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Developing a Meaningful Identity for People with Disabilities through Serious Leisure Activities

Abstract Like other marginal groups, people with disabilities are generally reliant on government support resulting in a lifetime of dependency because they may never work in open employment. One alternative to paid employment is participation in serious leisure experiences (Stebbins, 1992). Serious leisure pursuits are engaged in by a small segment of people in society who are defined as amateurs, hobbyists or career volunteers. Patterson (1997) challenged the assumption that for many people with disabilities, paid employment in the workforce was the only viable option, and he suggested that serious leisure activities can provide similar benefits. For many people with disabilities who have large amounts of free time at their disposal, serious leisure is a work-like activity in the sense that it is challenging, contains a status system, and generates a set of colleagues. Stebbins (1998) further stated that leisure education should focus more on serious leisure activities for people with disabilities, and that counselling sessions should consist mainly of imparting knowledge about its nature, costs and rewards, as well as helping people with disabilities participate in specific serious leisure activities. This paper used a case study approach to select and interview three people with disabilities who are successfully participating in serious leisure activities. As a result, this has given them a sense of purpose to their lives as well as providing them with a positive alternative to paid employment, or given them practice in work skills in a non-threatening environment. The paper suggests that community based agencies involved with people with disabilities seriously consider the implementation of leisure education and counselling services, and the employment of trained leisure counsellors to support people with disabilities in their participation in serious leisure activities.