Inclusion and Support Services

• Extra support is required in the classroom.
• A physical, medical, developmental, and/or learning disability exists that could affect the safety of the participant or that of other participants.
• Extra support is needed at home for basic care such as dressing and toileting.
• The participant is currently associated with a support agency or program.
• The participant has a safety plan with their education institution.
• Will the specific program and type of activities within the program be suitable for the participants needs, abilities, and interests?

If the participant needs aligns with one or more of the statements above, please contact Natalie Coutts Inclusion Coordinator 905-775-7529 Ext 8307

To support the success, safety, and inclusion for all participants in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury’s programs and camps, participants must be program ready.

To be program ready, participants must:

• Be able to take direction and instruction from a staff member (with or without additional support).
• Interact and participate within the program environment based on the participants abilities and needs; However, it is asked that participants show the ability to participate in 50% of the programs.
• Be able to interact and participate in a way that encourages a safe environment for the participant and others.
• If school-Aged: Attend school successfully (with or without additional support).

Please Note: Recreation Staff and Inclusion Support Facilitators will make every effort to facilitate programming and accommodations; However, the health and safety of participants and staff are paramount. Should behaviour occur that presents potential harm to self, others, or property, the participant may be denied access to the program. The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury refund policy will apply.

Questions About Inclusion Support and Programming

Please reach out to the Inclusion Coordinator by emailing Natalie Coutts or call 905-775-7529 ext. 8307 for assistance.

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury employs staff for the Winter Break, March Break, and Summer to work specifically as one-to-one inclusion support for children who have special needs, exceptionalities, and/or disabilities. The inclusion one-to-one support is a limited resource and is available on a first come, first serve basis and is available for a maximum of 1 week per child.

Inclusion one-to-one support is available in any camp to facilitate successful participation in activities for participants whose needs are not met with large group ratios. Additional one-to-one Inclusion fees are added on top of the general registration fees. If your child requires one-to-one support, please contact Natalie Coutts, Inclusion Coordinator, at 905-775-7529 ext 8307 to start the registration process. Registration must be completed by the Inclusion Coordinator.

Inclusion Support is provided by Inclusion Support Facilitators. The support in camp can include but is not limited to program adaptation, redirection for safety reasons, allowing for opportunities for sensory or emotional breaks, and help with personal care. Support must be requested during the registration period starting in February 2025.

Inclusion Support Facilitator staff are available 35 hours a week, 7 hours a day. One-to-One support will be offered by Inclusion Support Facilitators from 9:00am-4:00pm for the camp week.

Prior to the beginning of the registration process, you will need to contact the Inclusion Coordinator, Natalie Coutts at 905-775-7529 ext 8307 to assess if the program is suitable for providing the best support options to your child. The Community Services Department wishes to ensure that your child’s needs are fully understood. Registering early will allow us to plan an accessible recreational experience for your child.

Once the program is found suitable for your child, the Inclusion Coordinator will register you for 1 week of summer camp based on availability on a first come, first serve basis. Campers and Families are required to schedule and attend an in-person ‘Get to Know You’ meeting with the Inclusion Coordinator. A mandatory Camper Profile Package that includes an All About Me package, Independent Education Plan, and a Safety Plan, must be completed by each family prior to attending the mandatory in-person meeting. All information is kept confidential and is only provided to program staff who will be working directly with the participant to be able to best support the camper during camp. Communication and cooperation between all parties will ensure a safe and fun environment.

• An Independent education Plan is a written plan that describes special education programs, accommodations, and services that a school board will provide for a student.
• A Safety Plan is a plan that is written by health professionals or other local support systems that identifies coping and help-seeking strategies that are tailored for the needs, situation, and personal relationships of an individual.

Before camp starts in July, there will be a Meet n’ Greet at the BWG Leisure Centre that will give campers and families a chance to meet their Inclusion Support Facilitators.

The above process needs to be followed in all cases. All paperwork must be submitted prior to attending camp. Families requiring accommodations who do not disclose the needs of a participant prior to registration may be required to withdraw from the program, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury refund policy will apply.

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury recognizes the value of participating in recreational activities and believes that all participants, regardless of their financial circumstances should be able to enjoy the BWG Leisure Centre and its programming.

Bradford West Gwillimbury residents experiencing financial difficulty due to low income may request fee assistance for membership to the BWG Leisure Centre. An application for assistance must be submitted. Criteria for eligibility is determined by annual income based on Statistics Canada Low Income Cut Off (LICO).

If you are in need of assistance to enhance access to memberships, swimming lessons, leadership and registered programs please email or call 905-775-7529 ext 8100.

If parents/guardians are looking to have their child attend summer camp with external support at the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, they are to follow the steps below:

1. Parents/guardians are required to get into contact with the Inclusion Coordinator a minimum of 2 weeks (10 business days) before the beginning of the week of camp they want their child to attend.
2. The Inclusion Coordinator will register your child into the requested weeks of camp on our registration system.
3. External support is to be provided by the camp family while their camper attends camp.
4. The external support worker must maintain a satisfactory Vulnerable Sector Check and First Aid and CPR-C certification throughout the external support workers time at camp.
5. The external support worker is required to contact the Inclusion Coordinator to review the camp program, and to review their role in providing support for the camper a minimum of 5 days before their first day at camp. The external support worker will also be sent a Confidentiality Support Worker Agreement to complete and send back to the Inclusion Coordinator.
6. Support staff cannot be a direct relative or related to the participant.

Roles and Expectations

1. External support staff are expected to be one-to-one with the camper all day.
2. External support staff will manage all behaviours of their camper while they are at camp.
3. External support staff will assist the camper with washroom breaks and change for swim as needed. If camper is swimming/participating in water play, external support staff is expected to swim and support the camper in the water one-to-one.
4. External support staff are expected to facilitate participation in camp activities, provide adaptations, redirect camper for safety reasons, and allow for sensory breaks.

• Adaptation of programming to meet individual needs
• Facilitate encouragement and friendship
• Additional support to help integrate participants into programs
• Allows for break time as needed
• Incorporates sensory needs per participant
  • Volunteer staff are not expected to assist with personal care unless certified to do so.

The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury tries to accommodate all support requests for individuals with disabilities. However, due to the number of requests for additional support, sidekick volunteers cannot be guaranteed and are based on a first-come, first-serve basis.

• Review registered programs available prior to each session, ensure programs align with participants interests and hobbies.
• Contact the Inclusion Coordinator about interest in having support for registered programs at least 2 weeks before the program start date.
• Conduct an intake phone call with the Inclusion Coordinator, and state which registered program you are interested in.
• Complete All About Me form for the participant
• Await confirmation of Sidekick Volunteer from Inclusion Coordinator

Recreation Staff and Sidekick volunteers will make every effort to facilitate programming and accommodations; However, the health and safety of participants and staff are paramount. Should behaviour occur that presents potential harm to self, others or property, the participant may be denied access to the program. The Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury refund policy will apply.

• Make a difference in the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury community by becoming a volunteer with the Sidekick Volunteer Program within the Leisure Programs Department. The course is a prerequisite for volunteering in our seasonal 6-10-week programs or at the Youth Recreation Centre (YRC). You will be either volunteering with a participant with exceptionalities aged 3-13 years old once a week or supporting programming at the YRC. Volunteer hours can go towards your high school hours OR post-secondary placement requirements.
• Upcoming Training Date: Tuesday, February 17^th, from 4:30-5:30pm at the BWG Leisure Centre. Register online HERE