Getting to know people

The first experience of boating is key to people wanting to come back again and again, and make being on the water part of their active lives. Everyone wants the first and every experience to be safe, fun and open

At the heart of this is a two way conversation to get to know people and the support they need.

This resource focuses on:

• A decision making process
• Getting the language right
• Important principles underpinning the conversation
• Prompts and the right questions

Decision making

Talking to the person and finding out about them enables you to come up with a plan and make decisions about whether to go boating or not

The person

A good plan will enable the participant to:

• Get familiar with the boat and all the controls
• Get in and out of boats
• Be recovered from the water
• Be able to move around once in a boat
• Use any equipment that may be needed to be safe in the water, control the steering or sails, or to maintain posture or group on any part of the boat?

Of course, this is just part of the plan.There are other factors to consider before making decisions about safety and participation.

The situation

• Where you are, the sailing area and the conditions on the day
• The type of activity and the boats / equipment being used
• The organisation’s scope of responsibility, liability and any constraints (e.g. insurance)

Staff and volunteers

A number of staff and volunteers are involved in helping deliver the activity so there is a need to consider:

• Their competence and experience
• The questions they have, the information they need and the training they need
• Balance discussing individual needs in a private environment and sharing information on a ‘need to know basis’

Decision

The conversation and the assessment made as a result leads to a decision about whether to go boating or not that both participants and the organisation are comfortable with, and is based on:

• Can we meet the needs of the participants?
• Will the participants enjoy the session and get what they want from it?
• What equipment and resources are needed to deliver safe activity?
• Are the staff and volunteers comfortable with the plan?
• Can we keep everyone safe?

Getting the language right

Language can act as a barrier when it is negative and misrepresents disabled people and their lives. It can create stigmas and labels. Positive language, on the other hand, can attract people and encourage them to get on the water.

Language that is based on the social model of disability is going to reflect the lived experience of many people. The social model of disability says that it is the barriers in society that create disability and that when you remove these barriers people have more choice, control and independence.

Language is tricky. Some terms and words are more acceptable to the majority than others, but it is also very personal. The start point is always be open, kind, avoid causing offence and ask the person what language and terms they prefer.

Collective terms and identity

Collective terms should describe groups of people rather than focus only on a description. Disabled people is preferred, ‘The disabled’ is not.

Identity can be important. For example people whose first language is British Sign Language consider themselves as part of the deaf community and may describe themselves as Deaf (with a capital D).

Not everyone identifies with the term ‘disabled people’. For example, an older person might think of a sight and hearing loss to be a natural part of the ageing process and nothing to do with being a disabled person. So you don’t always have to refer to ‘disabled people’. Often once you have set the context, even with the right photo, you can talk about people, participants, or sailors.

Everyday phrases

Most disabled people are comfortable with words and phrases we use every day  - ‘go for a walk’, ‘see you soon’ – even if some of these things are done in a different way. But do try to avoid phrases that have negative connotations – for example, ‘turning a deaf ear’, ‘Blind drunk’.

Some people may reclaim phrases that previously had negative connotations for all sorts of reasons around empowerment and identity. The terms may remain controversial though and others will remain offended by them. Always take the lead from the person themselves.

Plain English

Often in trying to get our language right, we end up with clunky or complicated phrases. Using clear and plain language helps everyone.

Do’s and Don’ts

Remember – what is acceptable to one person, may cause offence to another – so always ask, and check.

Principles

Getting the conversation right means we need to know what is important to people. Some of the Activity Alliance's ten principles will help set the tone and make activities more appealing to disabled people

Welcome me

Make sure I feel welcome from the first time I get in touch – the conversation you have with me before I come and once I arrive is a really important part of a pleasant first experience and me wanting to return.

Reassure me

I don’t want to stand out, so reassure me the activity will be welcoming and suitable for my needs

Listen to me

I should be able to discuss my needs in a safe and private environment. If need be, and I am OK with it, talk to others who know me well

Include me

Let me know I am good enough to take part. Make sure I feel included, no matter what my ability level

Show me

Engage disabled sailors who are already involved to encourage me

Prompts

The person going sailing knows themselves. The club or centre and its staff and volunteers know about sailing. A conversation between both parties will provide all the information needed to make good decisions about safety and participation. This section includes is a series of prompts you can use and adapt.

Not all will be relevant all the time, so you may filter them depending on who you are talking to and what is important to them. Please do add to the list as needed – it is certainly not meant to be exhaustive. The prompts below are written from a sailor’s perspective.

What we know

• The participant - I know myself, my hopes and aspirations, how I communicate and learn, what I can and cannot do, how I react
• The organisation - you know about boating, the place it is taking place, the equipment being used and the people who will be involved in delivering the activity

Communication

Ask me:

• How I communicate, engage, plan and learn?What do I use to help me communicate, make choices and learn?
• Whether I need key information in certain formats, delivered in a specific way or whether I need a communication professional to interpret?
• What is important to me, what is helpful? What is unhelpful?
• How I engage with others, and develop relationships?
• What is important to me, what is helpful? Unhelpful?
• How you know I am listening and engaging? How you know if I need a break?
• What is important to help me plan the day, know what is happening next
• Whether anything impacts on how I perceive risk

What I can and can’t do

You probably don’t need to know the detail of any conditions I have - it’s more about the impact on my day to day life. For example you don’t really need to know I have retinosa pigmentosa but it might help to know I have a really narrow field of vision, where you need to stand so I can see you and the fact that if there is lots of glare I find it hard to use the vision I do have.

Ask me about:

• My trunk – the control and balance I have, and how symmetrical I am;
• How buoyant I am in the water; my centre of gravity
• My hands, feet and limbs - have I got them, can I control them, can I feel them?
• Whether I can regulate my core temperature; my ability to breath easily and maintain my heart rate; my ability to remain conscious and ‘present’ at all times?
• My touch sensation – how do I feel or experience pain, or judge extremes of temperature – is feedback delayed in anyway?
• My mobility
• Any sensory impairments and how I process sensory information
• What I can see and hear
• About my balance and spatial awareness
• How my function and sensory impairments may affect my participation in boating?

What it will be like on the water

Ask me

• How do extremes of temperature, dehydration, energy levels, noise, and water impact on what I can and can't do?
• About anything that may impact on my ability to communicate on the water – you may need to tell me about the environment and possible scenarios so I can give you the information you need
• How to prevent me becoming stressed and anxious, how you will know if I am becoming anxious and how you can help?
• Do I take any medication I may need access to while sailing, including emergency medication? You might need to tell me how long we are going afloat for.
• What do you record about me?

It is possible to recreate some of the questions on a form to be completed in advance of any activity, and such forms can and do serve a useful purpose, but it is hard to capture the richness of a person’s life on a form. Perhaps view forms as a way of raising flags that need exploring as part of a fuller conversation. If nothing else ask:

• What do people appreciate about me?
• What is important to me and for me?
• What support do I need?