Community Activities

Beginning with Lesson 5, each student with a disability who is experiencing social isolation is paired (based on gender and interests) with a student in the program who fills the role of bridge builder. It is suggested that the pairs be determined by the instructor based on information provided in questionnaires that students complete in Lesson 2 and Lesson 4. Throughout the remainder of the course, bridge builders, who may be students with or without disabilities, serve as support and community companions during weekly out-of-class activities. Under the supervision of program staff, student facilitators and their partners jointly plan, carry out, and evaluate the effectiveness of their social experiences in the school and community.

On a weekly basis, 10-15 minutes of class time should be set aside during which partners begin planning their upcoming weekly activities. They will use the worksheet, Planning a Community Activity, which is included in Lesson 5. At the end of the alloted time, partners should be directed to schedule time with each other outside of class to complete their plan before their activity. It is further suggested that during the in-class planning time, the instructor visit with each pair about their plans, ensuring that the proposed activities are appropriate, possible, and will enhance social inclusion. The instructor should use the following guidelines in evaluating activity choices:

• To what extent does the activity allow for extended social interaction between the partners and others (e.g., classmates, friends, peers who are also engaging in the activity)?
• Are the resources and supports that are necessary for participation in the activity available to the partners?
• Is the activity age-appropriate?

It is especially important that the activities include opportunities for social interaction between the partner who is experiencing social isolation and others at the activity or in the community. Examples of activities that address this need include:

• Partners going to a movie and then meeting classmates afterward for snacks.
• Partners sitting with friends of the bridge builder at a school sporting event.
• Partners jointly enrolling in a recreation/leisure program, community education class, or school club that includes same-age peers, and introducing themselves to other participants.

In addition to completing Planning a Community Activity sheets for each outing, partners will complete the Yes I Can Partner Activity Log distributed in Lesson 5. The logs should be duplicated from the master in Lesson 5 and made available for completion throughout the remainder of the course. During part of each class session students and instructors will discuss how partner activities are going, and the challenges that have been encountered. These discussions provide partners with a valuable source of support and encouragement, and are an integral part of the program. In addition, they serve as problem-solving sessions during which class members can engage in brainstorming activities that assist each other in developing creative ways to remove or minimize barriers to social inclusion.