Practical Steps to a More Inclusive Congregation (1)

8/7/2019 Practical Steps to a More Inclusive Congregation (1)

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/practical-steps-to-a-more-inclusive-congregation-1 1/23

A Sufi Story



Wha t Do We Do Now?

We Wan t to B e Access ible & Inclu siv e Of

Peopl e wit h Disa biliti es

Interfaith Disability Network Advisory CommitteeProvidence Missionary Baptist Church

April 27,2011



Whe re Are We Now?

y Access ible?

Poss ibly

y We lcomi ngM a ybe not so muc h



What Messages Do We Send?



Wha t Do We Belie v e?

God Cr ea ted M an in Hi s Im age, in the im age of GodHe Crea ted Him

Genes is 1:27




W e have indeed created humankind in the best of molds Quran Surah 95:4




The re are diff eren t ki nds of gift s, but t he sam e Spiritdi stribut es the m. T he re are diff eren t ki nds of servic e,

but t he sa m e Lord. T he re are diff eren t ki nds of worki ng, but i n all of t he m an d in e v eryo ne it i s the

sam e God at work.

I Cori n thians 12: 4-6



y W rit e a statem en t of w elcom e an d inclu sion

y Determi ne w ho poi n ts of co ntact will b e

y Use Un iv ersa l s ymbol s for access ibility y Discuss attitudi na l barri ers

y Off er di sa bility a w areness an d sens itivity tr ain ing



y Id en tify architectur al barri ers

y Seek input from m emb ers wit h di sa biliti es

y Priortiz e areas tha t nee d to b e change dy Seek volu nteers to m ak e the changes



Low or No Co st M odific atio ns

If you c an¶t afford to

Build a ramp or i ns tall a cha ir lift

Conduct pro gram s/se rvic es in a place tha t i s access ible to e v eryo ne

Ins tall an d electric door op ene r

Provid e a volu nteer to op en the door at t he en tr an ce




If you C an¶t afford to

Set as ide mor e access ible parki ng spaces

Off er v alet p arki ng at your en tr an ce

Ins tall a w hee lcha ir access ible dri nking fou ntain

Place a paper cup di spense r nex t to it.




y If you c an t afford to

R eplace all fixed sea ting to accommod ate w hee lcha ir s wit hin the cong rega tio n

Short en a pe w an d add c ha ir s at t he en d of row s

Add a w hee lcha ir access ible stall in existing m en¶s an d wom en¶s res troom s

Build o ne large res troom t ha t can accommod ate a

w hee lcha ir¶s nee d to pivot an d tur n this res troomcan be used as a ³f amil r es troom´



E as y changes at almo st no cost

y Provid e ³greeters´ w ho m eet an d sit wit h those w homi gh t nee d ass istan ce

y Tr ain users to commu nicate wit h a gues t w ho is dea f

y Po st signs tha t indic ate the locatio ns of access ibl e res troom s

y

Publiciz e the a v aila bility of l arge pri n t an d Br aille bull etins an d ne w slett ers



E as y Changes at Almo st No Co st

y Publiciz e the a v aila bility of ass istiv e listen ing de vices an d/ or sign lang uage interpr eters

y Provid e a ³qui et room´ nea r t he san ctu ary

y Place h ym n book s, pr a y er book s an d ot he r notic es on a ta ble at w hee lcha ir he igh t



E as y Changes at Almo st No Co st

y Provid e copi es of song lyric s in large pri n t for p eopl e w ho m a y ha v e difficulty see ing screen

y Provid e copi es of sermo n m an uscript an d/ oroutli nes for co ng regan ts w ho ha v e difficulty proc ess ing the spok en word

y Use Un iv ersa l s ymbol s for access ibility i n all

public atio nsy Provid e ³p eopl e fir st lang uage ´ tr ain ing for cl erg y ,

staff an d leaders



Str ategies for i nclusion in E duc atio n

y Wha t is the purpo se of r eligiou s educ atio n in yourcong rega tio n?

y Allow f amili es to r eport c hild ¶s nee ds w hen the y register t he ir c hild for r eligiou s educ atio n

y Cons ult wit h f amili es a bout w a y s to support t he lea rning of t he ir c hild

y E xplor e w a y s to modify t he curriculum t ha t t ak e in toaccou nt t he div erse lea rning styles of ea ch stud en t±Seek special educ atio n prof ess iona l as a resourc e



Str ategies for i nclusion in E duc atio n

y Includ e di sa bility a w areness educ atio n in the religiou s educ atio n curriculum

y Includ e resourc es a bout i nclu sion in the cong rega tio n¶s libr ary

y Provid e volu nteer tr ain ing a bout t ea ching for an ddiv erse lea rning styles

y Tr ain yout h to accomp an y you nge r childr en wit h di sa biliti es in religiou s educ atio n class room s



M aking Conne ctio ns

y A sk clerg y to explor e your f aith commu nity ¶stext an dtr aditio ns arou nd inclu sion an d as k t he m toincorpor ate w ha t t he y find in a sermo n

y Publi sh articl es in the cong rega tio n¶s ne w slett era bout t he imp erativ e of inclu sion

y Lea rn str ategies for off ering spiritu al an d emotio na l

support




y M emb ers notic e w hen cong regan ts ha v e notatt en ded an d m ak e an effort to b e in touc h

y Off er a rid e an d to accomp an y the m to servic e




y E duc ate churc h staff a bout di sa bility r elatedresourc es

y Keep t he cong rega tio n inform ed a boute v en t/ opportu n iti es to b e in commu nity wit h an dsupport p eopl e wit h di sa biliti es



Keeping Inclusion on the R adar

y Provid e opportu n iti es for p eopl e wit h di sa biliti es tosha re the ir gift s in wor sh ip , study , servic e an dlea dersh ip

y Use film as a cataly st for co n v ersa tio n a boutcontinued inclu sion effort s

y Sa y Than k you to Acc ess ibility an d I nclu sion

Pio nee rsy Off er mo nthly or qu art erly opportu niti es for

educ atio n

Practical Steps to a More Inclusive Congregation (1)

Documents

Transcript of Practical Steps to a More Inclusive Congregation (1)