Thanks for starting this important discussion, Darryl! Your question about modifying the position description to allow for a more diverse applicant pool is a great one.

To clarify, there were three host sites (nature centers) that hired interns during summer of 2016, each seeking different needs and abilities to achieve organizational goals. While the positions advertised from the other two sites were more targeted (i.e. taking care of the animals, visitor services, etc.), Riveredge was really open to seeing what the applicant pool brought forward and working with that person(s) to determine what projects would match the organization's needs with their abilities. We knew that we wanted to focus on enhancing accessibility and inclusion related to our educational programs, in general, so we used that as a broad starting point to launch creation of the position description.

Then, as a team, we generated a list of possible "projects" that would benefit the nature center and included that within the actual job announcement so that the applicant could pick and choose what they felt they could assist with or grow their skills. I believe this was a great avenue for Riveredge to attract the right person for the right job and we were incredibly pleased with the accomplishments that took place during that short few months.

For reference, I included the position announcement here.

Thanks for sharing your position announcement, Carly. I can see how the general description of the "Inclusion and Accessibility Intern" qualifications and tasks allowed you to have the flexibility depending on the most qualified in the candidate pool. But if your organization's goal was to specifically explore program inclusion for folks of different abilities, did you also target the job announcement to agencies or networks from which such candidates could be recruited or did you just do an open recruitment to see who was interested?

And as we all know, when one discusses diversity, equity and inclusion issues, politically correct terminology is always a consideration so as not to offensive when talking about race, ethnicity, gender, age....etc. Can you share your insight about appropriate terminology when working with communities with disabilities, or share resources that can help us understand the best language to use?

Darryl asked about appropriate language. As in all groups, different people prefer to identify themselves in different ways. Some prefer Person First Language ("a person with a disability") while others prefer Identity First Language ("a disabled person"). As a college professor, I teach my students to use Person First Language because I think that is the approach generally expected of professionals. I do encourage all of you consider both (or multiple) perspectives, though. Here are some articles to help you out and get you thinking.

In developing the new (to be published very soon) Community Engagement: Guidelines for Excellence, we pulled together some additional resources that can be useful:

American Bar Association. Planning Accessible Meetings and Events: A Tool Kit, 2015.
https://naaee.org/sites/default/files/accessible_meetings_toolkit.authch....

Earth Force. Including Special Education Students in Earth Force Field Work. Denver, CO. https://naaee.org/
eepro/resources/including-special-education-students. [available in English and Spanish]

Snow, Kathie. Examples of People First Language, 2007.
https://naaee.org/sites/default/files/people_first_language_chart.pdf.

United States Access Board. Outdoor Developed Areas: A Summary of Accessibility Standards for Federal
Outdoor Developed Areas. 2014.
https://naaee.org/sites/default/files/outdoor-guide.pdf.

U.S. Department of Education. Building the Legacy: IDEA 2004. http://idea.ed.gov/.

U.S. Department of Justice. 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design.
https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/2010ADAStandards/2010ADAstandards.htm.

Transportation was an challenge faced by all three sites and their interns. Riveredge, Wehr, and Schlitz Audubon Nature Centers are not on a city bus line. I received inquiries from many potential interns who decided not to apply because they needed to be able to take public transportation to work. Interns at two sites used a van or taxi-service to get to work. That required prior scheduling and, occasionally, a lot of waiting. The intern at the other site lived close enough to bike to work. One of the ways the nature centers accommodated these transportation challenges was to allow interns to work part-time rather than 40 hours a week. The reduced schedule was more feasible with the taxi/van schedule. The challenges we faced were a good reminder that access to public transportation can influence not only the diversity of nature center visitors but also the diversity of nature center staff.

Just out of curiosity, Emily, can you describe the visual impairment and sensory-related simulations you conducted with your workshop participants? Sounds like a great way to develop empathy.

And did you and Carly implement any other EE program "nuggets" not mentioned that us readers might benefit from?

Hi Darryl,

Thank you for inquiring, and for your response, Kendra! I am adding the descriptions of two scenarios that I incorporated during our workshop because they each included (1) a real teaching situation, (2) time to brainstorm "what would you do?", and (3) the perspectives/ first person suggestions from our Intern.

Scenario 1: Decomposers

During our August 2016 training day, we spent a few minutes in small groups thinking about how to be prepared to adapt a program for a person with sensory processing challenges.

Rach and I were in a small group together, and Rach immediately thought of the tactile discomfort associated with touching and/or smelling compost and the decomposers inside of the compost. During our Gardening programs, one or more stations involves doing so, and so Rach took us through this thought process: imagine walking with your group to a station where there is a small pile of compost laid out on a tarp. You see hand lenses, small plastic containers, and small spoons nearby to use as tools when investigating the decomposers. You freeze. How can your Educator(s) help you feel more comfortable?

Rach’s suggestions: first introduce a small, plastic model of a worm and/or another decomposer that you might find in the compost - the person may then be more comfortable touching a real worm and/or decomposer. Assist with spooning a smaller amount of compost into a container and invite the person to sit where they are comfortable before handing them a hand lens to explore the compost. You could also share a model of the life cycle of a plant from the garden and/or draw a picture of decomposer exploration on the white board if these other steps are uncomfortable for the participant.

Scenario 2: How to Approach a Person & Ask What They Need

Rach assisted me in performing this scenario during our August 2016 training day:

As an Educator, if you notice a person becoming upset/panicking (and you have prior knowledge from a Teacher/Parent/Guardian that they have sensory challenges), and they are not communicating with you, how can you effectively and respectfully approach them?

Rach’s suggestions: first ask, “Can I help you?”
Then, if they indicate “Yes” (verbally, head nod), ask if they can physically point to a resource that you have in your Sensory Kit that might help: for example, a weighted animal or blanket to drape across their shoulders if they are having a panic attack. If they cannot point, provide 2-3 options, one at a time.
Stay with the person, and check in on them a few minutes later.
(Alternately, if the person says “no,” begin to assess the situation as a First Responder.)
Follow up with the participants’ Teacher/Parent/Guardian after the program to explain what happened.

I've found lots of ways that a program can be designed or adapted to suit different abilities. The Phoenix Zoo has animal statues that anyone can touch. At the Arizona Natural History Museum, I man a hands-on cart, and I often adapt my presentation of it on the fly: once, I even met a guest who was blind and hard of hearing. I adapted by holding out fossils and their corresponding plastic models. However, my favorite example was a display of official state things at the Arizona State Capitol Museum. They included braille on the signage, including an image of each item, embossed in braille dots. How often do such measures occur?