Municipal Companion Program for Leisure Activity proves a success

The summer of 2004 was one to remember for young persons living with a disability, as they saw their right to leisure activity become a living reality rather than remaining a mere concept. Over 15,000 hours of companion services were added to the existing provincial program, thanks to the contributions of 17 boroughs and the City of Montreal’s Service du développement culturel et de la qualité du milieu de vie.

Having access to day camp, as would any other child from their neighbourhood, brought these disabled youngsters one step closer to what might be termed a “normal” state of affairs, and for their parents, recognition that their children deserve no less. This pro-active initiative helped foster a positive community environment, with the following as prime examples:

• Children who are open to, and accepting of, people’s differences
• Children who are different in some way, and yet do not feel stigmatized
• Sector leaders who are motivated by the fact that one of their initiatives has had such a positive impact

As Linda Roy, director of leisure, sports, culture and social development for Rivière-des-Prairies/Pointe-aux-Trembles/Montreal East, noted: “It was clear that the children benefited enormously from being involved in day camp activities, and the camps themselves were the better for it. It is a concrete example of social integration at its core, and illuminates the mandate we have as sector leaders: to offer all children in our districts the same access to leisure services, free from discrimination of any kind.”

In short, the Municipal Companion Program for Leisure Activity in Montreal-area day camps proved an unqualified success. Through this project, whereby children with disabilities were integrated into day camp programs, the right of persons living with a disability to be treated as full-fledged members of society and to be regarded as equal in all respects was recognized, despite the fact that these citizens may have different needs on occasion.

This special edition of Go, focusing on companion services for leisure pursuits, illustrates the impact of the municipal contribution toward the project. Will Nathaniel, Jacob, and the other disabled children experience another summer like ’04? Was this really the beginning of true access to leisure services for these youngsters?