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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