Building skills, eliminating barriers

This fall, student staff from across the department took part in an Adaptive Recreation Student Development Series to become better equipped with the knowledge and tools to assist people with disabilities in recreation. Staff members from intramural sports, aquatics, member services, and fitness came together to take part in educational sessions and practical sessions, working with youth from the Health Services for Children Pediatric Center and utilizing adaptive climbing and kayaking equipment.

“This project supports RecWell’s core values of inclusion, empowerment, and collaboration by enhancing student staff’s ability to provide adaptive recreation opportunities to underserved populations while engaging with the local community in a partnership with a children’s hospital,” says Amanda Preperato, Assistant Director for Adventure Program and one of the instructors of the educational sessions.

Not only a meaningful experience for student staff, the program also encourages youth who have disabilities to reimagine what types of recreation are available to them and maybe even find something they love doing. In fact, at the end of a kayaking session, one of the kids jumped into the diving well to boycott going home.