Accessible for all abilities

Improve the experience for all

Disabilities may be visible or invisible. If we design accessible programs, they will be welcoming to all. 

• Disability Etiquette (Google Doc) - General tips for speaking and actions, plus tips for specific disabilities. 

• 4-H accommodation request (Google Doc) - If you know that one of our programs or events will be inaccessible to a 4-H'er or family member, you can request a disability-related accommodation. Just contact your local Extension educator.  Make your request as far in advance as you can. We cannot guarantee that we can fulfill requests made less than one month before the program/event.   

• Accommodations Kit Information Sheet (Google Doc) - Purpose, contents and how to use these kits with your group.

• Mentorship Guide (Google Doc) - What mentors and mentees do, successful mentoring relationships, getting started checklist, conversation guide, year-end evaluation 

• Including Youth of All Abilities - Activity Plans (page) (Minnesota 4-H Curriculum Library) 

• Judging Tips for Supporting Youth of All Abilities (Google Doc)

• Important Considerations for Discussing the Equity of Accommodations

• Pathways to Inclusion - a resource guide for fully including youth of all abilities in community life. 

Facilities

• Facility accessibility checklist (Google Doc)  - Questions to ask along with potential solutions to help make a facility accessible to those with special needs.

Specific needs

• Autism tip sheet (Google Doc)
  Timely advice for volunteers and staff working with 4-H youth with autism spectrum disorder. It also includes some key resources for further learning. (Created by Darcy Cole of Minnesota 4-H.)

• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Visual supports

• First-Then-Next board (Google Slides) 

• Picture cards (Google Doc) 

• Today's schedule (Google Slides)
  A graphic representation of a schedule of tasks that helps children follow the rules and plan for what they will encounter. Visual schedules can reduce anxiety by understanding what will happen. It provides consistency and may reduce resistance to completing less than desirable activities.      

Social stories

Social stories model appropriate social interaction by describing a situation with relevant social cues, others' perspectives and suggested appropriate response. The two examples posted here do not include pictures because it is recommended that personalized pictures be used to best prepare the youth for the situation that they might encounter. Insert your own photos to show youth in your club what to expect.

• 4-H club meetings are fun (Google Slides) 

• 4-H judging at the fair (Google Slides) 

How to use social stories

Social stories model appropriate social interaction by describing a situation with relevant social cues, other's perspectives, and a suggested appropriate response.  They most often focus on the nuances of interpersonal communication in an effort to help individuals learn how to respond in an effective and appropriate manner.  Social stories can also help prepare youth for new and unfamiliar situations. 

It is recommended that personalized pictures be added in order to best prepare the youth for the situation that they might encounter because they would see a familiar face or place.  Parents or other family members might read these with the child multiple times before the event as preparation of what is to come. One mother said, "We read my son's "Going to school" social story every night for two months before his first day of preschool, so that he could see his classroom, teachers and routine."

Contact

Darcy Cole, Extension educator, dacole@umn.edu, 320-484-4334