Sean Kane-Holland, Author at Nature: Accessible for All

This workshop offers an in-depth introduction to CorpsTHAT, an organization dedicated to connecting the Deaf community with the outdoors through education, recreation, and career opportunities. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of CorpsTHAT’s origin, its evolution, and the impactful stories that have shaped its mission to create accessible and inclusive outdoor spaces for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals in the outdoor and conservation industry.

We’ll dive into best practices for engaging Deaf participants in conservation corps and/or outdoor programs, focusing on essential communication strategies like using American Sign Language (ASL), visual cues, and technologies. We’ll also cover key accessibility considerations, from physical accommodations to creating spaces that are welcoming and empowering.

Additionally, we’ll discuss how to lead inclusively by fostering a culture of respect, collaboration, and equity in outdoor settings. Through real stories and examples from CorpsTHAT’s programs, attendees will walk away with practical tools and strategies to better support and include Deaf individuals in outdoor and conservation work.

Bio of Presenter:
Sam (Marlo) Bragg

Sam is a seventh-generation member of a large, vibrant Deaf family from Maine’s Great Woods. With a Master’s degree in Outdoor Leadership from Saybrook University and the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), Sam has dedicated their career to bridging the gap between the Deaf community and the outdoors through education, recreation, and career development. As a team member at CorpsTHAT, Sam is passionate about creating equitable and inclusive outdoor spaces for Deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.

Check out the amazing work our Nature Accessible for All partner – Ocean Positive is undertaking with the launch of a new collaboration with Jefferson University. Full article and news story on their website https://bcoceanpositive.org/blue-journey-unified

We are leading the charge to see nature sites and trails around New Jersey become more accessible for people of varying abilities.

This cross-sector collaboration has brought together activists and organizations dedicated to the welfare of people with disabilities, public and private natural land managers, healthcare providers, and environmental nonprofits.

We have been establishing partnerships with land management, nature, and healthcare advocates. Teaming up with organizations such as the NJ State Parks Service and private land managers and preservationists. The Nature Accessible for All campaign recently received media coverage along with campaign partners at Wharton State Forest and Duke Farms about the accessibility features at each site as well as to highlight the new Nature Accessible For All website.

To view the full article follow the link below.

NJ Spotlight Article

Ocean Positive creates programs and opportunities for sustainable positive impacts on the health, well-being, safety and strength of our oceans and communities.

Blue Journey Unified Programs (BJUP) offers adults living with Spinal Cord Injuries, Disorders and Movement Challenges (SCI/D/MC) the opportunities to play, train and compete year around in open water sport disciplines of paddle-boarding, swimming and kayak. The program offers pool training (swimming and prone paddle-boarding) in the winter and open-water prone paddle-boarding, kayak and swimming programming in the summer.

Blue Journey Unified innovative program:
– Brings together a community of adult athletes and professionals in sustainable partnerships
– Provides people with SCI/D/MC the opportunity to train, play or compete alongside non-SCI/D/MC or Challenged friends and family to take part in both adaptive and non-adaptive community aquatic sports events
– Provides an activity that increases flexibility as a result of the unique prone position, sense of balance from the work involved in staying on the board, and endurance, cardiovascular health, strength, and resulting mobility from the regular physical activity.

Measurable goals for BJUP include:
– Increased physical capacity and well-being measured by flexibility, endurance, strength, mobility, and sense of balance
– Increased community participation measured by attendance at or participation in BJUP practice sessions, multi-discipline aquatic events, and other non-aquatic activities with BJUP team members
– Increased Quality of life measured by Spinal Cord Injury–Quality of Life (SCI-QOL)
– Reach out about pop-up paddles and other sessions in some new waters.

Want to host a session in waters closer to your home for a team or community? Contact Ocean Positive via email and they will work with you about setting up sessions.

Attention beachgoers! Don’t let ocean and shoreline hazards keep you from enjoying your time at the beach this summer; instead, boost your “Blue IQ” through this episode. Listen to ocean and coastal safety expert Bruckner Chase discuss common beach hazards and best practices to keep you and your loved ones safe in the surf. Hosted by the NOAA.

This 2023 article by WHYY focuses on the collaborative work we are undertaking with state parks and other land managers at the federal, local, and non-profit levels to work on solutions that change planning and policy for individuals with disabilities, so there is more inclusion and equity in natural outdoor spaces.