Abstract of R. Cohen lecture

SOCIAL INITIATIVE AND DISABILITIES – INTERORGANIZATIONAL

COOPERATION - NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

OF THE FRIENDS PARK PROJECT

R. Cohen

Beit Issie Shapiro, Israel

"Friends Park" is an accessible, inclusive playground established

through cooperation between Beit Issie Shapiro, the City of Raanana,

the Jewish National Fund, and other organizations. The playground is

the application of an approach that combines physical accessibility

together with activities directed at promoting social integration, and

serves as an inspiration for changes in social attitudes and integration

of children with disabilities in leisure activities in the community. The

park is designed for children with disabilities and their families, the

regular and special educational systems, and the complementary

educational systems. The park provides three main types of activities:

Spontaneous activities, Initiated activities: These activities include

workshops for changing attitudes within the regular educational

system, and activities in the special educational system directed

towards regular children that offer experiences in leisure activities in

the community. Beit Issie Shapiro is striving to establish additional

accessible playgrounds in Israel, and to introduce a perception that

emphasizes the importance of adopting social programs for promoting

social integration. A national steering committee was established for

this purpose that includes representatives of the National Insurance

Fund for Developing Services for the Disabled, The Shalem Fund,

Mifal HaPayis, the Erison Fund, the Shaffel Fund, the Commission for

Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities, The Rehabilitation

Department of the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services, the "Hop"

Children's Television Channel that broadcasts the program "Sesame

Street" in Israel. Our presentation at the convention will describe the

inter-organizational cooperation including the three sectors that have

joined together to attain social change for children with disabilities and

members of their families.