Photo By Sgt. Alex Fairchild | Various youth sport coaches, aquatic instructors, and sports programs managers engage...... read more read more
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CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, Japan – Coaches, aquatic instructors, and youth program leaders, employed across Marine Corps installations on Okinawa, gathered for a neurodivergent inclusivity training event on Camp Foster, April 19.
The training was spearheaded by Dr. Amie Canter, the Okinawa Exceptional Family Member Program coordinator with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Nathan Moon, a clinical child psychologist with the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, both active members and contributors to the Exceptional Family Member Program and Educational and Developmental Intervention Services.
“When we get everyone to the same table to discuss these things, we can realize and alleviate the gaps in the system,” said Canter, a native of Florida. “This training brings us into a community and network of support, and then we can make a change. We want to make sure that all children feel included in whatever activities they participate in, and that the leaders of those activities are working to tailor their lessons, instructions and competitions to include them.”
According to Canter, families of neurodivergent youth are sometimes intimidated by programs like EFMP and EDIS, and may not realize how many opportunities and services they open up to their family. Canter explained that she wants those families to know not only that these programs exist to meet their needs, but programs outside of EFMP and EDIS are actively working and training to be more inclusive of youth with special needs.
“This isn’t just to benefit families with kids that have special needs,” said Canter. “Families with children that have [neuro]typical needs benefit from being a part of an organization that includes everyone. When they learn how to include their peers that have different needs, they become more tolerant and capable of adapting to differences as they grow.”
The training consisted of multiple group and individual activities for the attendees, targeted at reminding them why they have a passion for, and became youth sports and aquatic coaches and instructors originally. The training then took deep-dives into a few of the more commonly seen neurodivergent conditions that they may run into with their athletes and trainees.
“It’s a presentation that covers a lot of topics,” said Moon, a native of Utah. “Neurodivergent is a huge spectrum. As a clinical child psychologist, I was happy to provide information on the specifics of certain diagnoses and help spark a change in this community so that the needs of these youth can be better matched.”
Moon explained that through the training, the attending aquatics supervisors, directors, youth sports program leaders and others will have a better understanding on how to implement changes in their programs to meet the needs of neurodivergent youth.
For Canter, the meaning behind the training and the changes it could lead to, hits close to home.
“Being a mother of children that have dyslexia, autism, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, I have a personal perspective and understanding of what it means to feel excluded,” said Canter. “For me, I like to take the time to sit down, interview, and do surveys with families and get to know their true feedback and perspective. It gives me more well-rounded data that helped me pull this training together so that I could present the most applicable information to our specific geographic location and community.”
Canter’s goal is to ensure every family has access to equal and equitable resources to support the development of their child’s needs. She explained that they are trying to recognize where their deficiencies lie, utilize their resources in the best way possible, and then educate and train to create a better path moving forward.
Moving forward, Canter is looking for effectiveness, to see whether the attending leaders are able to implement the skills in their own programs. Additionally, feedback and quantitative data through surveys, from the families of those children with neurodiversity, will be crucial in moving forward.
“We really just want to get the word out, and make a positive change,” said Canter. “We will continue to work with these leaders, as well as the larger players in the military community in Okinawa, to improve the lives and further support the amazing families we have.”
| Date Taken: | 04.19.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2024 22:03 |
| Story ID: | 469585 |
| Location: | CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 222 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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