Making friends within inclusive community recreation programs

Until 1990, participation in recreation activities by persons with disabilities generally was assumed to result in the formation of healthy friendships and social relationships with their nondisabled peers. Research has since proven that not all of the relationships formed through inclusion in recreation activities are true friendships in the traditional sense. In this article, varying levels of inclusion are discussed, including physical, functional, and the highest level—social inclusion. Issues of reciprocity, obligation, the inclination of nondisabled peers to take on a “supervisory” role, and other challenges to maintaining meaningful friendships are examined in detail. The importance of friendship as a key component in quality of life is emphasized, with strategies presented for promoting friendships among those with and without disabilities within inclusive community recreation programs that are welcoming, accommodating, and socially inclusive