LOCAL CHILD RIGHTS PROJECTS

© UNICEF/playright

2018－PLAYRIGHT CHILDREN’S PLAY ASSOCIATION
PLAYABLE SPACE PROJECT

Issues to be addressed:

1. Insufficiency of space and the monotonous design of playgrounds
2. Low level of community engagement with children’s participation in the play space design and planning

Project focus:

Realising children’s rights

Objectives:

1. To promote an increase on the average area of public playgrounds per child
2. To involve children’s participation in the play space design and planning
3. To raise public awareness on involving children in the play space design and planning

2014－PLAYRIGHT CHILDREN’S PLAY ASSOCIATION
UNICEF PLAYGROUNDS FOR ALL PROJECT – CREATION OF UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED OUTDOOR PLAY ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN WITH OR WITHOUT DISABILITIES

Issue to be addressed:

The right to play and healthy development of children with disabilities are not realised due to the insufficiency of inclusive playgrounds. Local playground facilities are not diversified enough. A well-design inclusive playground is needed in Hong Kong.

Project focus:

Realising children’s rights

Objectives:

1. To build the competency of stakeholders for inclusive playground development
2. To demonstrate the capacity for inclusive playground design in a real playground in Hong Kong
3. To raise public awareness and engage the public to participate

Descriptions:

1. This project is an extension of the ‘Playright UNICEF Inclusive Play 2012’
2. To organise ‘Play for All’ training programme for industry professionals and design students, to introduce the principle of Universal Design, promote the children’s right to play and the values of ‘inclusive play’
3. To organise Design competition and the winning design in the competition will be adopted in remodeling an existing playground operated by Leisure and Cultural Services Department
4. To hold an exhibition after the design competition to raise the public awareness of the universal design concept in public playground and inclusive place space design
5. A play day will be organised to inspire designers to develop the most desirable inclusive playground in HK and offer inclusive play opportunities for deprived children and their families

Achievements:

1. First “UNICEF Family Inclusive Play Day” was successfully organized in mid-May at Tuen Mun Park, attracting 500 children and family members to join
2. Conducted ‘Design of Children’s Play Environment’ training workshops and introduced Inclusive Play Space Design Guidelines to 106 professional designers and 67 design school students
3. Organized “UNICEF Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition” to consolidate a playground design scheme that would be widely accepted by the community; total of 25 entries from the professional category and 29 entries from the student category were received.
4.  “UNICEF Inclusive Play Space Design Ideas Competition” Exhibition was held from September to November to showcase play space design concepts, engaging over 4,000 children and parents in exhibition activities.
5. Facilitated the collaboration between related parties to adopt winning play space designs at the pilot site, Tuen Mun Park, which is expected to open in the second quarter of 2018.

No. of beneficiaries: 5,315

2012－PLAYRIGHT CHILDREN’S PLAY ASSOCIATION

‘PLAYRIGHT UNICEF INCLUSIVE PLAY 2012’

Issues to be addressed:

1. Lack of proper social policy, public facilities – inclusive education in the community, and parent’s education, children with disabilities cannot equally enjoy the same play environment and play opportunities as other children
2. Only 4.5 per cent of playground in Hong Kong has inclusive elements
3. 75 per cent of parents never hear or understand the concept of “inclusive play”, 80 per cent children had no experience in “inclusive play”. The public lacks understanding and neglects the importance of the fulfillment of Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child – which states out children’s right to play.

Project focus:

realising children’s rights

Objectives:

1. To provide quality play environment and play opportunities to children with physical impairment
2. To educate public, children’s service providers and parents the vision and implementation of “inclusive play”
3. To work with policy makers, playground developers and the government to introduce better mechanism and policies for a more inclusive society

Descriptions:

1. The project is a new project
2. Students’ activities: Partner with special schools and NGOs, to regularly invite children with physical impairment to visit and enjoy quality inclusive play facilities in Hong Kong, which may also invite volunteers from corporations to participate in the activities
3. Parents and teachers’ workshop: Educate parents and teachers the value of quality playground and playground safety
4. Forum on inclusive play: Invite stakeholders, i.e. parents, educators, etc. to further discuss and advocate children’s right to play in July. An expert will be invited from US to share thoughts
5. Survey: Investigate the needs of play environment for children with physical impairment
6. Professional guidelines: Set up a professional committee to design and publish a guideline on long-term playground development, aiming to promote the concept of inclusi ve playground, which will be distributed to key players, government, developers, special schools, suppliers, etc.

Achievements:

1. The project reached over 37,000 people.
2. Organised 21 ‘PLAY FOR ALL Symposium’ for 736 students, parents and teachers from 31 special schools or institutions with integrated programmes. 403 students, parents and teachers from 10 schools joined the follow-up event ‘Play for All Playday’. Both events gained a total of support from 48 corporate volunteers and 31 individual volunteers. A qualitative survey was conducted to collect 207 parents’ feedback. They commented the event was a good opportunity for children with disabilities to enjoy play. Schools also expressed interest to similar activities in the future
3. 126 parents, teachers and principals joined the workshop about the value of quality playground and playground safety
4. 145 people attended the forum on inclusive play. Overseas professional Ms Susan M. Goltsman was invited to share the inclusive play design. Policy makers, playground providers & operators, academics, playground equipment specialists shared about the advocacy work for inclusive play. Over 90 per cent of participants were satisfied with the forum arrangement
5. Met industry leaders from the United Kingdom and organised two focus group discussions for over 40 participants
6. Published 7,000 copies of Inclusive Play Space Design Guidelines and sent to professionals of playground-related industry and government officials, encouraging them to adopt the guidelines
7. Invited The University of Hong Kong to conduct a quantitative survey to assess the needs of playground users. 164 parents of children with disabilities participated in the survey and the survey revealed that play opportunities and time were insufficient – over 60 per cent of children with disabilities played in playground less than once a week and over 70 per cent played for less than an hour

Current activity:

Playright continues to partner with UNICEF HK to discuss with related bodies, including the Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, the Hong Kong Institute of Architects and the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) about the development of “inclusive play”. Currently LCSD expressed interest in upgrading an existing playground to a trial inclusive playground. For more, please visit UNICEF Playgrounds for All Project.

No. of beneficiaries: 8,935