What is the PlayPal Program?
The PlayPal mission is to harness the potential of children with special needs by building a cadre of sensitive, empathic and motivated sports and movement teachers who can facilitate play and movement based activity and learning in a supportive and joyful learning environment.
Why?
Physical play, sports and movement arts have powerful positive effects in all children and adolescents. It not only builds on strength and endurance but it also greatly improves the motor skills. Children learn to form friendships and hence are more confident. Sports and movement activities also helps kids to develop and express creativity while improving cognition and their social skills. It is also known to improve memory and attention.
Participation in physical activities is particularly important for children facing developmental and learning challenges as they learn to become more competent in facing day to day challenges. If children with special needs do not participate in physical activity, research suggests that they suffer from lower levels of cardio-respiratory fitness, lower muscular endurance and higher degrees of obesity than typical children. This gap widens as the children grow up to be adults.
Additionally, such physical participation greatly enhances the impact of therapeutic and augmented intervention such as occupational therapy, physical therapy and special education services. Unfortunately children with special needs, who most need to participate in sports and play, face the greatest hurdles because trainers, teachers and coaches,
– fail to recognize their children’s strengths
– there is a lack awareness of the various challenges and difficulties
– do not have the skill sets to help the children work with their strengths and challenges in a positive and supportive manner
– are unable to facilitate an environment that is motivating and inclusive of their students.
PLAY PAL : CERTIFICATION IN SPORTS AND MOVEMENT FOR INCLUSION
Would you like to be a great coach? Join the “Play Pal Program†to build the skills to teach children with special needs sports and movement based activities in a fun, motivating and inclusive manner. #BeTheChange
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME:
This is a 150 hour course spread part-time over 6 months. The program includes theory, clinical apprenticeship and mentorship under highly-qualiï€ed faculty with overseas training experience. At the end of this course, you will be able to identify and engage children needing additional support and use strength-based strategies to enable motor development and sports learning. Thus, you will have created an environment for inclusion and learning.
PLAY PAL 2017
Eligibility: Minimum 12th Standard Pass with experience in sports or other movement based activities such as dance or yoga.
For the application form and more details Click to Download
For additional information please contact:
Tel: +91 22 407 55578 or write to us at playpal@setcofoundation.org
SETCO Foundation Head Ofï€ce
c/o SETCO Automotive Limited,
2/A Ground Floor, Film Center Building
68, Tardeo Road, Tardeo,
Mumbai – 400 034
Under Urja’s leadership the Setco Foundation was recognized as one of the key innovators in the field of early childhood development. The project was featured in a book released by the Ministry of Industries “Small but Beautiful†on meaningful social change. Additionally she was also the recipient of the “CSR Thought Leaders†award by the Cause–â€Because organization, New Delhi. Urja Shah holds both the managerial and strategic leadership for the Setco Foundation.Urja holds an M.A. in Environmental Economics and Policy from Duke University, Nicholas School of Environment, along with a Certificate in International Development Policy from Duke University, The Sanford Institute of Public Policy (Year 2000). She was a recipient of a teaching scholarship at Duke University for the same. She also holds B.S. in Environmental Science, Toxicology and Chemistry, summa cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Year 1998).
Dr. Joshi is a paediatric occupational therapist by profession. Post her career as an associate professor at the O. T. School and Center at the K. E. M. Hospital in Mumbai, she was the Director of Occupational Therapy and Training at Ummeed Child Development Centre, Mumbai. At Ummeed, she developed the training modules for the unique one year “Child Development Aide†Training Programme in which community workers are trained to monitor early child development and provide support to families of children with developmental disabilities.
She is an occupational therapist and founder of Little Joys Paediatric Rehabilitation Centre. She works with families on a range of developmental disabilities involving client evaluation, treatment planning, one on one and group intervention for children with special needs. She is also the c0-founder of TreeOfHappyness (TOH) which is a social network platform dedicated to bridge the gap between professional services and the Special Needs and Differently-abled communities.
An occupational therapist and gold medalist in the field, Shriharsh is presently the Assistant Professor at the O. T. School and Centre at the T. N. Medical College and the B. Y. L. Nair Charitable Hospital, Mumbai Central. He also serves as a honorary consultant for the Institute of Psychological Health, Kelshikar O.T. P.T. Rehabilitation Centre and Swayam Rehabilitation Centre, all located in Thane. He is a member of the All India Occupational Therapists’ Association (AIOTA) and is presently an executive member of the Mumbai Branch of AIOTA branch.
Neville Wadia is a qualified exercise professional from Fitness Australia and a postgraduate MBA in Entrepreneurship. He specialises in exercise prescription, rehab, prehab, and working with special populations. He is also a qualified Master Rehab Trainer from the Rehab Trainer Institute in Australia Training and Rehab.
Dr. Hemal Parikh is an Occupational therapist (1994), and founder of the Enliven Therapy Center which comprises of a multi-disciplinary team of specialists in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, counselling and remediation, and autism intervention therapy,for children and adults. In addition to her Bachelor of Sciences degree in Occupational therapy, Dr. Parikh has been certified in Cortico–sub cortical rehabilitation, Neuro-Developmental therapy (U.S.A.), Sensory Integration (University of Southern California, U.S.A.), and recently in Therapeutic Listening .
After completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy in Mumbai at the Seth G.S. Medical College and K.E.M. Hospital in Mumbai, Priyanka, went on further to secure a Master’s Degree in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (Musculoskeletal Physical Therapy) at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. As part of her master’s degree, she has been trained in Falls and Balance Dysfunction: PT Management and Intervention and Evidence Based practice Clinical Considerations for The Spine, Lower extremity and Upper extremity.
Dr. Khyati Dharia is presently the Director of Services at Theraplay, a multi disciplinary pediatric clinic in Mumbai. She has received a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from G.S.M.C and K.E.M.H. (Mumbai). In addition to her degree, she has been certified in Sensory Integration from University of Southern California (U.S.A.) and also in the Bobath Concept from the Bobath Child Center in the United Kingdom.
Parul Kumtha is currently the President of Forum for Autism, a parent support group. She is also a counselor at Ummeed Child Development Centre and Adult Support Kendra.
Sweta is passionate about women’s empowerment and children’s welfare. She gained her Master’s Degree in Public Policy from St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, and began working with the foundation in 2015. Prior to Setco Foundation, she was working as a facilitator for the Avehi-Sangati Program at Muktangan Schools.
Dr. Chaula Badiani, is an occupational therapist for over 15 years and is the Founder and Clinical Director at Reach Therapy Center for Children, Mumbai for the last 6 years. She received her Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from University of Illinois, Chicago, IL (USA). In addition to her Master’s Degree she is also certified in many specialised techniques, namely in sensory integration, neuro-developmental therapy, aquatic therapy, therapeutic listening and early intervention, among others.