AlterGo – City of Montreal

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN ACTIONACPL- AQLM October 2003

An end to exclusion

• Forum presented in conjunction with the National Conference on Parks and Leisure by partners working for universal accessibility

– Linda Roy, City of Montreal and– Monique Lefebvre, AlterGo

A united effort for the greater good!

Working together means sharing a vision!

A positive approach

• Spirit of innovation

• Bold initiatives

• Unyielding determination

• Humility

• Political will

Spirit of innovation

• Doing things differently

• Measuring performance

Bold initiatives

• Initiatives based on common interests and goals; not inflexible positions

• Partnership

• Strategic alliances

Unyielding determination

• The right approach to planning and administration

• Direction

• Strategies

• All concerned parties

Humility

• Asking hard questions

• Seeing ourselves through others

• I am not a victim!

• It’s not my fault!

Political will

• Support

• Recognition

• Investment – Human resources– $$$$

Question period

Forum for open dialogue

• A partnership for over 25 years

• A way to change attitudes

• An atmosphere of mutal understanding

• A place to exchange ideas and experiences

One mission

• Encourage participation in leisure pursuits for persons with disabilities through dialogue

Objectives

• Promote equality in terms of accessibility to leisure activites for disabled persons in Montreal;

• Ensure that disabled persons have the same choices as all citizens;

Objectives (cont’d)

• Co-ordinate strategies leading to complete participation by persons with disabilities;

• Find common solutions to obstacles encountered by persons with disabilities;

• Facilitate collaboration between representatives of the City of Montreal and those representing persons with disabilities.

Question period

Access to programs and services

• The 4 areas to organize– Offer of service aspect– Communications aspect– Universal accessibility aspect– Human aspect

«IT takes a new way of thinking to bring about a new way of acting toward others!» Serge Lamontagne, St-Laurent

Adapted offer of service aspect

• Willingness by partners of the City to offer services to persons with disabilities

• Integrated participation and participation of disabled persons

• Support for the development of adapted programs – accompaniment in leisure or devlopment of specialized activity sites

Accompaniment as a means to encourage and promote accessibility to leisure activities for persons with disabilities

Accompaniment in leisure

• Objectives– Ensure that any person with

a disability (regardless of the type of disability) can participate in leisure activities within a standard of specialized structure

– Offer financial aid to organizations seeking to provide accompaniment services

Accompaniment in leisure

• Organizations participating in program Montreal region - 2002– Standard organizations: 71– Specialized organizations: 16

Accompaniment in leisure

• Program participants 2002 by disability type – Montreal region

Accompaniment in leisure

• Positive benefits– Much-appreciated program– Encourages improval integration of disabled

persons– Mutually enriching experience– Greater choice in terms of providing leisure

services and activities– Activities offered closer to home– Developping partnerships

Adapted offer of service aspect

• Policy of supporting organizations responsible for leisure activities targeted toward disabled persons

• Planning interaction and use of adapted transport services

• Develop way to measure performance – adapted for a disabled clientele

• Establish minimum norms for the support of adapted services and activities within organizations

Adapted offer of service aspect

• Participation in general community life and development projects by organizations responsible for leisure activities for disabled persons

• Plan for inclusion of disabled persons in programs and activities organized by community, e.g. Montreal Games, festivals, etc.

• Inter-district dialogue forums to oversee services for disabled persons

Question period

Communication aspect

• Accessibility of information for persons with a visual disability – information available on audio cassette or CD, etc.

• Accessibility through sign posting, symbols, icons, etc.

• Accessibility of services for persons with an auditory disability (e.g. installation of magnetic loop) – an adapted theatre production, interpreted for the hearing impaired, offered a few times a year

Communication aspect

• Publication of pertinent information regarding services offered to persons with disabilities in directories, brochures – accessibility of sites, rates for accompaniment, offer of adapted services, etc.

• Create an atmosphere where persons with disabilities feel welcome!

Environmental accessibility aspect

• Plan improvements regarding the accessibility of equipment and installations – collaboration within sector to identify and prioritize needs

• Review of plans by expert in accessibility and consultation with community organizations representing persons with disabilities when projects initiated

Human aspect

• Develop and jmprove skills among personnel responsible for customer service for persons with disabilities

• Form positive attitudes and pass on knowledge e.g. training of day camp staff, training of management team for improved access to programs and services

The importance of leisure

• Leisure is considered a right for all citizens by 95.3% of the population

• In Quebec, leisure falls under municipal jurisdiction

City of Montreal

• The entity responsible for providing citizens with a variety of service in sectors such as culture, sports, leisure and social development

• The administration of services in culture, sports, leisure and social development sectors is overseen at the district level

The roles of concerned parties

• Elected officials

• Leisure administrators

• AlterGo

• Organizations overseeing leisure activities for persons with disabilities

Leisure as a means of social intregration

The Defi Sportif

• Encourages and promotes participating in sports and active lifestyle for persons with disabilities

• Represent a dynamic and positive image of persons with disabilities

A vision

• The Defi Sportif – created in 1984– An annual multi-sport competition where elite

athletes guide the youth – A gathering of athletes fromj all disability

groups– 21st édition from April 28 to May 2, 2004

2300 determined athletes

An international competition

• 16 disciplines – 550 volunteers

• 5 days of competition

• 3 competition sites in Montreal

• Over 100 partners

• Special events

Question period

How to reach us

Linda RoyDirector for Culture, Sports, Leisure and Social Development

for Rivière-des-Prairies, Pointe-aux-Trembles, Montreal East

E-mail : lroy_2@ville.montreal.qc.ca

Tel. : (514) 872-6383

How to reach us

Monique LefebvreExecutive Director – AlterGo

E-mail : monique@altergo.net

Tel. : (514) 933-2739, ext. 222

AlterGo

PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN ACTION