Resources for Providers
Disability and Inclusion in the Outdoors
Practical Resources for Providers
Effective pre-visit communication is essential when dealing with visitors with additional needs.
This can include:
- information on the facilities
- an outline of the programs that have been booked
- an opportunity to gather information on any specific additional accommodations required.
Easy Read / Easy English
When producing this information, consideration should be given to keeping language clear. Scope reports that almost half of Australians (44%) have low English literacy, and it can be helpful for some people living with a disability, as well as many from CALD backgrounds and older Australians to develop specific easy read or easy english versions. Further information can be found here:
https://www.scopeaust.org.au/business-solutions/easy-read
Case Study – PGL Pre-visit resources
PGL Visual ‘Familiarisation Document for Students’
This document was initially developed for, and labeled as, a resource for students with a disability. However, following feedback from schools that this was helpful for all students, these resources are now promoted as familiarisation documents for all.
Further PGL documents can be found here: https://www.pgladventurecamps.com.au/resources/
PGL have also successfully used a video showcasing what a day at camp looks like to work with students who are anxious about attending camp. As well as aiming to make the camp experience as inclusive as possible, this has been a response to try to reverse the increasing number of students dropping out of camp due to anxiety.
See what a day on camp looks like at Campaspe Downs! video (scroll down to bottom of page).
PGL also offers schools and parents the opportunity to have pre-visit video calls, in person visits and Q&A sessions.
Case Study – OEG FAQs
OEG FAQs for people with physical disabilities and people who are neurodivergent or have hidden disabilities
OEG’s FAQ section on their website has information for people with physical disabilities and people who are neurodivergent or have hidden disabilities. These sections respond to many questions that people with a disability might have prior to their visit to camp.
Case Study – Social Scripts
Social Scripts: Social scripts inform people about what will happen in a certain place or situation, and can spell out the implicit or unspoken social rules. Social scripts are often used for helping autistic people understand what to expect before they arrive.
Further information and examples of social scrips can be found here:
Youth Disability Advocacy Service – What are Social Scripts with examples
Parks Victoria – Autism friendly visits – Social scripts with photographs and simple text to show children what they may see and experience during a visit to a park. Developed with the professional assistance of AMAZE.
Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach Surfing Competition – As well as information on how the competition works, this document also includes a sensory map and suggestions for quiet spaces during the event.
Inclusion Guide and Self Assessment Resource
Australian Camps Association (ACA) has an Inclusion Guide and Self Assessment Resource for Camps and Outdoor Activity Providers available to download from their website. The Guide is aimed at anyone who is keen to make their venues or services more inclusive to all groups – seniors, disability, CALD, aboriginal, women, LGBTQI, etc and provides practical advice and examples on overcoming barriers to participation.
Note, ACA members can also access a wide range of inclusion and other resources available via their member portal.
Resources on modifying programs to be inclusive for all
Resources on program universal design to be added here.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Risk Assessments and Staff training guidance
Resources to assist with these documents for specific equipment will be added here.
Let’s Play Together, from the Singapore Disability Sports Council, a resource guide that offers suggestions on inclusive games that can be implemented for all participants, regardless of their abilities or level of functioning. This guide offers practical ideas on modifications that can be made according to each participant’s level of Functioning.
Communication Boards and other visual communication aids
What are Communication Boards
Communication boards are visual communication aids that contain a series of relevant images to help break down barriers associated with other forms of communication. Scope defines them as ‘tools designed with carefully chosen images and words to help people communicate. They support children and adults with communication access needs, including those who are Autistic, have communication disabilities, or come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.’
Examples can be seen in public spaces such as parks and playgrounds, some of which have been developed by Scope. These boards have also been utilised in an outdoor education setting, for example by Y Discovery Camps (see the case study below).
Scope is able to work with organisations to develop bespoke boards specific for your setup. Further information can be found here: https://www.scopeaust.org.au/business-solutions/park-and-playground-communication-boards
Case Study: Camp Manyung – Y Discovery Camps
Our communication boards have become invaluable to our team.
A large part of their purpose is to allow our participants with verbal communication limitations to express their feelings and emotions, and to ask questions.
The way our communication boards are used will vary from user to user. On activities some of our participants will point or tap the pictures to interact with the instructors and care givers and sometimes our instructors will point or tap the pictures to ask/answer questions of the participants or explain the process of the activity and its equipment.
The incorporation of communication boards is also beneficial for all of our clients. For activities that have a communication board, all participants are educated by our instructors about what a communication board is, how they are used and why it’s beneficial to have them. As they are in a prominent, permanent location and easy to access and find, from here the participants can choose to use or not use them as they wish.
Our activity specific communication boards also clearly outline the steps of how to correctly fit safety equipment and what the rules and guidelines are for that particular activity, meaning if a participant was struggling to understand what the instructions were audibly, maybe English is a second language, they have a visual aid to help them learn, remember the processes and rules as everyone learns and retains information differently.
Our staff also benefit greatly from having access to communication boards as it helps them be more engaging and approachable to our clients. Being able to use a communication board assists our staff to further grow their skills and understandings of working with people with varying abilities and helps reduce or remove the verbal barrier to participation.
Program Coordinator – Camp Manyung
People living with a disability can experience more stress in their daily lives. Examples include day to day discrimination as a minority, exhaustion from masking their condition, or sensory overload as a result of being neurodiverse.
These stressors can be elevated when away from home in a new environment or undertaking a new activity, which makes it especially important to take steps to minimise unnecessary stress where possible.
True inclusion is creating an environment that welcomes everyone. This means reducing any unhealthy stress caused by a place, situation or people.
Consider the following points*:
1. Plan ahead
Plan ahead to make sure everyone has the information they need to feel as physically, emotionally and socially safe as possible in a new situation.
Get to know what groups and individuals might need.
Respect individual differences and don’t make assumptions. Ask respectfully if you’re not sure.
Consider what might affect stress responses (e.g. mental health, past discrimination, sensory processing challenges, past trauma).
2. Set up for success
Co-create and reinforce expectations around all kinds of safety (emotional, social, cultural, etc) within a new team or environment.
Where possible, reduce unintended sources of stress and offer choices.
Offer inclusive learning experiences, with different options for taking in information and demonstrating understanding, including non-verbal communication options.
Practice Challenge by Choice and offer stages of voluntary participation across all experiences, considering social and emotional as well as physical risk (e.g. for some participants sharing in front of a group or having to touch peers during a team building activity may be a greater source of stress than being at heights).
3. Recognise escalating stress
Remember: unpredictable, uncontrolled stress reduces growth and resilience!
Notice and ask about changes in behaviour.
Consider known history.
Ask about sources of stress and how you can help.
Check in regularly with verbal and non-verbal communication options.
4. Stop and support
Call out and deal with bullying, gendered or discriminatory comments. Letting these things go gives the message that you are ok with them.
Use strategies to help someone de-escalate if they are in a highly stressed state.
Help them come up with a plan to manage negative stressors and stay safe.
Seek support to manage the situation if you need it.
5. Reflect
Ask if people are feeling supported. Reflect on what worked or could be done differently.
*note, some of this text has been taken from resources kindly supplied by OEG.
See also PGL’s See what a day on camp looks like at Campaspe Downs! video (scroll down to bottom of page) which has successfully been used to work with students anxious about attending camp (see further details in the pre visit resources above).
Information on suppliers of specialist equipment was included in the existing FREE toolkit. Over the coming months we will transition this information onto this page.
Since the toolkit was released, the new Ferno Universal Harness has been launched.
Y Discovery Camps have released a video showcasing the new harness, and are working towards practical resources, such as operating procedures, for use of the harness.
Y Discovery Camps are happy to meet & discuss with outdoor providers and to share/demonstrate the various accessible activity offerings available at their sites. This includes five sites where demonstrations are available through appointment to view the new Ferno Universal Harness. Please reach out through their general enquiry page; camps.victoria@ymca.org.au.
In addition, we are always keen to hear of any new information on equipment. If you have any suggestions please get in touch with Andrew Gooday at careerscoordinator@outdoorsvictoria.org.au
Information and resources on these areas can also be found in the existing FREE toolkit. Over the coming months we will update and transition this information onto this page.
Outdoors Queensland
Outdoors Queensland have a wide range of All Abilities Inclusion resources on their website.
Sport NZ Resources and Case Study
Sport NZ has some great online resources, including a downloadable Accessibility and inclusion in outdoor education and recreation guide, and a case study from an outdoor operator.
Free Exercise for Disabilities ebook
Exercise Right, a public health initiative created by Exercise & Sports Science Australia, have produced a Free ebook Exercise for Disabilities. This ebook has useful sections on different disability groups with recommendations and benefits of exercise for each group.
(scroll down for the link to the relevant ebook).
