10:00 am - 12:00 pm: Disability Inclusion Includes ALL Staff: Strategies for Getting Your Team (and Families) on Board (0.2 CEU’s)

Are you struggling to get your recreation staff team on board with inclusion? Successful disability inclusion requires organizational commitment - meaning every staff role plays a part in ensuring all participants belong. This session addresses common barriers to building an inclusive culture and shares practical strategies to bring your whole team on board. Participants will examine why hiring a CTRS or appointing an Inclusion Specialist is not a stand-alone solution and how these roles are most effective when used as mentors and coaches who build staff confidence and independence. Attendees leave with tools to strengthen staff capacity, increase buy-in, and enhance their ability to support successful participation for all - while also gaining foundational strategies for partnering with families through clear communication and shared problem-solving. 

1:00 - 3:00 pm: No More Suspensions! Dealing With Challenging Behaviors Through a New Lens (0.2 CEU’s)

Being disability welcoming takes intentional work to ensure that all participants are successful. This session recognizes that some children may present with more challenging behaviors and require a different mindset and strategies to support successful participation. Attendees will explore practical approaches for responding to challenging behaviors in ways that promote regulation and skill-building. The session includes a clear demonstration of the difference between meltdowns and tantrums, along with strategies for responding to each to support more positive outcomes for both participants and staff. We will conclude with interactive inclusion scenario problem-solving, where attendees work in small groups to apply the strategies learned to real-life behavior situations, collaborate on solutions, and share insights as a full group. Attendees will leave with tools and confidence to reduce, and work toward, eliminating suspension practices.