Accessible cultural orienteering for elderly

Accessibility

Author: Sustainable Development Association

Credits to Simone Martinetto. The title of the photo: Orienteering activity

Cultural orienteering is a fun and innovative way to explore and appreciate the local culture. The event is suitable for all age groups and is open to everyone. To participate in the orienteering activity, you can walk, run, ride a bike from one checkpoint to another, and do any activity you want. The aim of the orienteering work is for the players to determine the most appropriate route by means of the map and compass and to find the previously placed targets in the field the fastest way with this route.

Orienteering activities can be done quickly in all weather conditions, indoors and outdoors, they are not dependent on physical strength and age restrictions, and therefore everyone can promptly do them. The activities carried out during the goal-oriented orienteering activities are full of discovery and fun. In traditional orienteering, participants learn how to move around the unknown territory, often in a woodland or rural setting, using only a compass and map. The aim is to reach a series of checkpoints in the shortest time possible.

What’s the activity?

Cedits to SolStock. The tittle of the photo: Group of senior men looking at map for orienteering

Orienteering is suitable for everyone, individuals, families, young and old, serious fitness enthusiasts, and those who just want to add a little more fun to their evening walks by stretching their legs. Orienteering events have a range of courses of varying abilities in one place; It allows a more experienced orienteer to run a longer course with control signs placed in more difficult places and conversely a shorter course with easier controls for beginners, families, or children. Orienteering is also for all age groups. Orienteering exercises the body and mind at the same time! Navigating the map requires concentration, visualization and observation skills as you move between checkpoints. Orienteering develops independence and independent thinking. By participating in the orienteering, you can enjoy the view of the historical city in a healthy and fun way. You can choose to explore one or both enhanced routes. The purpose of this quest is to get everyone to participate in orienteering activity. Although orienteering is for all ages, older people participate less in this activity. Therefore, your task is to make sure that two elderly person from your family (like your grandparents or grandparents) or your circle participate in the orienteering activity you will organize.

What am I going to do?

As cultural mediator, your first task for this quest is to find at least two elderly person to participate in orienteering activity. You will create at least 2 groups. These groups will be formed by considering gender equality and involving an elderly person (can be more than 1). You can determine the number of people in this group yourself. The people who will take part in the groups can be your family, friends, even someone you don't know.

Each group will prepare a simple digital map using Google maps. On this map, you will mark the cultural architecture and cultural heritage of the province you are in. Afterwards, the prepared maps will be exchanged between the groups. (For example, the second group will receive the map prepared by the first group, the first group will receive the map prepared by the second group. The groups must compete with different maps because they know the places on their own maps.)

People in this group will participate in the orienteering using the map created by the other groups. Participants will aim to reach the finish line as soon as possible by finding the direction with the help of the map and compass (not compulsory), reaching the control points indicated on the map. You can find useful information in the resources section.

What will I learn?

Knowledge Acquired:

● Culltural knowledge
● Culltural knowledge
● Map reading
● Compass reading
● Geographical Knowledge

Skills Acquired:

● Leadership Skills
● Teamwork
● Social skills

Attitude Acquired:

● Endurance
● Confidence

What will I take home?

After orienteering the participants will build self-confidence.The map reading skills will improve. The better the activity is prepared and the more accessible, experiential, and fun you make the walks, the better the results will be for the participants to have a good time. You will get to know cultural places better, enabling people to have the same experience as you. Your physical, individual, and social skills will improve. Local cultural places, historic places, and cultural heritages will be learned better with the maps created for the activity. You can ask yourself the following questions to evaluate yourself.

What did you feel during the walk?

What are the general impressions you developed during the walk?

What surprised you the most?

Did you find out places causing you insecurity? And why?

What are the problems you detected?

What are the needs you detected?

Do you think this activity was beneficial for older people? Did their participation add value?

Resources
Click each section below to see all resources available.

Websites (URLs)

Map-making, step by step
https://www.esri.com/arcgis-blog/products/mapping/mapping/map-making-step-by-step/

What is orienteering
https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/newcomers_guide

Senior orienteering athletes as a model of healthy aging
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279988786_Senior_orienteering_athletes_as_a_model_of_healthy_aging_A_mixed-method_approach

Shandon Orienteering Project
https://www.corkcity.ie/en/things-to-do/parks-outdoors/orienteering/shandon-orienteering-project/

Videos

Frontline Worker Toolkit

Aims and Objectives:

● Define the sport of Orienteering
● Identify the parts of and symbols on an orienteering map
● Contribute to the physical and mental development of the elderly by including them in the activity
● Make cultural activities more accessible

Top tips:

Accessibility doesn't happen overnight, but simple ideas will open doors for significant change. Our efforts to be accessible must be sustainable and done in small steps. Building this foundation allows cultural sites in our city to be easily discovered by everyone.

We recommend you ,front-line workers, some tips for organizing more accessible cultural activities.

Tip 1: To make your space more accessible, train your staff on disability discrimination and inclusion.

Tip 2: Consider using neutral and friendly colors for people who may be color blind.

Tip 3: Select and create an accessible location. The location of the cultural activity should be accessible to all. If the action is difficult to access, fewer people will participate. It would help if you considered physical, intellectual, cultural, and financial accessibilities.

Tip 4: Talk to people in the community about their accessibility needs.

Tip 5: To involve everyone in an activity, you should also consider the elderly. You should create an age-appropriate design. You must consider senior people's vision, hearing, physical, and cognitive capabilities.

Tip 6: Change the dialogue from disability to accessibility.

Tip 7: Build communities that embrace social inclusion so everyone can participate in everything a community has to offer

Tip 8: Create environments where everyone can bring their whole self to involve in activity

Tip 9: Be creative in giving opportunities to youth to change the culture

Tip 10: Never stop making activities accessible all the time. Keep coming up with new ideas and innovations.When you get feedback from people with disabilities, use it.

Teaching Orienteering Training Courses
https://www.britishorienteering.org.uk/teaching

Start Orienteering || A Newcomer's Guide
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Zc5AVkFis&t=16s