Through the Inclusive Fitness for Youth Initiative (funded by The Boston Foundation), PYD’s National Center is collaborating with Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Valley (www.bgcav.org) for a year-long partnership to increase inclusion of youth with disabilities in club activities.
The Mission of the Boys & Girls Club of Assabet Valley is to promote the growth of young people in our community by empowering them to become productive, caring, responsible citizens. They have been serving children in the Maynard, Stow, Concord, Acton and Sudbury, Massachusetts area for over 40 years.
The BGCAV staff gets ready for summer activities at the club.
Recently, the full and part-time staff of The Boys and Girls Club participated in a training facilitated by PYD’s National Center entitled, “Expanding Access and Inclusion of Youth with Disabilities.” The team engaged in interactive team exercises to learn the definition of inclusion, information about the ADA and ADA Amendments Act, disability statistics, and inclusive communication strategies (including person first language). Many staff reported that as a result of this training, they will begin using person first language and be more committed to inclusion.
“The Boys & Girls Club of Assabet Valley is a community center that is constantly searching of ways to successfully support our youth. I am so thankful that we are able to collaborate with Partners in Youth with Disabilities to continue to learn how effectively include all youth in our programs. Our entire staff is looking forward to learning more about what inclusion truly is and how our staff and members will be able to help end the barriers to inclusion,” says Jennifer Kuo, Inclusion Director at BGCAV.
Thank you to the staff at The Boys and Girls Club of Assabet Vally for your commitment to inclusion! For more information about PYD’s National Center and inclusion trainings, please contact Genelle Thomas at gthomas@pyd.org.