Respecting AccesSurfers’ Independence

Common terms:

Accessibility is creating usability in the widest possible range. {Read more...}

Inclusion and Empowerment

Empowerment – is guided by the ability of individuals and communities worldwide to engage and be stronger and more confident in controlling their life and claiming their rights. We build choice in the experience. We support the lessons learned from successes, challenges, failures and mistakes. We empower individuals by embracing participation in their way and by creating a space and community that encourages individuals to discover their identity where they belong and how to contribute.

Inclusion – AccesSurf builds our community to develop tolerance, acceptance, and aloha for others. We focus on giving individuals that are otherwise marginalized from water sports and activities an opportunity to participate. AccesSurf is unique because we invite volunteers no matter their demographic into our community and share our ‘Ohana.

Disability Positive Language – Language matters, and it is culturally bound to have a positive and negative coloring. Language can influence a person that is isolated from activity and community to think negatively about disability. It is fine to say “person with a disability,” but terms like “challenged” and “the disabled” are not favorable. Avoid negative terms such as “afflicted,” “handicapped,” “victim,” or “confined.” Use terms that do not add judgment. For example, it is inappropriate to say a person is “confined to a wheelchair” or “wheelchair-bound.” The appropriate term is “wheelchair user” or “uses a wheelchair.” The best thing to do is not point out the wheelchair at all and just  say the person’s name or a description of what the person is wearing.

What we do to create inclusion:

Provide opportunity for people to participate in water activities from which many people with disabilities are marginalized.

Create positive exposure. We create imagery,  media and branding around accessible water sport. We advocated for access to water on  individual, community and world platforms.

Support incentive. We build growth in the structure of surfing and competition. More eyes on the sport mean more incentive to earn titles and sponsorships as well as create organization in the sport worldwide.

How do we empower?

• Empowering communication
• Build choice in an individuals experience
• Support confidence building by learning from challenge and mistakes
• Meet individuals where they are to promote use of their ability
• Transferring power to individuals to participate in the desired way (given procedures)
• Social support, education, advocacy, intentional set-up of environments, aesthetics, equipment, and repainting the picture of disability.

Communication is essential to connect in a community. It also has power to empower. Address people with disabilities at AccesSurf by using disability positive and person-first language.  Combined, they have an ocean of possibilities.

Person-first language is the approach we take when communicating with people. We look at them and talk about them as a person before any differences or visible/ invisible distinguishing features. Individuals are not the disability they experience.

• Person-first Language emphasizes the person, not the disability. By placing the person first, the disability is no longer the primary, defining characteristic of an individual. Acknowledge the person before you acknowledge their disability.

Say this:

“the child with autism”

“person who uses a wheelchair”

Not this:

“the autistic child”

“wheelchair-bound” or “confined to a wheelchair”

Mobility Device/Aids Etiquette

Many of our participants and some of our volunteers use mobility devices. When spending time with someone who uses a mobility device or aid ALWAYS:

• Remember that a person’s mobility equipment, such as a wheelchair, scooter, or cane, is part of his or her personal space.
  • Ask before you touch or move their device.
  • If you do move their mobility aid, remember to let the person know exactly where you placed their device.
  • Leaning on someone’s wheelchair is like leaning on his or her shoulder – don’t do it.

To Help or Not to Help

It can be difficult to decide when is the right time to help someone with a disability. For a lot of our participants, they have been living with their disability for some time and have figured out a way to do most things in a way that best suits them. They are able to do things they want and need to do, however, they may have to complete it differently now than they did in the past. It is important that we show respect when working with individuals that have a disability by:

• First, ask if they would like help
  • While you might think it helpful to move a participant, buckle their life vest, and lift them onto a surfboard… it can be intrusive if they do not need or wish for your assistance. You probably wouldn’t like it if a stranger came up to you and lifted you from a chair without warning, right? Because you were able to do it by yourself and didn’t need their help in the first place, that would make the situation even MORE uncomfortable. So ask – “would you like any help?”

• If yes, ask “how can I help?” rather than decide for yourself what you think is best for the participant.
  • They are the experts of their body and abilities and will most likely know exactly what they need help with.

• Figuring out their comfort level during new situations and activities
  • This might be the first time someone has surfed before. Make sure they feel safe to start, safe during the process, and offer assistance if they request.

Least restrictive environment – Create an environment that can support an individual’s ability to participate in their desired activity and environment. We make an effort to get to know our AccesSurfer’s and learn how to help them engage in their desired activity by using their own power. We will stay beside the person that wants to learn to crawl to the ocean with their own power. We may walk ahead and take the rocks out of the path. We encourage choice to use ability even if it seems inconvenient.

• Proper communication
• Tandem surfing skills
• Ability to work in a ream
• Ability to act safely and responsibly with adaptive surfing participants
• Understanding of safeguarding and data protection requirements