CALL FOR ABSTRACTS

First international symposium on inclusive leisure experiences

at Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada

October 22 – 23, 2019

For a long time, leisure interventions with persons with disabilities have been mainly anchored in a therapeutic approach aimed at reducing deficits or impairment, with leisure posited as a ‘tool’ to improve the functioning of individuals. In recent years, a shift has occurred to focus on strength-based approaches centered on inclusion in leisure, with an emphasis on optimizing peoples’ well-being, lifestyle and everyday experiences. The focus is both on empowering people with disabilities to actualize themselves through meaningful activities that correspond to their interests and strengths. Many leisure researchers are working to develop models to support an inclusive experience. Despite these efforts, inclusive models have been slow to take hold. Even today, the integration of people with disabilities is too often seen as a problem when it should be seen as a social choice. It is, therefore, important to come together to identify research, policies and practices to reduce barriers to participation and to maximize access to inclusive leisure experiences.

In that context, a group of researchers from Canada, United States and France are organizing an international symposium that will bring together researchers and practitioners who share an interest in inclusive leisure for persons with disabilities. The proposed event is part of this growing concern about the urgency of supporting access by people with disabilities to inclusive leisure experiences in the same way as other citizens.

This call for abstracts includes scientific papers as well as presentations of inspiring practices. This approach will encourage the theory-practice dialogues in sessions involving the combining of scientific papers with presentations of inspiring practices.

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Abstracts are due by April 15, 2019

Acceptance confirmation by the end of June 2019

More Information – Here