Our Mission…
The Therapeutic Recreation Program seeks to provide life-enhancing opportunities for meaningful leisure and recreation experiences, specifically for individuals who have disabilities and their families/caregivers using the following approaches:
- Inclusive Approach:
- Inclusion happens when people with and without disabilities participate in activities and experiences together. In order for some individuals with disabilities to participate as fully as possible, reasonable accommodations must be made.
- Reasonable accommodations are individualized techniques and resources used to enhance program participation without fundamentally altering a program.
- Reasonable accommodations are based on participant’s need, available resources, and staffing.
- Inclusion makes it possible for individuals to choose from the assortment of programs offered by NLR Parks and Recreation.
- Specialized Approach:
- Specialization happens when activities and experiences are geared towards a specific group, characteristic, or skills, such as:
- Girl Scout Camp – intended for Girl Scouts
- Basketball Camp – intended for basketball players or those interested in learning skills pertinent to the game.
- Programs designed specifically to meet the needs of those who have disabilities and their families will be conducted.
- Programs may be designed around:
- Specific disability - i.e. Autism, Down’s Syndrome, etc…
- Age groups - i.e. preschool, children, adolescent, adult
- Family engagement/participation
- General disability with skill focus – i.e. music camp, cooking program, etc…
- Specialization offers opportunities for those that need a higher level of care and/or accommodations to participate in leisure or recreation activities successfully.
- Specialization also affords participants opportunities to engage in experiences with those who have similar lived experiences…. Helping to bring a sense of comradery and belonging to participants.