ACCREDITATION FOR INCLUSIVE RECREATION
Many recreational & community programs bill themselves as inclusive of children with disabilities.
But inclusive can mean many different things depending on where a program is on their unique journey.
What if there was a universally recognizable benchmark that participants and their families can see and KNOW, without a doubt, that a program practices full, meaningful inclusion that meets the highest of standards?
Official accreditation by National Inclusion Project offers exactly that.
Powered by the Standards for Inclusive Recreation Programs, NIP's accreditation process serves to recognize and confirm that a program is intentionally and successfully serving individuals with and without disabilities.
CONGRATS TO OUR ACCREDITED CAMPS!
- Bender JCC of Greater Washington, Rockville, MD
- B’nai B’rith Camp, Portland, OR
- Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL
- Camp Howe, Goshen, MA
- Camp Manitou-Lin, Middleville, MI
- Camp Southern Ground, Fayetteville, GA
- JCC Camps at Medford, Medford, NJ
- Levin Jewish Community Center, Durham, NC
- YMCA Rock River Valley, Loves Park, IL
WHY ACCREDITATION?
for programs
For programs, accreditation can be used as an educational tool, or a more thorough way to assess their inclusion progress. It offers a clearly defined methodology showing just how achievable inclusion of children with disabilities really is.
for families
For families, NIP’s seal of accreditation means they can trust that your program will not only welcome their child(ren) but also provide opportunities that allow them to fully participate alongside all of their peers.
Path to accreditation
1
Fall
assess your program
Program reviews the standards and criteria and steps to accreditation, fills out an interest form online and NIP contacts them to complete an initial program assessment. The goal is to assess program readiness to pursue accreditation.
2
winter
Complete workshop
Complete Accreditation Process Workshop, which explains the requirements for accreditation and how the process works.
3
Spring
Submit documentation
Prepare and submit written documentation for each standard, as outlined in the documentation guidelines.
4
Summer
host and participate in site visit
Prepare for the site visit by designating which staff are going to host visitors. Create a schedule/agenda for the site visit. Ensure that staff understand the purpose of the visit and convey to them that they should operate as they do every day.
At the time of the site visit, an individual who has completed the Accreditation Process Workshop
and who has participated in compiling the written documentation must be present and must allot time to sit down with the visitors to complete the host interview process.
5
Fall
REview & decision
Once the site visit is complete, an accreditation review committee will consider all documentation and observation data. If the committee has any questions or concerns, they will contact the host and/or the visitor for clarification. Once the review is complete, NIP will notify the host site of the accreditation decision.
INTERESTED IN ACCREDITATION?
We are opening Accreditation in 2020 exclusively for summer camps, with the aim of expanding the program in the coming years. If you are interested in becoming NIP accredited let us know!
Everybody Participates. Everybody Belongs
There are many ways to support our mission. One of them (and a very easy one at that) is through donating.