Connecting Through Summer Camp: Youth With Visual Impairments Find a Sense of Community

Abstract

The social meaning of a one-week residential summer sports camp to young people with visual impairments is described. The experiences of 13 youths (7 females and 6 males) with visual impairments (3 B1, 1 B2, and 9 B3) between 9 and 15 years of age were gathered using the phenomenological methods of focus groups, conversational interviews, and field notes. The thematic analysis revealed three themes: connected, reaching out, and resisting and acquiescing. Experiences of group membership and shared emotional connection to others with visual impairments surfaced in a supportive sport context although resistance to others’ assumptions of ability was evident. The theory of psychological sense of community (McMillan & Chivas, 1986) provided the conceptual framework for interpreting the findings.

Yes We Can! A Phenomenological Study of a Sports Camp for Young People With Cerebral Palsy

“…Researchers have argued for the special relevance of sports camps as a "therapeutic landscape" for experiencing a sense of community that can help young people connect and thereby move beyond their previously understood limits (Goodwin et al, 2011;Goodwin & Staples, 2005). This was also the case in our study.…”

“…This model focuses on first-person experiences of living with disabilities and asks what the experience of it is like. There has been a growing interest in phenomenological approaches to APA, with several qualitative studies informed by the participant experiences (Bredahl, 2013;Duesund, 2008;Duesund & Skårderud, 2003;Goodwin, Lieberman, Johnston, & Leo, 2011;Standal, 2011Standal, , 2014Standal & Jespersen, 2008). Standal (2014) provides a comprehensive review of phenomenological studies in APA and argues for the relevance of phenomenology as philosophy and pedagogy in the field.…”

Aspectos motivacionais para a prática de atividade física por pessoas com deficiência visual

“…A importância da prática da atividade física em grupo está essencialmente na troca de experiências entre as pessoas com deficiência visual, que se dá pelas interações positivas com base na criação de laços (GOODWIN; LIEBERMAN; JOHNS-TON; LEO, 2011). A deficiência visual e a qualidade de vida estão associadas diretamente ao convívio social, em que relacionar-se e ter amigos implicará em uma melhor qualidade de vida.…”

Phenomenology and Adapted Physical Activity: Philosophy and Professional Practice

“…Including the voice of students with disabilities in our research agendas will deepen our understanding of disability and assist us in identifying barriers that are most meaningful to students (p. 145). This is both plausible and very much in the spirit of phenomenological pedagogy, but whether and how reading and learning about participants' experiences can enhance (future) practitioners' sensitivity and improve their practice remains to be investigated empirically (see Goodwin, Lieberman, Johnston, & Leo, 2011 for a similar argument). To my knowledge, few steps are taken toward more action-oriented research that aims to change practice on the basis of a phenomenological pedagogy.…”

“…Since then, a growing number of studies have investigated the experiences of different groups of people in a variety of APA related contexts, including PE (e.g. An & Goodwin, 2007;Fitzpatrick & Watkinson, 2003;Goodwin & Watkinson, 2000;Goodwin, 2001;Hodge, Tannehill, & Kluge, 2003), summer camps (Goodwin & Staples, 2005;Goodwin, Lieberman, Johnston, & Leo, 2011), rehabilitation (Standal & Jespersen, 2008), and different sport settings Goodwin, Fitzpatrick, Thurmeier, & Hall, 2006;Kasser, 2009). The experiences of participating in specific activities such as quad rugby ), dance (Bjorbaekmo & Engelsrud, 2011;Goodwin, Krohn & Kuhnle, 2004, and play (Jonzon & Goodwin, 2012) have also been investigated.…”