Ottawa, November 6, 2008
On November 7, the All Abilities Welcome program will officially release the “All Abilities Welcome Toolkit” at the Variety Village Active Living Fair. This manual contains practical tools and resources to assist community recreation facilities in making their programs more inclusive of people with a disability.
All Abilities Welcome (AAW) is a campaign aimed at encouraging an attitude of openness and cooperation around inclusion in physical activity at the community level. The program is funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program, Human Resources and Social Development Canada and was launched in 2006 by the Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability, a national non-profit voluntary sector organization committed to motivating and assisting Canadians with a disability to become more physically active.
“We’re thrilled to have the chance to promote the AAW manual at the Active Living Fair, and to offer support to community organizations who see the opportunity to promote inclusive active living services, and who understand its importance,” said Chris Bourne, Acting Executive Director at the Active Living Alliance. “By drawing attention to some simple program modifications as well as to useful resources and key contacts through the manual, we hope to connect the dots for organizations who previously did not know where to turn.”
All Abilities Welcome will be the focus of the Fair’s keynote address, which will be delivered by Jason Dunkerley, the program’s coordinator and a three-time Paralympian track athlete.
“Active living means a lot of things to a lot of different people, but above all, it has to do with having the choice to access the incredible benefits of physical activity, whatever that looks like,” said Dunkerley. “We appreciate this fantastic opportunity to promote our message that with the right knowledge and support, active living can be for everyone.”
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For further information, please contact:
Jason Dunkerley
All Abilities Welcome
Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability
104-720 Belfast Road
Ottawa, Ontario
K1G 0Z5
Tel.: 1-800-771-0663 or (613) 244-0052, extension 25
Fax: (613) 244-4857
Email: jason@ala.ca
Web: www.allabilitieswelcome.ca
