The Saturday Leisure Club: A Means of Facilitating the Integration of the Disabled

Abstract

AbstractProviding out-of-school recreation programs for the disabled enables them to use their free time productively and provides a means by which they can be integrated into the community. Although the need to foster integration of the disabled is internationally acknowledged, in Australia there is a dearth of out-of-school recreation programs for the disabled in Australia where such integration can be promoted. To remediate this deficiency in the Illawarra Region, “The Saturday Leisure Club” was piloted to ascertain its feasibility and suitability. Non-disabled siblings of the disabled were included in this program, in order to achieve a first stage of integration, and to provide them with an opportunity to meet other siblings of the disabled so that they might discuss their socio-emotional difficulties with one another. Questionnaires were completed by parents of participants and the co-ordinators of the program after a 4-week pilot run in order to evaluate the aims of the Club and to assess the success of this pilot project. In addition, time samples of the pilot run were recorded on videotape so that a more objective evaluation of the success of integration of the disabled with their non-disabled peers could be obtained. To do this “integrative” and “isolative” behaviours and “positive enotional experiences” were measured by a specially designed checklist. Results of the questionnaires showed that, according to the parents and co-ordinators, the aims of the pilot run were achieved and the program was a success. Further, the analysis of the videotapes showed that there was an increase in “integrative” behaviour over the four weeks of the pilot run. As a consequence, the program was continued and the ultimate aim, of providing a permanent leisure program for under 18 year olds in the Illawarra Region, N.S. W., where integration of the disabled could be fostered, was fulfilled.