Accessible Recreation

External Support Workers

Participants who require a personal support worker to be successful in a recreation, swimming lesson or fitness program can bring their own personal support worker at no cost.

• For registered programs, external support workers must be at least 16 years of age.
• For children’s programs longer than three hours, external support workers must provide a Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) with a vulnerable sector screening.
• Participants will not be allowed to enter without their support person.

An external support person is fully responsible for the care, support and safety of the participant during all program activities.

• External support workers must stay with the participant during all program activities.
• They can encourage independence, socialization and participation in program and camp activities when appropriate.
• They must follow Clarington’s policies and procedures, including dressing appropriately for the program environment, adhering to the code of conduct and expectations for the specific program or activity

For the best program experience, choose an external support person who:

• Has previous and successful experience working with individuals with similar support needs and preferably, the participant themselves
• Has a good understanding of the participant’s needs and an ability to support them and their participation successfully
• Will participate and blend easily into the program setting.
  

In order to attend programs, personal support workers must complete the External Support Worker Release Form and email it to inclusionservices@clarington.net before the start of the program. 

Facility accessibility

We are committed to providing recreation facilities that are easily accessible to our residents. Our newly constructed facilities are designed to meet or exceed accessibility standards outlined in the Ontario Building Code.

Over the last few years, we have also made significant improvements to our older facilities. We conduct periodic audits to make sure our buildings and facilities are accessible.

Clarington is working to meet the province's 2025 target to build a fully accessible Ontario. To meet that target, we will continue to make the necessary upgrades and improvements to our facilities.

We also work with Clarington's Accessibility Advisory Committee on new and renovated facility designs and follow the Multi-Year Accessibility Plans for the Municipality.

Mobility device charging stations available at 15 locations across Clarington

Clarington has installed mobility charging stations at 15 locations across the community to support people using scooters, wheelchairs and other mobility devices to get around.