The Robert Hollman Foundation supports the development of visually impaired children. Every child, also a child with disability, likes playing and playing is the right of every child. It often happens that a child with disability cannot play like other children because playground equipment is usually not adequate. The Robert Hollman Foundation recently promoted an innovative project with the aim of creating an inclusive park in the town near the Foundation, where every child could play and which every person could enjoy. This project has been shared with 16 bodies and professional associations, including Padua University, the municipality, and 1378 children and 80 teachers of kindergardens and primary schools in the town. Different areas of disability and age groups were taken into consideration. Starting from the principles of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and of Universal Design, a lab path developed. A children’s book was created and printed; it was written in different codes to be accessible to everybody. Every character in the book represents a different disability and children can understand not only the weak points, but also more importantly the strong points of each character. Children participating in the labs identified with the main characters and had the chance to be in contact with their experiences and emotions. Teachers underwent a training course about the objectives and the roots of this project. Through the reading of the book, the analysis of the characters and personal introspection, children identified what should be present in an inclusive park for everybody. Finally they created a model park for everyone and their hand-made works were exhibited to other schools. The suggestions of the children, together with those of the associations and professionals have been combined in this co-participated project. The next step will be the building of this inclusive, tailor-made park, accessible to everybody with the “laying of the first stone” scheduled for next autumn.
”WE THINK, WE CREATE, WE PLAY…TOGETHER: AN INCLUSIVE PARK FOR EVERYBODY’’
Tiziana Battistin
Primo
;
2020
Abstract
The Robert Hollman Foundation supports the development of visually impaired children. Every child, also a child with disability, likes playing and playing is the right of every child. It often happens that a child with disability cannot play like other children because playground equipment is usually not adequate. The Robert Hollman Foundation recently promoted an innovative project with the aim of creating an inclusive park in the town near the Foundation, where every child could play and which every person could enjoy. This project has been shared with 16 bodies and professional associations, including Padua University, the municipality, and 1378 children and 80 teachers of kindergardens and primary schools in the town. Different areas of disability and age groups were taken into consideration. Starting from the principles of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health and of Universal Design, a lab path developed. A children’s book was created and printed; it was written in different codes to be accessible to everybody. Every character in the book represents a different disability and children can understand not only the weak points, but also more importantly the strong points of each character. Children participating in the labs identified with the main characters and had the chance to be in contact with their experiences and emotions. Teachers underwent a training course about the objectives and the roots of this project. Through the reading of the book, the analysis of the characters and personal introspection, children identified what should be present in an inclusive park for everybody. Finally they created a model park for everyone and their hand-made works were exhibited to other schools. The suggestions of the children, together with those of the associations and professionals have been combined in this co-participated project. The next step will be the building of this inclusive, tailor-made park, accessible to everybody with the “laying of the first stone” scheduled for next autumn.I documenti in SFERA sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
