight the plans for the season and answer any questions from participants and their families.
Follow up with parents
Make sure your registration process includes the Meet My Child Information Form so parents can highlight the needs and preferences of their child. Follow up with parents to learn more about their child with IDD and plan a positive and fun sport experience together.
Supports
Your club can build this pillar by making sure systems‐level support exists. This can include well defined policies and practices that guide your inclusive sport commitment, on‐going coach development and training, collaborative relationships with community partners, and a family-centred approach that recognizes the central role families play in their child’s wellbeing.
Club Reflections
Think About Your Sports Club and Consider...
partner to lead
Who are the inclusion partners in your community? How can your club partner effectively with these individuals or groups to collectively lead inclusion?
build relationships
As a sport club, how can you build strong and meaningful relationships with families to make sure their child has the best sport experience possible?
partner to lead
Who are the inclusion partners in your community? How can your club partner effectively with these individuals or groups to collectively lead inclusion?
build relationships
As a sport club, how can you build strong and meaningful relationships with families to make sure their child has the best sport experience possible?
Club Approach
Check Out How Other Sports Clubs promote inclusive sport
Involve Parents
Your most important partner is the family and involving parents in their child’s inclusion experience is vital. Check in regularly with parents of participants with IDD to make sure their child is having a positive experience. Two way communication with parents all season long is key.
NBACL Social Inclusion Coordinators
NBACL Social inclusion Coordinators: Partner with Social Inclusion Facilitators, Community Animators, and Family Support Facilitators.
Coach New Brunswick
Partner with Coach New Brunswick to showcase your inclusive sport commitment and learn from other sport clubs who are leading inclusion in their communities.
Pillars Of Inclusion: Your Club Assessment Tool
This planning template can be used by sport clubs to assess their inclusive sport commitment. Examples are provided of actions that sport clubs can take to open their doors to participants with disabilities.