Play Beyond Expectations

Play Beyond Expectations is a unique program specifically for young adults with disabilities to:

• Teach them foundation skills for sports so that they are more able participate in community sports.   Although they attended school, only 3% of those with disabilities were ever included in sports.  Most have been told that they “can’t” play without ever being allowed to try.  This program allows them to try and succeed to their best.

• Develop and measure transferable skills usable in employment.   These include showing the ability to, attend regularly, learn new skills, work as part of a team, have a positive attitude, be supportive to teammates, and respect themselves and others.  

• Encourage personal development of skills and attitudes to help others and themselves in other situations like at home.  This is one of the areas covered in the ½ hour after each gym time.  5Ps (Positive Peer Pressure Pushes Progress).

• Affirm them in their progress in every session.    

A major bonus in this format is that parents/ support workers get to see their person do more than they thought they could.

Sessions are led by an overcomer (Cerebral Palsy) who learned to do all the things the doctors said he would never do.  His parents said “That’s what the doctors said but, let’s try”.  He has 15+ years of coaching, and 27 years helping people with disabilities to exceed expectations in various aspects of self-care, academics, and physical, mental, spiritual, and social participation.

Sessions are free with a recreation pass.  If you don’t have a pass, the participant fee is a drop-in fee ($5.75).  The parent/support worker/volunteer is free.  Yes, you can play too. 

 

 

Sessions are at Esquimalt Recreation Centre - 527 Fraser St. 250-412-8500

Skills include floor hockey, basketball, pickleball, and others

Each gym session concludes with ‘best moments’

Flexible for different skill levels   -   Limited spaces

Questions? call: Brian Gray 250-857-4017

Helping People with Dis+Abilities Make Life Better

                                                                                  

Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash

Mission:

We are providing a fun environment  for adults with disabilities which will foster their development, beyond expectations, of their abilities, sports and life-skills.  To have fun while growing and developing -

        to be better than they, or anyone, expects them to be.

        to do more than they, or anyone, expects them to do.

        to make life better, for themselves and others,

         than they, or anyone, expects them to.

        increasing their independence and work possibilities.

 This benefit positively influences not only the life of the individual involved but those of their family and their community. This program is dedicated to helping adults with disabilities develop sport-skills and contingent abilities by providing participants, and parents, with encouragement, instruction, opportunity, and affirmation, in the most uplifting environment possible and helping them to Play Beyond Expectations.

 

Vision:

The program is designed to prove that improvement in every individual’s life is possible.  It enables adults with disabilities to demonstrate to parents, teachers, doctors, employers, and society the value of looking for the gifts each individual possesses – to see beyond the disability, and to realize the capabilities and potential that exist in each person.  

Play Beyond Expectations helps everyone to see these capabilities, and untapped potential, that may have previously gone unseen, increasing their independence and employment possibilities. It is a hope that we can inspire people around the world to look for, and find, the best gifts in people around them.

Values:

Every life intrinsically has worth and value.

Regardless of ability or disability, each life has the right to be here.

All people have gifts – most need encouragement and opportunity to find their most important gifts, as well as instruction and affirmation to develop to their full potential.  People with disabilities also have gifts, but they may need additional patience with themselves and of those around them, to overcome challenges created by the disability. 

Whatever our level of function, there is joy and triumph in becoming more than we thought we could be. 

Esquimalt Parks and Recreation

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This week we recognize the invaluable contributions of all the volunteers in our Parks and Recreation community that donate so much of their time and energy to making Esquimalt a great place to live, work, and learn.

As volunteer appreciation week continues we would like to take the time to recognize one more of our fantastic volunteers.

This is Brian Gray. For the past year, Brian has been leading the group known as "Play Beyond Expectations".

Play Beyond Expectations is a unique program specifically for young adults with physical and developmental disabilities to:

- Teach foundation skills for sports
- Develop and measure transferable skills usable in employment.
- Encourage personal development of skills and attitudes to help others.
- Affirm progress in every session.

The group can often be seen in the Jubilee Hall playing a variety of sports or in the Rec Centre Atrium for debriefs and social time.

Thank you Brian for your hard work and congratulations on one year of success so far! (2017)