MODULE 2: Steps towards an inclusive culture
itly or not) their impairments or health condi- tions. Even within a group of people with the same impairment, individual persons’ access needs vary greatly. Having said this, organisers should be aware of participants’ access/learn- ing needs and disabilities/health conditions in advance of the activity, having collected this information in a sensitive way beforehand (see materials in Module 3). When you develop a new and exciting project involving a mixed-ability group, it is important to remember to create a diverse and inclu- sive team of youth workers. You may consider putting together a mixed-ability team, which would be beneficial when offering mixed-abil- ity educational activities. This is a strategic de- cision that can lead to learning more about youth work in rela- tion to disability issues making participants with disabilities more comfortable during the activity offering participants positive “role models” to identify with gaining better insights into the various accessibility and educational needs of participants with disabilities. 14
Generally, there are four key types of challenge faced by both participants and organisers when designing mixed-ability group activities: Methodological and pedagogical chal- lenges (suitable methods for working with groups, different group dynamics and approaches, etc.) Attitudinal challenges (fears, misconcep- tions, etc. on the part of both participants and organisers)
Financial challenges Technical or accessibility challenges
è Factsheet 2.3. resumes some of the issues that can challenge the inclusivity of a group: technical or accessibility challenges, personal barriers, support systems.
table approach. For example, a partially sight- ed participant will need handouts in large print, while hard-of-hearing persons will need a palantype/text-on-screen support and text handouts so they can follow the inputs. Deaf participants will need sign language interpre- tation. Young people with disabilities should be seen as the experts when it comes to the support and accessibility they need, so a facil- itator/organiser should ask them to voice the kind of support and adaptations they need to become part of the group. When preparing and running an activity with a mixed-ability group, it is advisable to primar- ily pay attention to the young participants’ individual access, participation and learning needs rather than emphasise (whether explic-
5. Making everyone in the group comfortable Input:
For instance, stage an activity involving an exchange of experiences that increases every- one’s empathy towards different needs, or ask participants to share their access needs on an online platform for the project before the face- to-face activity starts. However, sometimes a participant with a dis- ability may not want to open up about their disability to others. How do you deal with this? A suggestion would be to focus on access and other needs, not on the actual disability. Speak with the participant privately about their needs and make sure these needs are known and respected by the team of organisers/facili- tators and/or by participants (if the participant in question permits this). This is a summary of key tips helpful when working with mixed-ability groups: Plan effectively and in good time (programme, accessibility, methods, group composition) Remember that preparation is the hardest part Ask, don’t assume Agree ground rules with the group Identify participants’ needs (how they can and want to be included and how they prefer to participate)
Asking a group openly how they like to learn or what would make them feel included helps make any activity process more responsive to participants’ needs. You can also ask group members individually. 1. What do you need to feel comfortable a. in the group? b. with the activities? c. with the achieved results? 2. What strengths can you contribute to the group? 3. What situations would you like to avoid? What can we do if it occurs nonetheless? 4. Which of your experiences may help others? It is extremely beneficial for the entire group to set ground rules they all agree on, based on mutual respect. Some young people with disabilities may have a lack of knowledge or understanding of the needs of people with impairments different from their own. For instance, deaf partici- pants may (unintentionally) forget about the needs of wheelchair users. Also, people may be so focused on their own participation and having their accessibility needs met that they are not fully receptive to the needs of others. In this case, it can be helpful to help partici- pants to put their disabilities in perspective.
4. Challenges when working with mixed-ability groups – and how to resolve them Input:
ing and recurrent need in any mixed-ability activity or educational process.
No matter how often you have already worked with mixed-ability groups – or maybe not at all – every experience will differ. New sensitive issues may come up and new stereotypes will need to be dealt with. Even participants or ed- ucators with a disability may have stereotypes about a particular disability. Every activity with a mixed-ability group will have to be adjusted. Achieving inclusion is an ever-present, ongo-
Even if you have set up a mixed-ability group in line with inclusive principles, inclusion will still continuously evolve depending on a num- ber of factors such as group membership, na- ture of the activity, facilitation style, or change of environment.
14 Chupina K., Georgescu M. (eds.), Martin K., Todd Z., Saccone M. and Ettema M. (2017): Yes to Disability in Non-Formal Educa- tion! Making Human Rights Education Inclusive for Youth with Disabilities. Unpublished manuscript. Council of Europe.
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