The right of participation

The European overall philosophy of treatment principals for the disabled people is based on a fully membership of society.

Integration and inclusion are therefore key issues.

We’ve notice that even each individual coach has his or her own interpretation or an opinion therefore it’s necessary to use general basic principles of athlete treatments.

The first principle is informed choice. The essence of true choice comes from having a variety of options. The viability of our support may very well hinge on our ability to develop choices for the people we are trying to assist.

The second principle is that of empowerment. (helping achieve self actualisation) It’s their inherent right and our role to encourage the use of this inherent power.

As a third principal, inclusion is a right of all people.

It is important for people with disability to be integrated in the community to maximize their opportunity.

The fourth principle is that of responsive and flexible support. The supports need to be comprehensive and as intensive as the person needs

So the conclusion most be:

1. Judoka’s with a disability are equal to all other main stream judoka’s. .

2. People with a disability have the right to practice sport on a mean full basis.

3. Sport practice has to be as normal as possible and adjusted where necessary.

4. Sport practice have to fit everyone’s possibilities and interests

5. Everyone have to think and decide about his or her own sport practice if possible

People with a disability are fully-fledged individuals

All people are equal. we must see people with a disability as full fledge individuals. Because every human being, disabled or not, has needs, (im)possibilities, rights and obligations. E.g. the need for privacy or the need to be achievement oriented. People like to be appreciated. Receiving a pat on the back or a compliment is important to all people.

People want to be taken seriously and treated with respect. Every human being has the ability to learn something to educate oneself and to make his/her own choices.

Every human being is unique and nobody is on forehand better than the other. Every human being has a right to equal treatment. And just like every body else a person with a disability has to live to the rules and keep what was agreed upon

Most people do not usually meet disabled people in their direct environment. Unfamiliarity with people with a disability often leads to strange prejudices. E.g. “People with a motoric disability are also mentally behind” or “People with a disability are always fully dependent on other’s”. As long as there are people who think this way it is very hard for people with a disability to life they’re life as normal as possible.

JBN like to contribute to change this mindset by telling and showing that people with a disability can practice their sport just like every other, have their own desires, possibilities and point of interest.

 
Sport must only be adapted where this is unavoidable related to the well-being of the practitioner.
Having a disability will, most of the time, make you more or less dependent on the aid and care of other people. Every body has of course a right to this aid and care but not more than actually required. Practicing sport should therefore be as “normal” as possible and as much as possible integrated in mainstream sport. Although it should be special were this is necessary to guarantee the wellbeing of the athlete. e.g. It should be normal that a judoka who is able to travel independently to his training facility will do so. His fellow judoka who is travelling to the same training facility but who is not (yet) able to travel independent is offered a special way of (escorted) transport.

Offering a sport, the organisation should very well consider what consequences there are originating from the disabilities of the target group. At the same time the organisation takes in account that the sport has to be as “normal” as possible.

In all circumstances: the choice for Judo, The set up of the dressing and practicing facilities, setting up invitation letters etc every the organisation has to ask her self the question is what we do adapted to the target group and as close as possible to “normal”

(Bye the way is anybody able to give a definition for “normal”)

 

People with a disability have a right to a meaning full sport
We should enable that everybody, interested in Judo, will be offered a meaningful and safe and sound sport. For every individual the word “meaningful sport” is filled in a different way. Some athletes want to be challenged by learning more and more new things for other competitors it feels “more save” to stay on “familiar ground”

Every individual has his/hers own ideas and plans for the future. Every human being prefers to do things by which her/she feels comfortable and safe and for which he/she is appreciated. Especially people with a disability hear to many times in their life “O let me do that for you” and were you feel the undercurrent “Because that is better/quicker”

Whenever the sport is linked up with the above one can call a sport meaningful.

Sport should fit everybody’s abilities and interest.

A sport should match to the abilities of the individual and to what the individual likes to do.

In what surrounding do you prefer to train, in what activities would you like to participate what do you like to achieve with your sport. (what is therapeutically desirable)

How much support and or aid do you require to be able to participate. These are the most important questions that should be asked to the candidate.

The participant should be the focal point in the organisation. Together with the client, the organisation should try to come up with a “well considered” sport for that client.

A sport organisation should try to do the utmost to take into account the needs and wishes of all there members. Therefore it is also very important to evaluate on a regular base about the level of satisfaction of all competitors.

Every individual should, were possible, think along and decide upon their own participation in this sport.
It has to be common usage every individual judoka should think and decide about the way his/her sport. How and about what participants can decide for them selves should be constantly in the mind of the responsible. Do we have to change something and or what plans do we have for the future are the often repeated questions.

For the judoka there are two forms of this right of consultation: as individual and as part of the group. The individual right of consultation means take part in the discussion and decisions concerning the own sport. Most of the time this relate to matter’s concerning only to the client himself. In the collective right of consultation (the group) the client has the ability to talk and decide together with the other members of the group. Most of the time this relates to matters related to more individuals at the same time. E.g. changes in the set up of the training, in the club or in the Judo organisation.

A good example is in the planning of national judo commision for the disabled include members of the target group.

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