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Submitted by PatientsEngage on 26 February 2017

The concept of inclusive and accessible outdoor play areas for differently abled is being actively recognised and built across several cities in India. Manju George, Senior Program Officer, ESAF Bangalore, talks about the challenges involved in undertaking these initiatives.

Why did you embark on this initiative of an inclusive play area?

In 2008, a research done across three cities with children and different stakeholders highlighted the issue of lack of play spaces for kids. Hardly anyone knew or had heard about inclusive play spaces for differently abled.

During the same period, as part of our network building, I happened to meet Kavitha (Kavitha Krishnamoorthy has pioneered the concept of inclusive playgrounds in India to accommodate children with physical and developmental disabilities). We had couple of interactions with her and undertook park visits to understand how children benefit from or utilize these parks.

When we started translating our research results into interventions, what emerged was our ESAF logo vision - “Happy and healthy children and families in every neighbourhood who have safe streets, free access to parks, playgrounds, open space and fun places to play around”.

Since inclusive play spaces is a new concept we have decided to spread the message in cities like Bangalore, Nagpur, Thrissur and Malappuram where ESAF is promoting the concept of ‘Livable City’.

How did you go about it? Did you pull together the parent community?

In 2009, we piloted the program in Nagpur. We could build great partnership with Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC). After getting their consent, we had a design charrette (public meeting) with different stakeholders. These included differently abled children, parents, special educators, architects and students, doctors, professionals who handle different types of disabilities, representatives from Government departments and elected members. Based on the brain storming and discussion we had on that day, architect students helped to translate those ideas as design for inclusive play spaces.

We submitted a proposal to NMC and they agreed to work on the budget allocation and approval. Thus in 2013, the first ever Inclusive Play space in Lendra Park was designed.
The selection of parks is done in such a way that it has a special school within 200 -500 metres so that children coming to the school can utilise the space.

What were the challenges?

  • Government officials in Nagpur were very receptive and ready to try these new initiatives, unlike other places. Motivating different stakeholders was major challenge.
  • Budget constraints are another concern. Though in principal, NMC has decided to work on every new park as an inclusive play spaces, often it gets delayed due to fund constraints.
  • The design being little different from the existing parks, many children want to use these inclusive play equipments. The wear and tear is faster if these specially designed equipment are used by all children, instead of just the differently abled. Care taker/ Security guard have been having tough time to control this vandalism, but over the period they are able to manage.

How did you overcome the challenges?

Our continuous efforts and rapport built with these major stakeholders are our backbone. In Kerala, the construction of an inclusive park, not because of budgets, but due to various geographical issues. But we are hoping to push the concept through different platforms so that they speed up the process.

The budget constraints in Nagpur were resolved by approaching different entities. The second Park was supported extensively by the Mayor which gave the opportunity to spread the message. NMC is convinced with the benefits received by hundreds of children, has now approached the state government to allocate budget for developing more inclusive parks.

What was the feedback after the park was ready?

  • My child is dead, she did not get a chance to see such a park.”
    -Parent to our staff on relating the project activities.
  • I want my child to see the world, but I am scared of the society.
    -Parent of a child with Autism.
  • Where were you all these days, why did you not start this program earlier?
    -Parent of a blind child

If you had to do it would you do it differently?

  1. It is always good to have a community consultation before going ahead with the standard design. At one park, they have asked for yoga place for these children.
  2. At another park, there have been requests for an open gym.
  3. Requests have also come to integrate exclusive play space for differently abled into the existing park design.

Are you working on more parks?

Yes – In Nagpur NMC and NIT (Nagpur Improvement Trust) have decided in principal that all parks that will be constructed henceforth will be made as Inclusive play space. Currently, we are working directly with NMC for one park for which state budget allocation is awaited.

At ESAF, being a microfinance organisation, we have been building the capacity of our Self Help Group (SHG) members to reclaim parks. They have been successfully reclaimed and engaged with various park activities in three parks. The current project period 2017-2018 will focus more on building capacity of these SHG members to advocate for inclusive parks. We are hoping to have three more parks done through them.

In Kerala, there has been a request from a local elected member to develop an acre land as inclusive play space for differently able and the elderly. ESAF is in the initial stage of designing the space.

A study conducted on beaches across Kerala showed that none of the beaches are friendly for differently abled. In January we initiated “Beach for All” campaign in Cochin which assessed the inclusivity of the spaces. We are planning to continue the campaign on four other beaches and hoping to have it designed friendly for all people with abilities and age group

In Bangalore, our team is trying to get funds allocated either through the department or through CSR initiatives which will add one more park to the already existing parks that are added by Kilikili. (A Bangalore-based trust started by Kavitha Krishnamoorthy that works to make public spaces (especially playgrounds) more inclusive for children.

What would be your advise to anyone trying to do this?

Kilikili has made it easy for everyone. They have made the template, designs and introduced the concepts to major stakeholders. We just have to spread the message and keep promoting the same.

Download Kilikili's Policy Guidelines and Techinical Manual on developing Inclusive Play Spaces

What we have found successful in Nagpur is linking these parks with special schools nearby. This will ensure that these spaces are benefitted and utilised by these kids and through them we are creating a critical mass for major stakeholders who are supposed to design the city inclusive for all.

Stigma attached / inhibitions of family members have reduced to an extent after our first park came into existence. Many children from the community also have started using the space. It was tough for us to get them engage with this space as the family members felt their wards will be ridiculed by the community. Community outreach and mapping of differently abled kids with regular follow up and engaging with them will help to spread the message.

ESAF celebrates or observes numerous days in the park with these children. World Disability Day, Christmas, New Year, Diwali, fun camps in the park makes them feel at ease and comfortable. The more they are seen by the outside world, they, as well as others, feel that these so called special children are indeed too special to miss the fun!

(ESAF, is a national level social development organization, established in 1992 by a group of development professionals with a vision to facilitate social and economic transformation of disadvantaged sections of the society. Headquartered at Thrissur, Kerala, ESAF’s work spreads over 10 states in India.)