Community and Organizations
Physical Literacy and Inclusion Workshop
Movement Is for Everyone. This Workshop Shows You How.
Physical literacy is more than sport. It is the motivation, confidence, physical competence, and understanding that enables people to be active for life, in their own way, in their own setting, on their own terms.
But too often, physical activity programming is designed around a narrow definition of who gets to participate and how. The result is that people of all ages and abilities miss out on the physical, social, and emotional benefits of movement because the programs meant to include them were never truly designed with them in mind.
The Physical Literacy and Inclusion Workshop at Abilities Centre is designed to change that. Through hands-on activities, guided reflection, and practical strategy, this workshop gives practitioners the tools and confidence to create physical activity experiences that genuinely work for everyone, regardless of age, ability, background, or experience.
What the Workshop Covers
The Physical Literacy and Inclusion Workshop takes a holistic, experience-first approach to learning. Participants are not just taught about inclusive programming. They experience it, practice it, and reflect on it in real time.
Workshop facilitators guide participants through:
- A critical reflection on their own physical literacy journey, exploring how personal experience shapes how we design and deliver programming for others
- An exploration of physical literacy beyond traditional sport, examining how movement can be meaningful, motivating, and accessible across a wide range of settings and populations
- Universal design in program facilitation, understanding how to structure activities so that every participant, regardless of ability or background, can engage fully and meaningfully
- Hands-on practice with inclusive facilitation strategies, giving practitioners the opportunity to try approaches in the group before applying them in their own settings
- Discussion and group learning that brings diverse perspectives into the room and builds a richer, more grounded understanding of what inclusion looks like in physical activity contexts
Pricing & Registration
- Nurture motivation and confidence in the individuals they work with
- Build physical competence across a range of abilities and experience levels
- Deepen participants' knowledge and understanding of physical activity
- Design and adapt activities using a universal design approach that removes barriers from the start
- Facilitate inclusive physical literacy opportunities in sport, recreation, education, and community settings
Every participant leaves the Physical Literacy and Inclusion Workshop with tangible tools and best practices they can apply immediately in their own programming environments. Specifically, practitioners leave with the skills and knowledge to:
Who This Workshop Is For
The Physical Literacy and Inclusion Workshop is designed for practitioners who design, deliver, or support physical activity and recreation programming, including:
- Physical and health education teachers
- Recreation and sport program leaders
- Community program facilitators
- Early childhood educators
- Coaches and athletic instructors
- Disability support workers and therapeutic recreation specialists
- Municipal parks and recreation staff
- Settlement and newcomer service providers
Whether you are early in your career or a seasoned practitioner, this workshop will deepen your practice and expand what you thought was possible in inclusive physical activity programming.
Workshop Format
The Physical Literacy and Inclusion Workshop is facilitated by trained professionals from Abilities Centre’s Physical Literacy and Inclusion team and can be hosted at your school, organization, or community location, or delivered on-site at Abilities Centre in Whitby, Ontario.
The workshop is designed to be interactive and hands-on throughout. Participants should come prepared to move, reflect, and engage.
The Abilities Centre Difference
Abilities Centre is a recognized International Centre of Excellence for inclusive design. Our Physical Literacy and Inclusion team brings together expertise in kinesiology, recreation, education, disability, and community programming, and every workshop we facilitate is co-designed with the input of individuals with lived experience of disability.
When your team learns with us, they are learning from people who practice inclusive facilitation every day in one of Canada’s most accessible community facilities.
Book the Workshop
Ready to bring the Physical Literacy and Inclusion Workshop to your organization, school, or community? We would love to hear from you.