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| Supported Leisure Project SCE LifeWorks has partnered with research and education institutions and government and community organizations to discover and demonstrate important information and best practises in the field. Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of a leisure education program (see LifeWorks store for manual) on improving access to community recreation and leisure activities for people with mental disabilities who are involved in supported employment. At the same time, to assess the effect of such a program on levels of leisure satisfaction and community adjustment of these individuals. Intervention The leisure education intervention consisted of three phases which were as follows: Phase 1 - Leisure Awareness & Decision Making Each participant took part in leisure education sessions for the purpose of increasing their awareness and understanding of leisure, leisure options in the community and decision-making skills necessary for leisure. Phase 2 - Person-Centred Planning Each participant and his or her family and other significant individuals took part in a PATH (Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope, Pearpoint, O'Brien & Forest, 1993) planning meeting. This planning tool is a dynamic process which gathers a person's support network to assist in outlining a person's dreams, goals, action plans, and required resources. The focus of the PATH in this project was to identify a leisure plan. Phase 3 - Leisure Action Planning & Plan Implementation Participants learned about planning for their own leisure, initiating leisure preferences and monitoring their own leisure. Participants were also supported in implementing the leisure action plan identified at the PATH meeting. Results: · 9 out of 10 participants who received the intervention showed an increase in overall leisure satisfaction from pre to post-test. Analysis using a paired t-test fouond this change to be significant. · Participants increased their ability to complete the behavioural objectives outlined in the curriculum-based measures from 50.04% at pre-test to 96.5% at post-test. · All participants indicated that they were having more fun as a result of the leisure education program and 6 individuals indicated that the program helped them make new friends. · Parents indicated that they felt it took too long to complete phase 1 while participants felt that this time was important to very important. · Results suggest that leisure education combined with personal futures planning can help adults with mental disabilities achieve greater leisure satisfaction and increase community adjustment in areas of recreation, leisure and friendships. |
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Project Funder Advisory Committee |
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