Connecting Compassion with Inclusion

Oh, boy, do I love a good TED talk. This one, by Krista Tippett, is about one of my favorite subjects- compassion. If that wasn't enough, she mentions Matthew Sanford (a yogi and a self-advocate) in her talk. Check it out and reconnect with compassion. Pay particular attention to her description of compassion as both kind and curious. She quotes someone who says that compassion is "curiosity without assumptions." I think that is a very nice way to describe our work in inclusion.

Is it really still an afterthought?

As I mentioned in my last post I recently attended the National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks meeting, funded by the C.S. Mott Foundation. While there I attended several workshop sessions on diversity, equity and access. And, of course, in every workshop and plenary session I ever attend I always have my ears attuned to any mention of inclusion, access, disability and equity. It’s like my brain has meta tags. I’m always listening for a series of keywords related to KIT’s work, so that I can get an idea of where the national conversation on inclusion is at any point in time.

At the Mott meeting I was heartened to hear that information on inclusion was something people felt they needed. When I started at KIT over eight years ago people were more likely to say to me “we don’t have any of those kids in our program.” Of course, I generalize. And that’s the point, really. To get a general idea of where people and organizations are in their approach to inclusion. Even though the discussion is much more open than it was eight years ago, it still seems to be focused on this idea of “special needs.” That some kids have needs that are special, and our program doesn’t know how to meet the needs, for instance. Which is a very good start. Recognizing that we need to support all kinds of needs is a great place to begin.

However, I’d love to see that discussion broadened and deepened even further. Could we recognize that all kids are different, have different needs, interests, challenges and strengths, and that our program design should allow for and support those needs? Could we see that children with disabilities are all of all ethnicities, socio-economics and religions so that “special needs” is not a separate category of diversity, but perhaps that ability difference runs through everyone and every community?

I am not at all trying to diminish the needs of children who have disabilities. I hope it doesn’t sound like that. Rather, I want to elevate the discussion so that “special needs” is not an afterthought, but a more intentional part of the process of providing child and youth development programs. And, for those of us in the field of inclusion, I think that’s our charge. We need to insert ourselves into the mainstream, instead of remaining a fringe or “boutique” concept. I can envision a landscape where every afterschool conference has sessions on inclusion, and beyond that they may not even be discrete sessions but instead interwoven in every session. I would love to see every quality assessment tool or rubric address inclusion, again, not in a separate category, but reflected in every category. Workforce development, professional development and certificate programs should ensure that people have the knowledge and understanding to support all kinds of children in all types of programs.

Maybe I’m getting more impatient as I get older. I just feel like as far as we have come there is still this sense of “oh yeah, and special needs.” My energy for this is boundless, and my colleagues at KIT are tireless and devoted advocates, but it’s going to take all of us and you to make this happen. It’s going to take us all, finding every possible entryway that we can, so that someday soon any child can be welcomed and supported in any program in any community.

Inclusion is…a team effort.

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Talkin' About Afterschool with Mott

After a 2-month travel hiatus, I was back on the road last week! I do get a little itchy when I’ve been in my office chair for too long, so the chance to “move about the country” was perfectly timed. I took a pleasant and on-time flight (thank you, Southwest!) to Fort Lauderdale, FL to attend the 2001 National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks meeting, funding by the C.S. Mott Foundation. I am the Co-Chair of the California Afterschool Network’s Leadership Team, which is why I had the opportunity to attend the meeting. Coincidentally, KIT’s Dr. Mary Shea also attended the meeting as part of the Oregon After School for Kids (ASK) team. Mary and I both had a great time reconnecting with the state networks who have hired KIT to provide training, conference keynotes, technical assistance or strategic planning for their state (big shout outs to Michigan, Wyoming, Connecticut, Missouri and Washington!).

In addition to the great networking, the meeting also allowed for a lot of learning. It was exciting to hear Dr. Milton Chen, senior fellow and executive director emeritus at The George Lucas Educational Foundation (and an ordained Jedi Master by George Lucas himself!), discuss the ideas from his book Education Nation. As he described it, an Education Nation is “a learning society where education of children is the highest priority, equal to a strong economy, high employment and national security, which rely on education.” He defined a “ladder of learning” from pre-K through high school blending formal and informal learning through schools, technology, museums, libraries, churches, youth groups and parks. A real strength of the United States, Dr. Chen said, is our informal learning institutions- parks, camps, museums, libraries and other non-profits. Here, here! To see some examples, visit the George Lucas Educational Foundation’s website on what works in education. It’s easy for those of us in the out-of-school field to think that k-12 education doesn’t apply to us. That that’s what they do, and we do something different. But the truth is it’s all the same kids. Our kids. The more we can integrate their learning and development in all parts of their lives, wholly and thoughtfully, the better off they will be. And the better of we will be, as they are our future!

I’ve got more to share about the Mott meeting so check back later in the week and into next week!

Oh, and that cute photo is of most of our California team. From left, Gordon Jackson, Assistant Superintendant and the California Department of Education, me, Julie Jarrett, After School Programs Administrator for Butte County Office of Education and Andee Press-Dawson, Executive Director of the California Afterschool Network. This photo was taken just after we showed all the other states how it’s done on the dance floor to the sounds of The Mambo Kings!