Recreation and leisure activities are a critical dimension of the quality of life for all youth, including those with disabilities. There are a vehicle through which youth have fun, meet new friends, and develop skills and competencies. Yet, traditionally, recreation/leisure activities are given low priority as an area in which support and assistance are provided. Many youth are still limited to segregated recreation and leisure choices. When other opportunities are offered, they often involve taking groupings of youth with disabilities to large public settings (e.g. malls, theatres, restaurants), while very little support is offered for individualized participation in community settings that offer greater opportunities for social connections and relationships. While not all youth with disabilities need support to participate in recreation and leisure activities, others, particularly those with more severe disabilities, may not have any access to integration recreation and leisure unless supports are available. Where are youth with disabilities participating in regular community leisure, recreational and voluntary activities? They are doing so in communities where youth with and without disabilities have worked together to create recreational environments that support youth, reduce or eliminate barriers and provide opportunities for success. In such communities, youth with disabilities are more likely to feel that they really belong, and will find many ways to do so. PositiveLeisure4Youth places emphasis on supporting youth with disabilities in a wide range of community recreation/leisure activities and settings, on an individualized basis. At the same time, increasingly youth organizations want to open their doors, in inclusive and supportive ways, to participants with disabilities. Leisure time and space is considered a safe place for experimentation of skills, habits and behaviour. This is opposed to school space which can be perceived oppressive by youth with disadvantaged backgrounds (youth with disabilities, but equally youth from minorities and youth with a refugee background). Leisure time offers opportunity for creativity within a safe harbouring environment, using internal motivation as a facilitator. It is very flexible opposed to a predetermined progress as demanded by school. These are also skills for life to combat e.g. burn out and depression. For youth with disabilities integrated leisure and social activities can by a key to community participation. While PositiveLeisure4Youth focuses mainly on youth with disabilities, the outcomes of the project are equally transferable to the integration and inclusion of youth from minority groups as well as youth with a refugee background. Leisure time is equally offering them a key element in supporting their interaction with youth and their subsequent inclusion, while also supporting their overall integration in society. TARGET GROUPS - youth workers, youth leaders and youth NGO members - youth with and without disabilities (and their representative youth organisations) - the outcomes of the project are equally transferable to the integration and inclusion of youth from minority groups as well as youth with a refugee background. ENVISAGED INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS AS OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES: IO1: Guide for youth workers, leaders and teachers on "How to build-up an Inclusive youth community towards leisure time activities?" IO2: Handbook with inclusive youth leisure and recreation activities for the youth community IO3: Mobile application on inclusive leisure and recreation for youth Partners involved are from 4 countries and have following expertise: - 1 university to offer the positive psychology approach that is at the basis of positive leisure: University Of Plovdiv (Bulgaria) - 1 organisation that is closely related to the disability community (both people with disabilities, their families and professionals who are working and supporting them): National Association Of Professionals Working With People With Disabilities (Bulgaria) - 1 regional municipality hosted youth organisation from Plovdiv - Voluntary unit Plovdiv 112 - 2 end users represented organisation : Vienna Association of Education Volunteers (one of the biggest youth volunteers NGOs in Austria) and W.I.T - end-users organisation of people with disabilities and the professionals who are supporting them. - 1 VET school together with its youth students' council - Belgrade Open School (Serbia) Having more time to spend on social interactions (and leisure activities) is amongst the strongest drivers of well-being. (European Commission, Eurofound, Quality of life in Europe, Subjective well-being, 3rd European quality of life survey (2013), p. 78 and p.94.)
Leisure and leisure activities are an important aspect of quality of life for all young people, including the disadvantaged and disabled people. The leisure activities are the engine through which young people have fun, make new friendships, and develop skills and competencies. Until now, leisure activities have not been considered as areas of support and assistance. For disadvantaged young people, integrated leisure and social activities can be the key to social inclusion. Many recreational activities provide opportunities for dating, engaging in social interactions and developing friendships. Often, it is these relationships that make leisure activities the most meaningful. Much of the youth still has a limited range of entertainment and activities. Opportunities for entertainment often consist in leading disadvantaged youth groups among the general public. However, very little support is given for the individual participation of young people in these public settings, although it is the media themselves that may provide greater opportunities for social networking. All societies recognize the importance of leisure activities in the psychological, cognitive, civic, professional and physical development of young people. Therefore, in many places around the world, young people take a certain amount of time during which they are not at work and school and can participate in various activities according to their personal preference. Productive leisure is fundamental to the personal and social development of young people. Psychological benefits of leisure activities for disadvantaged young people are: - Perceptions of freedom, independence and autonomy - Improved self-improvement through improved sense of self-esteem and self-confidence - Better ability to socialize with others, including greater tolerance and understanding - Better teamwork opportunities - Increased creativity - Improve the expression and reflection of personal spiritual ideals - Greater adaptability and sustainability - Better sense of humor - Perceptions of a better quality of life - More balanced competitiveness and a more positive outlook for life This project has the following objectives: - Creating an inclusive youth community by consolidating their free time as a positive for well-being, reducing education cessation and stable mental health - Creating, approving and disseminating new youth-oriented results: A guide for youth workers and teachers on “How to build an inclusive youth community?” - Methods, case studies, tips; Handbook on inclusive youth entertainment activities for youth workers / leaders and teachers and the mobile application for inclusive recreational and leisure activities - Organizing motivational leisure seminars to stimulate human interaction, verbal interactive collaboration and improving 21st century skills - Creating awareness campaigns that integrate disabled youth in the four countries (Bulgaria, Belgium, Austria and Serbia) into youth organizations, but also the families of disadvantaged young people. - Measuring the impact of the Positive Leisure Time for Youth concept by piloting in Bulgaria, Belgium, Austria and Serbia with local youth organizations, and successfully deriving implementation guidance. The following target groups were included: - Youth workers, youth leaders and members of youth NGOs - Youth with and without disabilities (and their representative youth organizations)