Search

conversations on the fringe

Open Search
Category

Youth With Disabilities

Disabled Youth and Youth Ministry Gatherings (pt. 3 – hearing impairments)


If a student who is deaf is using an interpreter, group members will need to take turns during discussions.  If several people are talking at the same time, which is not uncommon in youth group meetings, the interpreter will be unable to communicate all the information. 

Requiring people to raise their hands before speaking is a good method to ensure that only one person is speaking at a time, as decided beforehand the order in which students will speak.  In a group setting the student who is deaf will normally be a few seconds or minutes behind the hearing group members; it will usually take longer to interpret a sentence that it took for the person to speak it.  An interpreter must understand the context before interpreting and it may happen that a message will require more signs than words. 

The youth leader should make a point of asking students who are dear for their responses and questions to ensure they are included in the discussion.  If a group lasts more than an hour, two interpreters may be necessary, because interpreting can be very fatiguing.

Not all individuals who are deaf are fluent in sign language, and some, such as a student who is deaf and blind, may have some very particular communication needs.  You can learn about these accommodations simply by talking to the student or their family.

Other considerations:

  • Lighting is important when there is a person who is deaf in a ministry program.  Lighting needs to be sufficient for the person who is deaf to see the interpreter, especially during a movie or video clip when the lights need to be dimmed.
  • Blinds or curtains might need to be closed to minimize glare and enable the person who is deaf to see their interpreter.
0

Disabled Youth and Youth Ministry Gatherings (pt. 2 – visual impairments)


Youth who are visually impaired need to orient themselves to the group setting in a different manner than those who are sighted.  They will need to understand the group environment, including the position of all the participants and the format or structure of learning activities such as readings, or breakout discussions, so that they can prepare for them in advance.  Other group members should be aware that they cannot use eye contact to communicate with members of the group who are blind, and must rely on different methods such as:

  • To guide a person who is blind, let him or her take your arm.  When encountering steps, curbs, or other obstacles, identify them.
  • When giving directions, be as clear and specific as possible including distance and obvious obstacles.
  • Speak to the person in a normal tone and speed.
  • It’s okay to touch a blind person on the shoulder or arm to convey communication.
  • Don’t touch or play with a working guide dog.
  • Ask the person how much vision he or she has and what communication modality  they are most comfortable using.
  • When leaving a room, say so.

Solutions to access problems:

  • Keep pathways clear and raise low-hanging signs or lights.
  • Use large letter signs and add braille labels to all signs.
  • Keep doors closed or wide open; half open doors are hazardous.
  • Have adaptive equipment available so people who are blind can be full ministry participants (i.e., talking computer, Brailler, etc.).
  • Make oral announcements; don’t depend on postings, electronic or otherwise.
  • Any printed material must be created with larger font size and clear script that is easy to read.
  • Add raised or Braille lettering to elevator control buttons, and install entrance indicators at doorways.
  • Utilize audio communication tools such as podcasts, streaming sermons, etc.
  • Make optical magnifiers and aids available for people with visual impairments.
0

Disabled Youth and Youth Ministry Gatherings (pt. 1 – overview)


This is the first in a series of posts on youth ministry and youth with disabilities.

While accommodations may be needed to integrate people with disabilities into your youth ministry group settings, it is important to first emphasize what all group members have in common.  Youth workers can emphasize to the group that, despite a wide variety of individual differences, all members are there for the same reasons.  Everyone is present to explore what it means to be a part of God’s unfolding story.

Some groups with a single person who has a visible disability may meet on a regular basis, and disabilities are never discussed.  For other groups, this topic may emerge quickly.  Although it’s not possible to have one rule that applies to all situations, there are some common considerations.  Group members should be oriented to any special considerations that someone with a disability may require in order to effectively participate.  Discussions about an individual’s disability can be quite therapeutic to the one with a disability and likewise educational to those who do not.

Group members (students and adults) can be trained to assist in making accommodations for peers who have disabilities.  It is important, however, to work with nondisabled students to minimize their enabling of or overcompensating for people with disabilities.  It is appropriate to describe to the group the practical aspects of helping the person with a disability, and ask that person to describe what he or she expects people around him or her to do.  It is not uncommon for a person with a disability to ask for assistance when needed however, for a person with less awareness or acceptance of their disability, it is important that peers are aware of what is appropriate help to offer.

When working with people with disabilities in a group setting, youth workers may find it useful to alter group participation expectations, limit the time in group, and work with the group to extend the group learning experience outside the confines of the group meeting.  While the actual accommodations used will likely be tailored to each individual, there are some general strategies (to be discussed in future posts) that have been successful in making the youth group gatherings more accessible for individuals with particular types of disabilities. (i.e., sensory disabilities, cognitive and intellectual disabilities, and physical disabilities)

One simple question:

Are your youth group gatherings welcoming and accessible to youth with disabilities?

0

Bullying: Everyone Plays A Role


Most of the time when we think of bullying we only see two parties as being involved; the bully and the bullied.  Olweus theory suggests that everyone plays a role in bullying.  If this is true then to combat bullying would require a collaborative effort by all parties.  Below is a diagram of the various parties involved in bullying.

After seeing this chart I began noticing the specific roles in the youth in our community.  Bullying is a systemic problem that requires a well thought out approach if we are going to quell this dangerous behavior and it’s consequences.  Below is Olweus’s components for addressing bullying in our communities.

Our churches and ministries can and should take the lead in confronting this behavior and implementing a plan of action to address bullying.

What might it say should a church take the lead in this fight?

What does this communicate to our kids when a community fights for their safety?

How does this impact an adolescents search for identity and autonomy?

1

Ministry to Persons with Disabilities


By Adam Ballard

Even at the beginning of a new century, with ever-increasing awareness of disability issues, there remains a deficiency in the church’s response and service to those who are disabled.  And nowhere are the needs for effective ministry to this community more obvious than in the city.  Cities, for the most part, are where the disabled live, attempt to find work, and hope that their basic needs can be met.  Efforts in the public sector to provide services to the disabled population are commendable, but are usually stretched thin by lack of manpower and adequate funding.  This is a need that could be met by the church.

Beyond these practical considerations, it could be argued that the community of faith has a theological and missional obligation to engage in such ministry activities.  Jesus’ ministry was largely concerned with healing and restoration of individuals to community life.  I have often felt that the Lord’s healing activity was primarily intended to eliminate the social barriers between those who were seen as unclean or less than whole and those who weren’t.  Although such barriers are less noticeable today, they still exist.  The church should be continuing Christ’s healing ministry in the city.  Whether it’s through job training, advocacy, health care, or simply seeking opportunities to fully integrate the disabled into the life together, there is much that can be done.

more…

1

A WordPress.com Website.

Up ↑