An innovative
ability awareness program
that teaches compassion and
awareness through play.
Since the program began in 2005,
Shane’s Inspiration has touched
the lives of almost 4,000 children.
“Being a buddy taught me that I can make a person with a disability
laugh without even talking to him. I now appreciate life more than I
used to. This field trip changed the way I see people with
disabilities, the way I see me.” - Amanda, 5th Grade, after
participating in “Together, We Are Able.”
Shane’s Inspiration’s unique disability awareness education program
is designed to promote integration and understanding by bringing
children with and without disabilities together in a meaningful way.
Through it, we combine in-class disability awareness exercises with
an interactive field trip to one of our Universally Accessible
Playgrounds – giving children a hands-on opportunity to:
Examine common fears and misconceptions about people with disabilities.
Explore the accomplishments of people with special challenges.
Discover the similarities between people who appear different.
Deepen character-building skills such as communication, listening, observation, empathy, and
Learn to value and appreciate diversity.
How It Works
Our staff delivers an initial, 45 minute in-class
presentation, utilizing creative writing, critical thinking, group
discussion, and multi-media to help children investigate their thoughts
and feelings towards people with disabilities. At that time, teachers
and parents receive a hand-out describing the field trip.
We
schedule an interactive field trip to one of our Universally Accessible
Playgrounds, pairing the class with a class of children with
disabilities for a day of play and learning.
The field trip
typically lasts between 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is supervised by 2
Shane’s Inspiration staff members, along with parents, teachers, and
aids.
We follow the field trip up with a second 45 minute
in-class presentation, where our staff works with the children to
explore what they learned and how their perceptions about people with
disabilities have shifted.
To find out more about the program,
please contact Marnie Norris Fisher, Program Associate: marnie@shanesinspiration.org / (818) 988-5676.
What They Have Said
We piloted the program in April and May 2005 with two schools. The
following are excerpts taken from a 5th Grade class, which highlights
the profound impact of the experience :
“Being a buddy taught me that disability doesn’t mean anything. It just means something to be a great person inside.” - Jeff
“Being a buddy taught me that I can communicate with someone that can’t
talk. I thought that it would be hard but it turned out not to be. All
I had to do was talk to him. He could understand.” – Jake
“What surprised me most was that my buddy had the ability to
communicate with us by laughing or crying. Even if she can’t respond in
words, she can respond in emotions.” – Hannah
“I discovered that my buddy and I both love to play on playgrounds. We
had a lot of fun. The thing that surprised me most about her was her
ability to love and make friends.” - Ximena
