What follows is a reflection on leisure activities carried out in groups—specifically, groups where the ages vary considerably and the abilities and disabilities vary even more, like the groups that Fede e Luce brought together last summer in Rome and beyond.
The small experiences from that time showed that this kind of activity, this recreation, is genuinely excellent for the integration of young people, and that community life in the style of a family is possible for everyone. But these conclusions should not make us forget the conditions that made all this possible.
The first thing to keep in mind is that life together requires—for ourselves, for our children, for our friends, disabled or not—above all and always tolerance and generosity. Without these two human and Christian qualities, which of us could live in harmony with our brother, whether he is a saint or the least of the poor?
But that is not enough. The more diverse the members of a group, those who take part in an activity, the more carefully the day must be planned and the activities must be structured. And since we are speaking here of leisure activities, games must be chosen and prepared with real thought, as must songs and music, because not everything is suitable for everyone, all the time.
I will not speak here of manual work, since that falls more into the category of individual activities.
Let us begin, then, with:
The Group's Framework
A group made up of adults and young people must be substantial in numbers and active in participation. Many games are possible on the condition that every disabled person has an "assistant" beside them—but an assistant who is not the same age as the young person they are assisting. A playmate can and should help, certainly, but must remain a playmate and not become a "little teacher"; this would completely undermine their role as a companion and would rob them of the spontaneous energy that is so valuable to the group's atmosphere.
For example: during a treasure hunt, L., who is very slow and unsteady, needs a constant adult at her side to collect the pebbles, while B. and D. run to fetch messages or work through various calculations. But at the end of the game, each one truly brings their own contribution.
The Environment
The space that houses the group plays a very important role in whether an activity succeeds or fails. It will generally be a room or a garden. Either one should not be too small, because crowding increases noise, which, while tiring for adults, can be unsettling for some young people and increases tension. This is more true of an indoor space than a garden, of course. It is also important that the space be enclosed or well-defined for obvious safety reasons—especially with a garden—but also for the sake of concentration: many young people have trouble focusing and trouble orienting themselves in space, and they are greatly helped when a door is closed or a space is limited with the help of ropes, chairs, plants, and so on.
There are other qualities of the environment to keep in mind as well: temperature, lighting, furnishings, and safety considerations such as windows, stairs, and balconies.
As for the activities themselves, as has already been mentioned, games and music seem to be best suited to the kind of group we are considering—one with a range of ages and abilities.
Musical Activities
Songs, action songs, rhythm instruments, listening to music, and so on are an inexhaustible resource—but they do require a minimum of musical knowledge on the part of the person leading the group. Without such knowledge, I will limit myself to action songs, which in any case can also fall into the category of games.
Action songs can be used by everyone and are an immense source of fun and learning.
We used them as much as possible, for several reasons:
- they give everyone a way to express themselves, even children who cannot speak or who have very limited speech
- they can help develop bodily awareness: locating different parts of the body, left, right, and so on
- they can take on the character of very beneficial "exercise"
- for some, they can also answer a need to "perform," to act.
Of course, many other games can offer one or more of these same benefits. In games, you must obviously eliminate competition—at least individual competition. Team competition can be valuable if it is kept moderate and the teams are very carefully formed.
Games that involve movement should also be singled out. Certainly, someone with a physical disability may need help, but often they will greatly appreciate anything that can break their forced immobility.
Gestures, as with action songs, are very important, but you must always keep three things in mind:
- Repetition, which fascinates all children: in disabled children, who are often slower, it becomes a real necessity. But...
- If learning to repeat a gesture is important, so is learning when to stop: something that is sometimes difficult.
- Finally, you must watch the pace of an activity; if it is too fast, most of the disabled participants will be unable to keep up.
- The length of a game, a song, or any other activity must be adapted each time to the group and the moment. Some will want to do the same thing for a long time, but others, who are restless, will struggle to follow the normal flow of a game.
Always keeping in mind the varied makeup of the group, you must be careful to consider the interests of the most energetic young people just as you do for the slowest.
You must constantly find a balance and alternate who has a chance to succeed.
Certainly it is necessary that the quickest learn to wait for the slowest, but you must also sometimes give the quickest the chance to run with all their strength.
It seems to me, moreover, that this is the joy of a group: to see each person fully engaged, making use of all their abilities.
I do not wish to draw conclusions from these brief and rather sketchy reflections.
I believe that playing, singing, and growing together are things that can be desired and willed, but they must also be learned and developed.
For this reason, it would be good if all those who have some experience in this matter would share with us their own reflections, their criticisms, and their suggestions.
Nicole Schulthes, 1976