Excerpts

Introduction

Beginning the Journey

"Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome."

~ Arthur Ashe

The young girl’s love of dance started at around age 3. She saw a ballerina dancing on TV and thought that she was the most beautiful princess she ever saw. Her mom was thrilled that she took such an interest in dance, and they immediately went together to buy a ballerina bedspread for her room. Over the next couple of years, the girl continued to love watching ballerinas dance on TV and often told her mother that she was going to be a ballerina when she grew up.

Her parents took her to see The Nutcracker, and she sat glued to her seat watching the story unfold. Her mom bought her a ballerina outfit and she would gleefully wear it around the house, pretending that she was dancing on stage to the delight of the cheering audience.

When she was about 6 years old, her mother saw an advertisement in the local paper for a new dance class for 6 and 7 year olds. With much anticipation, the mother called the number to talk to the dance teacher. The teacher seemed very kind and was excited to be starting this new class. She said that quite a few children had already registered. Fearing that all of the spots would quickly fill, the mother didn’t hesitate in signing her daughter up for the class, which started on the following Saturday.

Saturday morning, the little girl woke up early, filled with excitement about becoming a true ballerina. She insisted on wearing her ballerina costume and her mother told her that she looked like the most beautiful princess she ever saw. They drove to the dance class, both of them eagerly anticipating what was to come. But when they walked in the door, the dance teacher seemed to frown when she saw the little girl. She quietly pulled the mother aside and rebuked her for not indicating that her daughter had "problems." The teacher said this dance class wasn’t for children "like her" and that she would be better off at a dance class especially for "that type of child." The mother glanced over at her daughter, who still had a huge smile on her face and was already interacting with the other children. With tears welled up in her eyes, the mother wondered what was the easiest way to break her daughter’s heart. A True Story

United Cerebral Palsy of Pittsburgh (UCP of Pittsburgh) through its Community Living and Support Services (CLASS) program provides services to individuals and families. Our mission is one of inclusion — "working toward a community where each belongs." We assist adults, and support their independence and community involvement, and our Unique Community Partnership for Kids (UCP Kids) program assists children with special needs in becoming involved in typical recreational activities. We created Together is Better: Creating a Community Where Each Belongs as a how-to guide for individuals and families to integrate into recreational activities and communities themselves, so that stories like the little girl who loved to dance never have to happen to another child.

The process of discovering how best to help someone become involved in a community is unique and is, in fact, a journey of discovery that is distinct for each individual.

While we take a direct look throughout the manual at how children and adults with disabilities can be integrated into community, please note that the concepts that we explore can relate to any individual, with or without a disability.

Just as individual personalities differ, so do abilities, talents, and interests. As such, the process of discovering how best to help someone become involved in a community is unique and is, in fact, a journey of discovery that is distinct for each individual.

Together is Better is our attempt to guide you through this journey, and it is intended to be interactive. Readers will note several written "exercises" throughout the manual and may wish to have additional paper on hand for extra writing space. We will also explain how to use the various forms included in the appendix. And, along the way, the narrative will teach you more about communities, how they interact, and how to best become a valued member of one.