Lesson 9-Networking and Collaboration

 Introduction 

Hi Folks I am back again! For those who don't know it, I am a Rec Therapy Major. My goal is making people lives better through recreation activities and make sure everyone will have an opportunity to be a part of recreation activities, which benefits so many people. This class (Accessible Recreation) that I am taking will help me to be able to do that. This blog I hope will help inform people, and help people as a community, professors, and parents to provide good opportunities for EVERYONE. (Even those who has disabilities, in wheelchairs, hearing lost, Mental Illnesses, etc.) 

Helpful Things From This Week Lesson

A. From Reading

• Definition: Networking is the process of establishing and maintaining communication with professionals and consumers from a variety of backgrounds that have a common vision about community leisure services.
  

  1.      Networking occurs between various individuals including different

  • Disciplines
  • Consumer  
  • Agencies  
  • organizations 

 2. Primary reasons for Networking

• Accommodate needs of individuals in our program

• Serve more people with disabilities

3. Benefits of Networking

1. Agencies can increase internal resources by adding the specialized skills of staff that work with the other agencies with which they network.
   Can guide individuals to programs
   • Provide planning, teaching and leading skills to recreation activities
2. Staff within the network may be able to assist other agencies
   • Can help during peaks
   • Lead to higher quality service
   • Improve resource utilization
3. Networks are enhanced when united
   • Focus more on individuals needs
   • Greater success is achieved
4. Increased information flow through organizations in the network
   • For example, when a therapeutic recreation specialist in a hospital shares the discharge with a community recreation professional
   • Individual with disability has a better chance of receiving better care.
   • Both parties are able to communicate needs of patient with each other successfully
5. Keeps professionals and peers informed within and outside their respective fields
   • Provide more diverse programs, better facilities, and a variety of trained professionals
   • Better services that improve quality of life for individual
6. Share common vision
   • The vision spreads and more rights are created for people with disabilities
   • No longer parents or advocacy groups, it’s the whole network

  Keys to Effective Networking

1. Common Vision
2. Communication
3. Compromise (win-win)
4. Commitment
5. Consumer Involvement by people with disabilities
6. Clarity (roles, authority)

Elements of Networking

1. Decide if you have enough in common to start a partnership
   1. Shared vision and motivation to accomplish is a must!
   2. Combines missions through mutually agreed upon goals and objectives
2. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of all individuals involved in the network
   1. Supplementing weaknesses and complimenting strengths increases success
   2. By realizing that networks are long-term relationships, we can overcome short-term failures
3. Compromise
   1. Take risks without anticipating rejection
   2. Be receptive to new ideas
   3. Always search for win-win solutions
4. Communicate
   1. Remain in touch with those involved
   1. Promotes motivated employees
   2. Provides information regarding consumer satisfaction and views
5. Benefits of communication:
   1. Increases motivation
   2. Shares important information regarding progress toward the goal
   3. Provides assistance when facing a difficult task

What you can do to promote networking and collaboration

1. Personally
   1. keep an open mind, ask questions and seek clarification
   2. follow through with your responsibilities and tasks
   3. know your limits and when to get help
2. Regarding Others
   1. bring more people into your network
   2. recognize others and their achievements give feedback
   3. value and act on the expertise of others in the network-listen
   4. obtain training and info. that will increase your skills
   5. remember why you are collaborating-to help people with disabilities live enriched lives with inclusive recreation.

Community Resources

1. Human Resources
   • Give out responsibilities
2. Information
   • Net, Libraries, Computer resources, and conferences
3. Financial
   • State and Federal taxes, fees from participants, fundraising and grants
4. Facilities and Equipment
   • Work with other facilities to save money
   • Special Olympics using BYU swimming pool for free, also had volunteer network
5. Transportation
   • Carpools and carts
   
   B. From Assignments 
   
   •  This is how I applied what I learned through the reading and part of my assignment. I added this to help show people how they can apply this to their own program or how anyone can make a differences in their community.
   • https://1drv.ms/w/s!Ano_1vcorOeMqVnfHktvkOC2Fek6 

C. Video from this week Lesson

• I thought this would be helpful to show the videos down below to  actually explain collaborative and networking in a simple form. I know videos help me understand things a lot more better than just words. The first link is called "The Power of collaboration." and it shares why it is important and the benefits of collaboration. The second one is called, "VNPA - HEAL: A Community Collaborative" This is about getting the community together to help the community be better and for people to feel safe in it. Instead of thinking about the specific of what happen in this area, think of how you can apply the principles of collaborative to your own area or a program you want to create.
• https://youtu.be/y_m9nReouVY
• https://youtu.be/-IfiFMTe9tI
• Here was my thoughts from the videos and the things I learned through the reading.
  
  • What was the one message that really stood out to you?

  To me, this whole semester, I been seeing cool things that people have been doing to included those with disabilities with those without disabilities, to make playground for those with and without disabilities.. And I been wondering how to begin. I feel this week video really stood out to me in how we can do that. I can't do it on my own. I need to use social media. I really think it would be remarkable to have a playground for those with or without disabilities to be able to be play on the playground. I think more people will come to Rexburg If that was a near location and a park everyone can join together and just be their self.  It helps me want to act, and I going to act. I finally feel I have a action plan or a way to at least beginning somewhere, even if it doesn't get finished by the time I leave school.  To make a differences in a community, it means being brave enough at sharing ideas. If not in person, at least through social media, to get it start going. That is the key.

  • What did you learn that will help you create an outline/plan for an effective play group?

  I think the main thing is to make sure who work with others and get different groups who are part of the community involved. It can be start with a Facebook group page, where you message your idea, and where others share other ideas to start it moving forward, and than it can move to the community slow and surely.

  • How did your awareness of community networking and barriers to inclusive programming change?

  Truthfully, there is no way you can make a playground, a event or anything happened, without sharing your idea. Yes, many of us have a dream, but we think that dream isn't possible. We don't share the dream, or help create it make it reality. It just sits in our minds, and after a while forgotten and know by  no one. The flame died. How sad is that. I think that is the hardest thing for me personally,  I get nervous about my ideas being rejected, or I not being clear enough, or misunderstood, that I keep my ideas to myself. It is great I have ideas, but it not helping me or anyone else by keeping it in my head.

  What are ways you find helpful in trying to network with others? or in other words, find people to help ya in your goals?

Helpful resources to understand Networking, Collaboration, and how simple it really is. 

•  The first video is called "The Power Of Team Work Good Team Work" I choose that because it shows good example in the way of team working which I think is a big part of Collaboration. It is better when we work together than trying to do everything on our own. https://youtu.be/ftPOy4yUGMQ
•  The next video is called "Cultivating Collaboration: Don't Be So Defensive! | Jim Tamm | TEDxSantaCruz"  It shared about how important it is to work together, the green zone, than being in the red zone, which means working against each other. https://youtu.be/vjSTNv4gyMM
• The next video is called "Turning Networking Upside Down | Jeff Slobotski | TEDxUNO" We often think of networking of handing out business cards or tweeting with our friends, but it actually is who we engage with others. https://youtu.be/xWVWh-vNLtU
• The other video is called, "Networking is not working: Doug McColgin at TEDxIndianapolis" To find new ideas and new inspiration, we need to go out to other groups to find new perspective. https://youtu.be/reCX9LDQVKw
• The last video I add is called, "The art of active networking | Mark E. Sackett | TEDxFultonStreet" This video talked about when we hear the word, "Networking" we feel dread, we get business cards, but we just throw them on the floor, we don't use the resources we been given, or give them a chance to help us. Each of those people we network with can become our good friends, if only we reach out to them. (Warning, his message is a powerful, but he has a colorful language) https://youtu.be/IjSPfGsaC3g

Things I learned through my Volunteer Practicum and how I will used it in the future
 The main thing I learn is when you are helping people in the special population, is to not be nervous to asked if they would like help to learn how to cook, to take the bus, etc. You want them to be independent, but helping them one or two times is somethings the key for them to be successful.  

Also, If they have a fun event they think would be nice to do during mentoring or helping them, don't be afraid to say, "Sure!" The main thing is you don't want them to be dependent on you, but doing something fun can help the person with the disability to feel more confidence and feel their ideas matters. It can also be used for the hour you were planning on meeting them anyway. Each person with a disability is different and each has different needs. Treat them how you would like to be treated.

 If they offer to pay for you, don't let them. Just say something like, "That sound fun, but you don't have to pay for me. I will pay for myself." 

Classmate Resources from the e-portfolio from Lesson 8 

• I added what  Savanna Marquardt added with I felt was so inspiring. It called "Gillette Stadium: Accessible to All" Their goal is to make the stadium accessible to all which is incredible in what they did. It shows you can make any sports available for anyone. https://youtu.be/DyY-728TQUI. 
• I also added a video about Wheel Chair basketball that Savanna added and along with it another video I found personally. It first video, which Savanna added, is called, "How To Play Wheelchair Basketball - Team GB's Harry Brown" It explains the tricks in how you can play basketball while in the wheelchair. The second video is called, "PlayWheelchairBasketball" This is where people are actually playing wheelchair basketball. Just because you in a wheelchair, please don't think you can accomplish your dream.https://youtu.be/o0lA6x9q6iM. Also Here is a trainning in how to train for wheelchair basketball. It  is called "Wheelchair Basketball Training" https://youtu.be/18MJxhEsGwc
•  I also added Heather Whittingslow resources callled, "Playground Directory" It gives you a list of all the accessible parks and where they are located. Right now, not every community has this, but It nice to know where to go to visited one. https://www.accessibleplayground.net/playground-directory/
•  Tiffany Packard put this on her resources, It is called "Paralyzed Football Player's Comeback" https://youtu.be/DCyG7xH9C98
• Jake added this video also about sports who had autism. It is called, "You'd never know this football player has a disability"https://youtu.be/rY8awq4yKd8

Conclusion 
Everything I added is to inform, to give hope to those who has disabilities, and to help programs make their activities accessible for all. We in the community can make an impact. We as a people have to network with others, to share ideas, so we can make them more than we over thought was possible. It will take time, and will be a tone of hard work, but it is possible and each one of us can reach our full potential as we help each other and collaborate with each other.