Travelogues

Makeover Suggestion 10: Adaptive Fishing in Barbados

2011-09-17T19:18:57Z

There are many people who find that fishing is more than just a hobby. It is a way of relaxing and enjoying what life is all about. The feeling of being outdoors is nothing short of perfect and should be enjoyed by everyone. It has been proven that fishing increases attention span, offers social inclusion, a sense of achievement & motor skills development.

There are some wonderful global fishing destinations and the Caribbean is a favourite. Aruba, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, St. Lucia, Bermuda and Barbados all have the perfect setting for fishing itineraries. Barbados, however, is the island taking the lead with it's "Fully Accessible Barbados" initiative. "Fishing is a fact of life" in Barbados so what better time to introduce "adaptive fishing" than now.

Here are some options which support the fact that fishing can, indeed, be enjoyed by everyone:

Blind Fishing: Lawrence Euteneier

For those who are blind or have vision impairment, meet Lawrence Euteneier, - a gentleman who has been registered as blind since the age of 8 years old. Lawrence specializes in arranging guided fishing adventures for persons with limited or no sight.

Lawrence says blind fishing is all about "feeling the bite". He has spent his life researching and trialing gear and techniques proven effective for fishers with vision disabilities. His guides are trained in sighted-guide techniques and blind etiquette. Adventures can be arranged from one day to two weeks in length and can include equipment rental, sighted guide assistance, transportation, meals and accommodation.

Wheelchair Users: Larry Cooper

For those who are wheelchair users, here's a different kind of fishing experience - nothing stood in Larry Cooper's way after he was paralyzed in a car accident in 1992

Six years later, after designing a wheelchair-accessible boat (Sport fisher) and adaptive fishing equipment, Larry was back fishing on the Sea of Cortez in Mexico.

Larry also saw an opportunity to provide others with disabilities the chance to enjoy fishing. Whether it is the excitement of big game fishing, twilight/night fishing for Grouper, Pargo, & Swordfish, diving with the seals or exploring the National Marine Sanctuary after a day of fishing, Larry can provide it all. As well, Larry can also top off an excellent vacation by providing a wheelchair accessible condo Villa Tranquilllo and a wheelchair accessible rental van.

Jim Hargaden

Jim Hargaden founded Armchair Anglers, a non-profit organization enabling persons with disabilities to participate in light tackle angling in South Florida. Jim is building a custom, fully accessible fibreglass catamaran and his primary goals are to provide safe and comfortable day fishing; education in smart "catch & release" techniques promoting conservation of valuable resources and assist other programs in providing adaptive fishing opportunities across the country

Terry Moseley

In the UK, 54,000 disabled people hold a fishing license, of whom 1,000 fish competitively and the majority for pleasure. One such disability fishing group, The British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA), was founded in 1996 by Terry Moseley to help develop opportunities for people with disabilities to access the activity of fishing in the UK. The BDAA works with its partner organizations to develop new and exciting opportunities in angling participation, from grass roots to competition levels.

Deaf Fishing

People who are deaf and who like to fish have started clubs all over the world so they can socialize, plan fishing trips, share experiences and teach others their sport.

The National Bass Association of the Deaf has affiliations all over the United States. As well, there is the Ontario Fishing Club of the Deaf in Canada, the Brisbane Deaf Angler's Club in Australia and the Portsmouth Deaf Sea Angling Club in the United Kingdom.

Having brought awareness of the possibilities and opportunities for persons with disabilities to enjoy fishing, Barbados might want to take note of the potential in creating programs/itineraries such as these offered by Jim Hargaden, Larry Cooper, Terry Moseley and Lawrence Euteneier,

The warm waters off the coast of Barbados offer ideal fishing for Barracuda, Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin (Dorado), and the Marlin species. Spin fishing from the many beaches and inshore fishing from open boats is a popular pastime for Barbadians With this in mind, it would make sense to offer itineraries to accommodate the significant disabled Barbadian population as well as attract disabled fishing fans globally with the lure of appealing, adaptive fishing packages and tournaments.

Sources:

www.blindfihingboat.com/outdooraccessibility.

www.bajaenterprises.com

www.armchairanglers.org

http://www.outdoor-sports-leisure.com/disabled.htm

http://www.disabled-world.com/entertainment/hobby/fishing/bdaa.php

http://www.bdaa.co.uk

http://www.nbad.org

http://www.dsrq.org.au/dsrq/brisbane-anglers/history

http://www.ofcd.net

Makeover Suggestion 9: Sailing for Everyone in Barbados?

2011-07-31T13:25:56Z

"Sailing for everyone regardless of ability"

There is no more straightforward way to present the "Sailing for Everyone" philosophy emanating from Victoria's Dockland Yacht Club than to give it to you verbatim below.

It has taken root in China Ai Hung Hai (I Love Sailing) on one side of the globe and France's La Voile Ensemble (Sailing for Everyone) on the other.

"Sailability Victoria - Sailing for Everyone" grew out of the need to the re-think entry level sailing, to simplify everything, to return to the basics. In today's world of seemingly unlimited choice, we have to encourage people into a new activity, not threaten them with confusing rules and jargon and reward them with a dunking.

The philosophy of "Sailing for Everyone" has found expression in an organisation known as "Sailability" which itself began as sailing for the disabled, then grew into facilitating sailing for people with disabilities, and finally blossomed into sailing for everyone, regardless of ability.

We have now amalgamated with Sailability for a cohesive front to promote sailing for everyone, including the disabled, worldwide.

Access Sailing Incorporated

Access Sailing Club Inc is a member of the Victorian Disabled Sports Advisory Committee and the charity of the Victorian Boating Industry Association's melbourne Boat Show. As an incorporated entity it facilitates its branches to own their own property, primarily sailing dinghies and safety craft purchased through sponsorships from local businesses and service clubs, and maintains the organisation's insurance policies. Currently we have branches at Docklands, Bennala, Ballarat, Warnambool and Portland with more evolving all the time.

LATEST NEWS
Club established at Docklands, Melbourne merging with the Docklands Yacht Club.

For any feedback or requests, please e-mail Web Manager, Colin Johanson.

Source:

http://www.s4e.org/s4e/

Makeover Suggestion 8: Accessible Media as the New Destination Marketing

2011-07-15T17:58:33Z

Walk a mile or two in the shoes of Jeff and you will be opened to world of touch and sound that is rich and literally "overlooked" by those who are profoundly sighted.

This video by Accessible Media sneaks in a powerful message of inclusion in this video "Jeff's Day."

What would it be like if a cruise line created a set of videos with this quality of environmental description for each of its ports-of-call? How about if someone started by doing a proof of concept video in Barbados?

Makeover Suggestion 7: Can Barbados Lead the Caribbean by Adopting the ENAT Code of Good Conduct?

2011-07-12T12:51:52Z

The ENAT Code of Good Conduct

The international commitment label for accessible tourism providers

Read the ENAT Code of Good Conduct

Go to Sign-up page ( - for ENAT Members only)

Go to ENAT Code of Good Conduct Background Information

What is the ENAT Code of Good Conduct?

Launched in October 2009, the ENAT Code of Good Conduct is a commitment label and certification scheme for tourism businesses and organisations, recognising their efforts to promote accessible travel and tourism.
It is the first and only international labelling scheme for the promotion of ethical business standards in Accessible Tourism for All.
The Code consists of 8 guiding principles which businesses and organisations follow, so as to make travel and tourism accessible for all visitors who experience access difficulties. These customers may need better access and services due to disability, long-standing health problems, age-related conditions or other temporary or permanent personal conditions which restrict their access.
The guiding principles of the Code are based on the objectives of ENAT, (as contained in the Association's statutes), and also on sound and ethical business practices which enhance accessibility, sustainability and the quality of customer service.
The first 24 businesses received their certificates in 2009.
Over 40 ENAT members had signed the Code of Good Conduct by the end of 2010.

Why is the Code needed?

Signing the ENAT Code of Good Conduct is an expression of the commitment a business or organisation makes to its customers and partners to promote and strive for better access to its premises, its services and information.
The Code is primarily intended for public or private enterprises that directly serve tourists, in Europe and countries around the world. It can also be used by organisations involved in, for example: tourism policy-making; planning, design and management of tourist venues; production or management of tourism facilities and equipment; tourism marketing, education and training and travel and tour services.
ENAT has launched the Code as a way of enabling customers and businesses to find reliable, trustworthy suppliers in the Accessible Tourism field. These must be people who share ENAT's values and who strive to improve the quality of their services, making tourism more accessible, comfortable and safer for everyone .

Who follows the ENAT Code, and why?

The Code of Good Conduct is offered only to paid-up ENAT Members, as a supplementary service.There is no extra charge. Signing up to the commitments in the Code is optional. Some members may feel that not all the principles are relevant to their work, for example if they are an educational or professional training institution. Others may feel that they are not ready to commit to all the demands of the Code until they have put certain policies or practices in place.
ENAT Members who sign the Code undertake a pledge to serve all their customers responsibly and with due care to their access needs. They also agree, as far as possible, to use only those suppliers who adhere to principles of the Code.
After they have signed the Code and provided the details of an accessibility resource person in their organisation, ENAT issues the member with a Code of Good Conduct Certificate and a window sticker, which can be displayed on their premises, as evidence of their commitment. The window sticker bears the year in which it is valid and a new sticker is issued annually to members who re-subscribe to ENAT.
The ENAT Code of Good Conduct logo may also be used on their website or in printed marketing and advertising material.
The ENAT Members' Directory, which can be viewed freely on-line by the general public, allows potential visitors and businesses to verify ENAT Members' contact details and type of business activity. The Directory will provide public verification of those members who have signed the Code of Good Conduct and those who have not. (New feature, to be implemented soon).

Sailing San Francisco Bay: Ideas to Export

2011-07-09T20:20:20Z

From San Francisco Bay comes a story of interdependence and sailing.

Finding Travel Destinations: The Basics on Print Disability

2011-07-02T15:59:02Z

Image via Wikipedia

"Findability precedes usability in the alphabet and on the web. You can't use what you can't find." Peter Morville - Ambient Findability

But what happens when you can't "find" the alphabet?

Well, that might be because you are print-disabled person and the information that you seek exists but is in a format that is not findable with the assistive technology (AST) that you use.

The Reading Rights Coalition points out that:

George Kerscher coined the term "print disabled" (circa 1988-1989) to describe persons who could not access print.
The definition is as follows:
print disabled, noun; print-disabled, adjective.
A person who cannot effectively read print because of a visual, physical, perceptual, developmental, cognitive, or learning disability.
When used as an adjective, the word should be hyphenated, e.g. print-disabled person.
(outdated) The Higher Education Opportunity Act defines "print disabled" as "a student with a disability who experiences barriers to accessing instructional material in non-specialized formats, including an individual described in Title 17 of the Copyright Act."
The Google Library Project Settlement defines "print disabled" as "User is unable to read standard printed material due to blindness, visual disability, physical limitations, organic dysfunction or dyslexia."

Source: http://www.readingrights.org/definition-print-disabled

Data Conversion Laboratory dives deeper with George Kerscher into solutions based on XML and the DAISY format in this interview. An excerpt:

DCLnews:
What does all this mean for people with disabilities?

George Kerscher:
RFB&D launched its digital service on September 3, 2002. This marks the transition from more than 50 years of analog (with the last 25 years being on 4-track cassette). The powerful navigation of the DAISY format makes the cassette obsolete. And I predict a rapid adoption of this technology. Once we start to use text encoded in XML, we can begin to deliver full text synchronized with full audio multimedia product. This dual reinforcement ... see it and hear it at the same time ... is what we believe will make a real difference in the education of all persons with print disabilities. I believe it will revolutionize education for this disability group. No kidding, we are on the verge of a breakthrough that will change the lives of people with print disabilities.

Read the full interview: http://www.dclab.com/kerscher.asp

Makeover Suggestion 6: Another Cricket Championship for Barbados? Disability Cricket

2011-06-11T15:56:35Z

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

DISABILITY CRICKET

by Shirley Barber

"Do you know what my favourite part of the game is?

The opportunity to play"

How Barbados is leading the way with adaptive sports

Barbados has been synonymous with cricket since the 1800's so it was not surprising that the island was also in the forefront with it's creation of the first blind cricket program in the Caribbean in 2001.

Inter territorial matches have since been played with much success. Barbados hosted the first regional tournament in 2006 and in the same year, became the first territory to establish the Barbados Blind Cricket Association. This was followed by the creation of the Jamaica Visually Impaired Cricket Association, T & T Blind Cricket Association. (Trinidad and Tobago) and Guyana Blind Cricket Association

There have been many "firsts" for Barbados, so at a time when global awareness of accessibility and inclusion are at the forefront, might Barbados once again demonstrate its leadership by expanding its blind cricket program to include an all disability program?

Cricket and How it has Survived and Evolved into Including Persons with all Disabilities

The earliest cricket may have developed by the 8th century or earlier from ancient bat-and-ball games from the region between North India and Pakistan. The trend traveled through Persia (now called Iran) and into Europe and Great Britain. Initially, the game was called "creagh" or "cricke" by the Normans who conquered England in 1066.

Cricket was banned from 1300 - 1500 A.D. as monarchs and British barons favoured archery (which would serve as a military advantage) over "such a disreputable activity that only idlers, gamblers and dissolute characters played". Outlaws such as Robin Hood were rumoured to having been excellent players along with famous political leader Oliver Cromwell.

Deaf Cricket

Interestingly, the idea of "adaptive sports" came in the form of deaf cricket as far back as 1895 when the first deaf cricket interstate match was held in South Australia. In Great Britain, deaf cricket started out as a Great Britain Team (part of the British Deaf Sports Council) with a trip in 1988 to the West Indies by a squad of 15 players to play some matches against local teams.

Blind Cricket

In 1922, blind cricket was developed by Australia. At the time of a Test Match, two creative residents thought "blind people could play cricket as well, and put rocks in a tin can" and began to play a crude version of the modern day cricket .

Blind cricket has also been played in England and Wales since the 1940's. While the England and Wales Cricket Board, established in 1997 in the U.K., is the single national governing body for all cricket in England and Wales and provides access to the sport of cricket for persons with disabilities, the British Blind Sport (BBS) and Blind Cricket England and Wales (BCEW) are the organizations who are responsible for the day to day running of the sport.

Physical, Emotional and Learning Disabilities

Along with the blind and deaf cricket, the Hampshire Cricket Board which was setup in 1998 in the U.K., has developed categories and programs for persons with physical, emotional and learning disabilities, HCB, whose mission statement is "to provide a cricketing future for all" has one of the most advanced disability cricket programs

in the country and works with professional players and coaches in assisting players with disabilities in training and competition .

One of the newest programs HCB has launched is the Bluebird Care Elite Player Development Program for cricketers with disabilities who have international potential. Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme was formed to provide support services to these talented athletes based on their performance levels.

The HCB also supports the Hampshire Visually Impaired Cricket Club in providing opportunities for the blind and partially sighted.

Cricket as Youth Development

Cricket for Change was setup in 1981 and targets disadvantaged youth as well as disabled youth. Just recently, the team has traveled to Trinidad and Tobago to introduce a new program called "Street20" which is a crime reduction program proven to be very successful in the U.K. As well, the team traveled to Jamaica in 2009 to launch The Courtney Walsh Foundation which replicates the Cricket for Change programs specifically for males and females 18 - 21.

Rules and Regulations

In disability cricket, the rules and regulations are disability specific, however there is no recognized international cricket for people with physical disabilities at the present, therefore the rules are based on a domestic structure called DSE profiling system for athletes with physical impairments also known as the Coaches Guide to Functional Ability.

Recognition for Barbados

Barbados already receives recognition for its excellence in regular and blind cricket as well as being a cricketing destination. Through the "Fully Accessible Barbados" initiative launched by the BCD in 2005, Barbados has taken leadership in creating a culture of inclusion. The island is also known for its mantra of "can do" in the cricket world. The cricket community along with the regular community has recognized and acknowledged what talented cricketers can contribute to the game rather than what their limitations are.

With 14,000 persons with disabilities on the island, (in England and Wales there are between 3,000 and 4,000 persons with disabilities playing regular or occasional cricket at present), creating an all disability cricket program would be welcomed. Such a program would give persons with all types of disabilities an opportunity to play the sport of their island where they could develop their self confidence and social skills. As well, the camaraderie along with the exhilaration and excitement of international competition can be experienced for the first time.

Barbados could introduce programs similar to the Hampshire Talented Athlete Scheme to recognize and support those disabled cricketers who demonstrate exceptional performance and could be considered for international competition

The island could draw on the expertise of other cricket boards such as the Hampshire Cricket Board and the English and Wales Cricket Board. As well, Barbados could seek the support and input from non profit organizations such as BARNOD, Barbados Council for the Disabled, Disabled Peoples' Organization of North America and the Caribbean (DPOC) and Disabled People's International. There are ample resources to access with the deaf, physical, learning, and emotional disabilities programs already in place. The combined efforts could serve well to set the ground work for education and training programs to encompass all the Caribbean islands and beyond.

Cricket for Change, Street20 and The Courtney Walsh Foundation would be excellent programs to integrate into the cricket world of Barbados. Although the crime rate is low in Barbados, it is a known fact that sometimes poverty goes hand-in-hand with disabilities and where there is poverty, there is crime; particularly among youths. Street20 has been successful in reducing crime amongst the youth stating that "the more kids play the more skills they develop, they learn cooperation, discipline and working with a team without getting angry; it has had a lot of success bringing communities together ",

Barbados as the Caribbean's Champion and Host of Disability Cricket

On May 31, 2011, Hampshire Cricket announced that the Barbados Tourism Authority will become the Official Twenty20 Shirt Sponsor and Travel Partner to Hampshire Cricket and The Rose Bowl. Upon a previous visit to Barbados, Hampshire Cricket Group Commercial Director, Zac Toumazi said that Barbados' facilities and hospitality were "second to none" and that "We hope that, in our own way, we can bring awareness to the jewel in the Caribbean that is Barbados."

Might there be a possibility that similar arrangements can be made with disability cricket? Perhaps the Barbados Tourism Authority could consider reciprocal agreements with disability cricket programs in England, Australia, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh and Nepal

If Barbados were to host all disability cricket tournaments, the potential for increased tourism would be significant. Regular cricket teams already visit Barbados annually and Test matches, especially between England and Australia alone bring in thousands, so the numbers would increase substantially.

In conclusion, creating a disability cricket program could reaffirm Barbados' position as leader in accessibility, inclusion and adaptive sports in the Caribbean. Moreover, this positive endeavour could contribute significantly to the enhancement of the initiative of "Fully Accessible Barbados".

Sources:

http://www.cricketdeafengland.co.uk/international/2011%20Australia/tourreport.htm

http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/disability-cricket/rules-and-regulations,1561,BP.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twenty20

http://deafcricketaust.com

http://www.hampshirecb.com/Disability/Overview.aspx

http://www.blindcricketaustralia.com.au/Abount-Blind-Cricket.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Test_cricket http://www3.hants.gov.uk/shiow/funding_and_support/talentedathletes.htmc

http://www.cricketforchange.org.uk/about

http://www.rollingrains.com/case_studies/2011/06/the-history-of-blind-cricket-in-the-west-indies.html

World Tourism Organization Partners with the European Network for Accessible Tourism and Fundacion ONCE

2011-06-06T12:55:22Z

The United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is convinced that the facilitation of tourist travel by persons with disabilities is a vital element of any responsible and sustainable tourism development policy.

Announcing a new tri-lateral agreement with external partners, Fundación ONCE and the European Network for Accessible Tourism (ENAT), the UNWTO aims to provide guidance in this area to policy makers, destinations and tourist enterprises.

Read the full article here:

http://www.accessibletourism.org/?i=enat.en.news.1158

Visit the UNWTO's dedicated webpage on Accessible Tourism

Makeover Suggestion 5: Marketing Regional Accessibility Policy in the Caribbean

2011-06-06T12:35:16Z

Image via Wikipedia

The primary sources of tourism income for the Caribbean economy are also the countries with the highest tourist expectations of physical accessibility, disability-aware customer service, and legally-mandated disability rights practice:

USA
Canada
The countries of the European Union

Do Caribbean states measure up to customer needs once passengers disembark en masse from the cruise ships, saunter leisurely from yachts, or tumble expectantly from airborne sardine cans?

Although there is little evidence as prominent as Barbados' Fully Accessible Barbados each island has a degree of awareness. To what degree is this awareness institutionalized in the policy, staff, and programming of the Caribbean Tourism Development Company?

So far, accessibility information is not there on CTCD's Caribbean Travel.com site:

The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) are relaunching their marketing and business development unit, known the Caribbean Tourism Development Company (CTDC), a jointly owned and operated, private, for-profit entity created in 2007. The revitalized CTDC will market the Caribbean brand through licensing, merchandizing, advertising, and the sale of vacations via its website. The website, which will be redesigned, will include among other features, an integrated booking platform that specifically caters to the Caribbean's smaller hotels.
One of the new CTDC's emphases in the initial stages will be on reviving intra-Caribbean vacation travel. Funding for the CTDC will come from both the public and private sectors, with the joint owners each committing seed funding to be supplemented by CTO member countries. The new CTDC board of directors will include six members each from the CTO and the CHTA, with the leaders of the two organizations, CTO Chairman Richard "Ricky" Skerritt and CHTA President Josef Forstmayr, as co-chairs.
The CTDC is a marketing and business development unit owned equally by the CHTA and CTO. Its mission is to own, promote, protect, advance and enhance the Caribbean brand. The CTDC combines the resources of the Caribbean region's destinations, accommodations and service providers to create a cohesive business unit that is able to identify commercial opportunities and allow the members of CHTA and CTO to benefit collectively from those opportunities in ways that individually they could not. In all its endeavors the company will engage only in activities that honor the Caribbean brand and benefit the members of CHTA and CTO.
For more information, visit www.caribbeantravel.com.

Makeover Suggestion 4: The Basics for Barbadian Eco-Access

2011-06-05T16:13:08Z

This September I want to meet Victor Cooke in Barbados.

He clearly has studied his ecosystem and honed a hands-on immersion and narrative about the island. Victor can be a key collaborator in shaping a "Fully Accessible Barbados." We will all benefit to the expent thatresources like Fieldfare and the National Trails Accessibility Center in the US partner with his organization, Eco-Adventures Barbados, and Barbadian government agencies.

Fieldfare works with people with disabilities and countryside managers to improve access to the countryside for everyone.
For countryside service providers we provide advice and training services, supported by our research into national standards for accessibility under the BT Countryside for All Project.
Fieldfare have recently created a new website www.phototrails.org.- Phototrails is an innovative concept that allows users to view countryside routes through a series of photographs and descriptions of the path features, taking in surface, path width, gradients, barriers and amenities such as seats, disabled parking, and accessible toilets, all of which, to some, is important information to know before making the decision on whether to visit a site or not.

http://www.fieldfare.org.uk/

Some of the trails, and trips, and experiences waiting in Barbados will remain the province of Erik Weihenmayer and his strolls up Mt Everest with his white cane or Paralympian Kurt Fearnly crawling the Kokoda Track. Still there must be some "Stop 'n Stare" routes on the Rock that I can manage.

The National Trails Accessibility Center for the US notes that, when building accessible outdoor paths:

The minimum requirements found in the NPRM are based on several principles developed through the regulatory negotiating process. They include:

The ultimate goal is to provide trail access for all to nature's wonders while protecting the environment through which these new trails pass.

-Peter Jensen, Trail Designer
Open Space Management and Member of the Regulatory Negotiating Committee

Protect resource and environment

Preserve experience

Provide for equality of opportunity

Maximize accessibility

Be reasonable

Address safety

Be clear, simple, and understandable

Provide guidance

Be enforceable and measurable

Be consistent with ADAAG (as much as possible)

Be based on independent use by persons with disabilities

Scott Rains On Geotourism & Disability

View more documents from Scott Rains

Makeover Suggestion 3: Is There a Place for Hippo Therapy in Barbados?

2011-06-04T17:58:49Z

A Guest Post by Shirley Barber:

Equine Assistance and Activities Therapy Programs
(Hippo Therapy)

"Disabled riders often experience independence for the first time in their lives"

The partnership between humans and animals dates back to the first domestication of animals in the Stone Age, as long as 9,000 years ago. It is a known fact that animals, whether service animals, therapy animals or household pets, offer a multitude of benefits to human beings .

From providing a lonely person with love and companionship to the amazing benefits of Hippo Therapy (Equine Assisted Therapy) , there is no doubt that animals help improve the quality of life for millions of people with physical and mental disabilities.

The Amor y Energia (AM-EN) (Love and Energy) Foundation is a well established, hippo therapy centre in Quito, Ecuador. It is an independent, non-profit charitable organization committed to the social development of disabled children and young people. Based in Quito, Ecuador, AM-EN was founded in 1995 by Heidi Paliz from Germany. The United Nation Voluntary Fund for Disability sponsored the centre from 1999 until 2005. Their mandate was as a training project at a national level in Ecuador and sub regional level in Central America as well as Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil.

Since its establishment, the Foundation has worked in the area of the rehabilitation of people with disabilities through riding therapy and other conventional and alternative therapies. Children, whose physicians had stated they would never be able to speak or walk, have, after some time at the Foundation, started to take their first steps and pronounce their first words and other children, previously rejected by educational establishments, have managed to begin their schooling.

The Foundation also rescues horses which are often badly treated in South America. Many of the older horses can earn their living through working with children with disabilities which in turn is therapeutic for those horses which have been abused.

Most of the people who receive therapy in Ecuador cannot afford to pay for the sessions. AM-EN relies almost exclusively on international grants and donations and the hard work of international volunteers.

AM-EN Foundation now works with Huasquila Amazon Lodge which has wheelchair accessible bungalows, Hacienda Primavera Wilderness Ecolodge, San Jorge Eco Lodges and Ecuador For All (Tours for persons with disabilities). All have seen the opportunities and benefits of collaborating to provide the best possible service and expertise while at the same time contributing to the local economy by attracting more tourists to Ecuador and raising awareness of hippo therapy, accessibility and inclusion.

Following Ecuador's example, how would Barbabos benefit?

With its lush scenery and warm climate, Barbados could no doubt, provide a "ready-made" therapeutic setting for a hippo therapy program and possibly establish a partnership with the Barbados Equestrian Association. Already a popular and well-known tourist destination, Barbados could potentially work hand-in-hand with accessible travel specialists as well as the mainstream travel professionals. As the AM-EN Foundation has done in Ecuador, a hippo therapy program could also join forces with established accessible properties and accessible attractions in Barbados such as the Amaryllis Beach Resort, Harrison's Cave and Brown Sugar Restaurant.

Establishing a centre in Barbados could attract horse trainers, clinical specialists, therapists, volunteers and supporting staff globally and could be considered for membership of NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicap Association). NARHA has nearly 800 member centers and over 6,300 individual members in countries all over the world. With this in mind, Barbados could definitely make an excellent host for national conventions, offering international attendees additional package combinations of attractions and hospitality to enhance their stay before and/ or after their convention on the island.

Along with the potential of an increase in tourism, Barbados has approximately 14,000

persons with disabilities living within its' midst, some of whom could well use this service. As with the Am-EN Foundation, funding could come from international funds and donations. However, unlike Ecuador where there are over 1.6 million people with disabilities, most of whom cannot afford to pay for their "therapy" sessions, Barbados could no doubt, fare better in establishing a centre due to the fact that it has a moderately higher standard of living. Riding lessons could also be one way of offsetting the costs of the centre. As well, all Barbadian citizens are covered by national healthcare and could possibly have their "therapy" covered for by medical insurance.

Thanks to pioneer Florencio Suarez Morciglio, neighbouring Puerto Rico is about to be the first Caribbean Island to offer a hippo therapy program Mr. Morciglio is a horse trainer and rider instructor in training and has been a NARHA member for the past 5 (five) years. He is presently in negotiations with the U.S.Government and NARHA regarding the setting up of a centre in Puerto Rico and would be an excellent resource.

Clearly, establishing a hippo riding program in Barbados could open up a world of opportunities . Major benefits could include improved physical and mental health for Barbadians, an increase in tourism, a boost to the economy and bringing a new awareness of accessibility and inclusion. These factors could all contribute to this Caribbean island being well on its way to paving a friendlier path for persons with disabilities and to becoming a "Fully Accessible Barbados".

Sources:

http://www.huasquila.com/

http://narha.org

www.fundacion-amen.org

Florencio Suarez Morciglio

Makeover Suggestion 2: Sailing Blind

2011-05-30T19:59:12Z

A report from WPTV:

From the sea... to the slopes... Ed Gallagher is doing it all-blind!

He thought he would never sail again, until he came up with a remote guidance system.

Genoa, named after Ed's guide dog, is a camera mounted inside these glasses. It's hooked up to a computer that Ed carries with him. It has a microphone and ear piece...allowing Ed to use internet video call...and call someone to talk him through the process.

But the idea behind this isn't just for the extreme. Ed see's this helping visually impaired people do just about everything..

Ed can even go shopping by using a remote guide. Ed's system isn't fool proof. You can see there are downfalls including unpredictable internet service. But even with a few bumps along the way, Ed says it's worth it.

BACKGROUND: According to the World Health Organization, 314 million people in the world are visually impaired, and 45 million of those are completely blind. In the United States, four million people live without sight. Though there are many causes of blindness, such as Glaucoma or other diseases of the eye, increasing numbers of people are blind because of conditions relating to old age and longer life expectancies.

About 82 percent of visually impaired people worldwide are over the age of 50. Blindness can also be caused by cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and blinding trachoma, among other things.

THE SYSTEM: While many blind people can get around thanks to canes or guide dogs, a Genoa Services guide can help with other things. For instance: reading signs or menus, counting change, or even picking out groceries. Blind users wear hands-free equipment (such as hats or glasses) with a camera and earpiece and communicate with their sighted guide.

Through Skype video software, the sighted guide can see what the blind user looks at and can talk to him or her through the earpiece. It's important to note that Skype is not the required type of Internet Video Call for users. At this point - according to Ed Gallagher - any type of Internet Video Call will suffice. Though the system is dependent on a wireless internet connection, it gives its blind users new freedom and independence. (SOURCE: www.genoaservices.org)

THE FUTURE: Genoa Services will be available to 50 users in the San Francisco Bay Area this year, according to the Genoa Services website. Later in the year, they plan to expand to other locations, given adequate funding. Ed Gallagher, the man behind Genoa Services, envisions call centers full of guides for blind people on the go. Those interested in using the service or being a volunteer guide can send an email to Genoa Services for more information. (SOURCE: www.genoaservices.org)

PROBLEMS: The Genoa system is not without problems and potential issues. After all, this is a developing technology ... although one with presumably a very high upside.

The top concern is shaky Internet service. This can, obviously, cause problems if a user is using heavy (and possibly dangerous) machinery like a car or a boat (like Ed). Ed is hopeful these kinks can be worked out very soon, thought it's likely there may need to be a more "close to home" cooperation between users and guides.
* For More Information, Contact:

Scott Plakun
Genoa Services
contact@genoaservices.org

The Barbados Disability Council: the Spirit of "Harambee"

2011-05-10T23:45:36Z

The Barbados Disability Council coordinates a network of 19 stakeholder groups:

In 1976, out of a meeting to address the needs of Barbadians with disabilities, the "Barbados Council for the Handicapped" was born at the home of Chief Justice Sir William Douglas. Two months later the Council was officially launched at the Annual General meeting of the Barbados Association for Mentally Retarded Children...

A cherished programme of the council was launched in November 2005 with the unveiling of the Fully Accessible Barbados (FAB) Awards. These awards seek to recognize those facilities, which have made a conscious effort to be accessible to persons with disabilities.
Among some of the more recent programmes of the Council are:
Community-Based Rehabilitation programme;
The employment of a part time Physiotherapist;
The "Nothing About Us Without Us" t-shirt campaign;
The distribution of Parking IDS and Parking Reminder Fliers;
The "A Voice of Our Own" monthly article in the Nation Newspaper;
The production of accessibility guideline brochures.
The Council's affiliates have reached a total of nineteen organizations representing a wide cross section of interests and specialties.
The Barbados Council for the Disabled continues to share a vision with our membership and that is, integration and equality of opportunities for all persons with disabilities. The Board of Directors and staff are committed to these objectives and we welcome the support of all persons in the achievement of these goals.

Makeover Suggestion 1: Wheeling into the Barbados Darts Festival

2011-05-08T13:28:15Z

In July I'll be in Barbados. Most people can probably write a list from here to the back door with all the reasons they would like to have a week on a Caribbean island. Few would include one of my motivations -- to play darts.

Yes, as in Justin Dart, except the target will be a cork bullseye and not the traditional targets who wandered into range of his sharp tongue. In fact, Justin might have agreed that Barbados has a lot going for it in terms of inclusion of our people.

For the past couple years Barbados has hosted a Darts Festival in the fall. I'd like to meet Wayne Mardle

I know that July is a bit off season. I figure it's better that way. Less crowded. Anybody else who happens to be in the room when I get my hands on darts has more options for scurrying out of range.

But there are some darned fine darts players who use wheelchairs. Just ask Russ Strobel about all the Australians who use the Wildfire 137 Dart Frame - one that allows darts to be an inclusive sport.

Maybe darts,and the October 31 to November 10, 2011 Barbados Darts Festival can become a new itinerary item for a "Fully Accessible Barbados?"

If so, I'm giving fair warning. For insurance purposes I probably should be assigned to the "soft-tipped darts league"!

Wheelchair Dart Frame
28/05/2010
From Russ Strobel

A special wheelchair dart frame has been developed to further the call for a recognised lowered dartboard height for wheelchair players. The unique design allows wheelchair players to compete fairly against able-bodied players on same dart frame for the first time ever.

With dart boards set at appropriate heights on each side of the rotating backboard wheelchair dart players can now throw and retrieve their own darts as well as score games for other players.

This piece of equipment represents the culmination of a four year project by local Yarram resident and Victorian Darts Council Vice President Russ Strobel to research an appropriate dartboard height for wheelchair players and develop a piece of equipment that removes all obstacles to their inclusion at darts events and leagues.

The Wildfire 137 dart frame will be displayed for the first time at the Victorian Open Darts Championship in Morwell on the 13th and 14th June where information and practical demonstrations of the difficulties wheelchair players have faced up until now will be given. It's hoped that the Darts Federation of Australia will now consider approving the revised dartboard height thereby paving the way for wheelchair players to enter our sport worldwide by throwing at a suitable and fair height.

Russ is interested in hearing from any interested wheelchair sports people prepared to hone their skills on the new dartboard height with a view to possibly competing in a demonstration event at a National competition during 2011. Coaching is freely offered to those interested.

Email: Russ Strobel at allbrothers@bigpond.com VDC Vice President to register your interest.

Wheelchair Dart Frame
Reprinted from Deadeye Darts:http://www.deadeyedarts.com/news.asp?item=354&title=Wheelchair

Inclusion in Sports Being Promoted in Barbados: Minister of Sports Stephen Lashley

2011-05-07T20:42:47Z

Caribbean 360 reports on an encouraging trend in Barbados - government promotion of inclusion in sports. Stories like this help make Barbados appealing as a travel destination for tourists with disabilities..

The country's minister of sports says members of the disabled community should be able to access all facilities across the island.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Wednesday May 4, 2011 - Minister of Sports Stephen Lashley is nudging authorities to "move a bit faster" to ensure disabled persons have easier access to private and public sector facilities all across the island.

"This is not an issue that is only being addressed from the perspective of the Paralympic Association. It is a national issue and I have pledged to make sure that, in relation to sporting access, the National Sports Council will ensure that access, particularly when it comes to convening meetings and the holding of activities, is dealt with," he said at yesterday's launch of Goalball, a Paralympic sport played by blind and visually impaired athletes.

"The whole question of discrimination is also one of the key issues in Barbados and we have got to attack it from all fronts."

Minister Lashley disclosed that he had already held discussions with the National Sports Council on the matter.

He said he was keen on doing everything in his power to ensure issues of access were sorted out.

Meantime, the Sports Minister has thanked the British High Commission for supporting the Goalball initiative and appealed to the private sector to come on board and assist the Paralympic Association with its valuable work.

Lashley promised his Ministry's continued support and said he hoped a Goalball team would be sent to the Paralympics which will run from August 29 - September 9, 2012 and is expected to attract 4,200 competitors in 20 sports.