Inclusive Leisure Services, 5th ed.

The figure presented on the front cover of this book depicts a model for inclusive leisure services grounded in social justice. The model identifies the overall goal of our services–to ensure people experience leisure, as highlighted in the center circle of the figure. Fundamental principles of inclusive leisure services are contained in the shaded circle immediately outside the goal of leisure. Such principles include ethics, inclusion and social justice, leisure, as well as, human and civil rights relevant to leisure involvement. The model also identifies unique challenges associated with selected characteristics. The figure illustrates these considerations by a white circle in the middle of the model. One characteristic is our culture, broadly used to include ethnicity, religion, nationality, and sexual orientation, among other variables. Another consideration is race and the extensiveness of racism locally and globally, influencing all of us every day. Also highlighted is the influence of economic resources available to us, which income strongly effects. Since our age influences our leisure, the model identifies the value in developing strategies to sustain healthy aging. This portion of the model also addresses the characteristic of ability, encouraging us to welcome people of all abilities into our agencies and programs. The model identifies the balance families must achieve as they encounter barriers when one or multiple family members experience oppression.

Barriers to leisure are included in the model, highlighting the pervasiveness of power and addressing sociological, psychological, and physical challenges. The larger, darker circles in the figure represent barriers that enclose the inner circles. Given the extensiveness of these barriers, they appear multiple times in the circles. Facilitation techniques are included in the model that help reduce barriers to leisure and create opportunities for leisure. Although multiple strategies shift power structures, some strategies emphasize promoting social engagement by focusing on ways to enhance and improve attitudes, use sensitive terminology, and encourage positive contact with diverse participants. To help address psychological barriers, there are suggestions to enhance participants’ self-determination and a model to provide leisure education. The model identifies ways to alleviate physical barriers by applying principles of universal design and making adaptations to activities, materials, the environment, and ways we teach, as well as supporting participants. The model includes a facilitation technique strongly connected to ethical practice, encouraging us to be allies and advocates for equity. The figure portrays the starred facilitation techniques in the outside circle of the model working to break through the barriers. Arrows moving through the barriers toward the inner circles highlight that the facilitation techniques help permeate barriers, encouraging people to experience leisure.

There are differences in considerations of various groups as we attempt to facilitate leisure for them; however, there are often strong similarities across members of groups who regularly deal with marginalization. Because of these similarities, there is value in considering ways of providing inclusive leisure services across various participants. Ultimately, we deliver inclusive leisure services so that all people experience leisure and happiness as they flourish.