Physical Activity Program Checklist

Web version English (switch to French). The checklist will help organizations provide clear information about their physical activity programs.

A child with a disability playing baseball

Image: A child with a disability plays baseball. They run to base, while adults run along side while cheering them on.

The checklist provides suggested information about the Who, What, Where and When of your program. We also include examples, tips and tricks to make this information user-friendly for families of children and youth with disabilities.

Download our accessible PDF version! The link below re-directs to a preview in a new tab, with a download option.

PA Checklist PDF (English)

Who

Provide the following information about your organization and staff.

Image: Youth in sport-styled wheelchairs play lacrosse. They wear helmets and safety gear, in a gym.

Example: Abilities Centre

Abilities Centre is committed to building inclusive and accessible communities. Using our multi-award winning, fully accessible 125,000 square foot facility as an inclusion incubator, we develop evidence-based programs and services that can be scaled locally, provincially, nationally and globally.

Focusing on improving quality of life by positively impacting health and well-being, social inclusion and economic participation for persons of all ages and abilities, Abilities Centre delivers programs and services in the areas of education, employment, sport, recreation and leisure, research and life skills.

Our Vision:

Abilities Centre is the world’s most inclusive, accessible and barrier-free community hub and a model of inclusion for other communities. We educate and inform people, through research and innovation, on the need to celebrate the diverse backgrounds and conditions from which we all come.

Example

Name: J. Doe

Title: Multi-sport Instructor, Programs & Summer Camps

Three words that best describe John:

Passionate, innovative, performance driven.

What’s his role and connection to the organization?

John is an innovative, performance-driven program instructor year-round and especially during the summer months. With a strong passion for inclusion, John has spent over 15years developing and instructing programs that serve the unique needs and abilities of individuals. John values the importance of building strong skills in various sports to and collaborative cross-sectoral partnerships to address accessibility, inclusion, and diversity challenges facing communities across Ontario. John runs our FUNdamental Kids Fitness Class (age 6-9) and hosts a weekly Family Fitness event (Saturdays at 11am).

What academic work set him up for success?

John holds a Bachelor’s inSocial Work from University of Victoria and a Bachelor’s in Child and YouthStudies from Brock University. He has also completed various inclusion certifications in disability and First Aid to ensure he is leading both innovative and safe programs.

Interesting tidbit:

Loves travelling and spending time with family.

Contact:

[Email Address]

[Telephone Number], [Extention]

Provide contact information in various ways (e.g., phone number, email, social media) so parents have different communication options.

As appropriate, include contact information for staff that are involved in programs relevant to families of children and youth with disabilities or supervise the programs directly. Make sure contact information is easy to find.Ensure that staff are comfortable with having their information shared and their business contact information is used when possible.

Safety is a major concern for many parents.Any training that can allow staff to support physical and emotional safety should be highlighted.

What

Provide the following information about the physical activity programs offered.

Image: A child in a swimsuit and cap sits in a chair to be lowered into a public pool. The person behind them operates the device.

Example

Multi-sport Program Description.

Our Multi-sport program is an introduction to a range of sports and social skills that foster confidence in a non-competitive environment. This program is recommended and best suited for children (ages 4-12) who are beginners in sport with little experience. This program is fully inclusive of children with physical disabilities.

Participants are taken through a variety of sports over eight weeks, spending two weeks on each sport learning skills and fundamentals. Over the eight weeks, children are introduced to four sports; track & field, wheelchair basketball, Taekwondo and bocce. While learning the fundamentals, the program will focus on developing participants’ agility, balance, coordination and confidence.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own water bottle, any assistive devices, running shoes, and comfortable clothes to ensure they can fully participate to the best of their abilities.

The ratio of staff to campers for this program is 1:3. Inquiries for 1:1 support can be made to the support supervisor at [Email Address]. The Multi-sport program will cost $200 for the entire eight-week program. If you require 1:1 support an additional cost of $50 a week is applied. If you’d like to learn about various subsidies or funding options to help your child participate in the program, please visit [Website] or contact [Name] at [Contact Information].

If you would like to learn more about our Multi-sport program, you can contact us at [Email Address] or call us directly at [Telephone Number] ext. [Extension Number]. We also offer an in-person information session where parents or caregivers and the child can come in and try the program and meet the instructors the week before each program begins.

Example

List of Must Bring items:

Use images and videos of your programs so parents can better understand the activities and determine if they are appropriate for their child.

Be detailed when describing the program! Provide as much information as possible regrading program structure and duration so that parents can make an informed decision for their child.

Provide opportunities for children and youth with disabilities to “try-out” the program. You could also invite parents to watch.

Talk to families! Staff can ask some of the following questions to make sure your program can provide support to meet each family’s needs.

Example:

Where

Provide the following information about your program location and facilities.

Image: A child in a wheelchair hits a beach ball with a soft bat. They have a chin strap and sit in a manual wheelchair. Playing on grass in a neighbourhood.

Make sure your facilities are accessible!

Facility Audits:

Support Programs:

Example 1: Abilities Centre

The Abilities Centre is located in Whitby, just east of Toronto off Hwy 401 and next to the Whitby GO Station.

By car: Abilities Centre is located at 55 Gordon Street in Whitby. From the 401, take exit 410 and turn South (left) on Brock Street. Take Victoria Street West until you reach Abilities Centre, located on the North side of the road.

By transit: There are several bus stops located within walking distance from Abilities Centre.

By accessible transit: We work closely with Durham Region Specialized Services to arrange transportation to and from the centre. For specialized services and schedules, call 1-866-247-0055 (press 1) and the email is drtspecialized@durham.ca.

Example 2: Variety Village

To get to Variety Village by bus, take one of the following routes:

Include images and videos of the facilities. This is so parents can evaluate if they are suitable for their child.

Include a link or image of your facility’s location on a map (e.g. Google maps). Consider including information about public transit (e.g., nearest bus stops), parking, or shuttle services as appropriate.

When

Provide the following information about when your programs are offered.

Image: A person with down syndrome hits a punching bag in boxing gloves. Their trainer holds on to the bag.

Example 1: Drop-in Description

Variety Village's Summer Camps 2021 Program PDF.

Example 2: Multi-week Program

Yoga: Yoga positions, breathing patterns, and stretching techniques are covered in this class. Increasing flexibility and tension release help to make a mind-body connection.

This program takes place on Saturdays between 10:00-11:00am and on Mondays between 2:30-3:30pm. This program is 10 weeks long and will begin on January 7th 2021. There will be no Monday yoga class on February 15th for Family Day.

The yoga studio will open 15 minutes prior to the class starting to allow participants to settle into a spot. Facility hours are posted on our website and can be found here: [Website].

If available, provide references for information. This will improve the credibility of the information you provide.  

Engage your audience! Ask parents or caregivers to audit the program information you provide. Seek feedback from parents and caregivers to better understand their needs. This can give input on how your organization can help them support their child's physical activity participation.

Provide information about safety codes your organization follows.

Get in Touch

For more information, or if you have any questions, please fill out our submission form on our contact page.

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