Move United Partners with Member Organizations to Prepare Paddlesport Instructors to Serve Veterans with Disabilities
Member organizations of Move United are working to enhance paddlesport experiences for veterans with disabilities by expanding instructor training through the American Canoe Association (ACA). A multi-year effort led by Joe Moore at Adaptive Expeditions and supported by funding from the US Department of Veterans Affairs Adaptive Sports Grant culminated this summer as 20 instructors around the country trained under the newly developed ACA Advanced Communications Instructor Endorsement Workshops (ACW).
· The ACA Advanced Communications Instructor Endorsement (AC-Endorsement) was designed in 2018 to convey effective strategies for teaching and learning, risk assessment and management, and effective facilitation of on-water group dynamics for paddlesports programs to seamlessly include individuals who have vision impairment or blindness, hearing impairment or deafness, as well as speech, language, and/or perceptual impacts from any type of disability.
· The new AC-Endorsement is distinct from the ACA Adaptive Paddling Instructor Endorsement, which, since 1991, has been the gold-standard curriculum for paddlesports instructors and programs training to seamlessly integrate individuals with physical disabilities into programs.
· The first round of ACWs were hosted by the following Move United member organizations: Adaptive Sports Connection (Powell, OH), Northeast Passage (Durham, NH), Outdoors For All (Seattle, WA).
· The 2 or 3-day training includes classroom based interactive and hands-on skill development followed by on-water implementation and instructor assessment.
The veteran population has a number of unique considerations, and specialized training is key to ensure instructors provide safe and effective services. Traumatic brain injuries are a critically important health concern for veterans, the effects of which can manifest through impairments in vision, hearing, and speech. Whether a veteran with a disability is learning to paddle for the first time, or returning to their paddlecraft after injury, ACA certified instructors who undergo this additional training will help make their time on the water safe and successful.
Robert Nissenbaum reflects on his experience at the training: “Of all of the classes I have taken as a paddler and instructor to date, this one may be the most invaluable. Scratch that – it IS the most invaluable.” You can learn more about his experience here.
Joe Moore, Project Director and Instructor Trainer for the new curriculum, encourages adaptive sport organizations and guides anywhere in the world to schedule a training: “We anticipate a lot of demand for the ACW in 2022, so reach out early in the year to secure a spot on our training calendar for your organization.”
“Move United brings together champions of inclusion to rally for us and with us. We recognize that high quality instruction is critical to the successful development of sport skills,” said Move United Executive Director Glenn Merry. “Together, we’re building a community where everyone’s included.”
For more information about training events and resources offered by Move United, visit moveunitedsport.org/education/ or contact education@moveunitedsport.org.
Note: These programs are funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
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