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Description
Executive Summary
My capstone Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) focus area included program development, with additional focus on education, advocacy, and leadership. For my Applied Leadership Experience (ALE), I worked with three other occupational therapy graduate students to develop and implement an inclusive Vacation Bible School (VBS) for adults with disabilities at Parkway Ministries. The purpose and overall goal of the project was to increase opportunities for adults with disabilities to participate in an inclusive Vacation Bible School through individualized supports and activity adaptations.
A needs assessment and SWOT analysis were completed and revealed that adults with disabilities have limited opportunities to participate in faith-based and community activities. Although Parkway Ministries had strong community support and interest in the program, barriers such as communication differences, sensory needs, and varying support requirements needed to be addressed. To address these challenges, we planned accommodations, adapted activities, and provided volunteer training before the event.
My role focused on supporting participants before and during the event. I organized registration information, identified accommodations and medical needs, created individualized name tags, and communicated participant needs with volunteers. During VBS, I provided one-on-one support, adapted activities when needed, and helped ensure participants could safely and meaningfully engage in worship, games, crafts, Bible lessons, and fellowship. I also helped educate volunteers by providing strategies to support adults with diverse abilities.
To evaluate the project, participant experiences were collected through Photovoice process, participant feedback, and observations throughout the event. I reviewed the feedback and observations to identify the program's strengths and areas for improvement.
Deliverables for the site included registration forms, participant accommodation plans, activity adaptation guides, volunteer training materials, Photovoice documentation, participant feedback forms, and recommendations for future VBS events.
This capstone experience helped me grow as a future occupational therapist by strengthening my leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. It also showed how occupational therapy can support participation outside of traditional healthcare settings by making community and faith-based programs more accessible.
Overall, the project provided adults with disabilities an opportunity to participate in an inclusive Vacation Bible School that fostered a sense of belonging and spiritual engagement, while also providing Parkway Ministries with resources to continue the program in the future.
Graduation Date
5-7-2026
Disciplines
Occupational Therapy
Degree Type
Book
Site Mentor
Brock Allen
Comments
https://youtu.be/Xvvpc3NCy1U