Sports Inclusion Disability Officers

Home » Sports Inclusion Disability Officers

Sports Inclusion Disability Programme.

Increasing Community Participation of People with Disabilities in Sport and Physical Activity

Sports Inclusion Disability Programme: THE IMPACT

Sustainable

“The Sports Inclusion Disability Programme works to strengthen the ability of our leisure centre to provide and include activities for people with disabilities in their community. The success of the programme is evident from the number of events and activities set up in co-operation with the SIDO (Sports Inclusion Disability Officer) and from obvious enjoyment of the participants”

Inclusive

“Tandem cycling has given me, and I speak from the perspective of a visually impaired person, an opportunity to actively participate in an outdoor sport which might otherwise be denied to me” This participant is now a member of the local Cycling Club, attending regular club spins, club training sessions and various organised events

Developmental

“I was feeling down and sorry for myself at the time. I felt I was useless. But he (Sports Inclusion Disability Officer) kept encouraging me to get back into sport. I agreed to give tandem cycling a go.” However, the athlete did not feel comfortable with the sport and the SIDO advised her to try out other sports such as Shot Putt and Discus throwing. It was in the Shot Putt that the athlete really excelled and come January 2011 will travel to New Zealand to represent the country in the World Paralympics Championships.

ParticipantsFocused

“I like taking part in the SIDO programme because I get to meet other wheelchair users and do sports that are geared to my ability”

Sports Inclusion Disability Programme.

Adapted Physical Activity (APA) in Ireland really came to the fore in 2005 through a culmination of events which led to the conclusion that a coordinated approach mirrored with local provision was necessary for developing sport and physical activity opportunities for people with a disability.

In 2003, the Institute of Technology, Tralee in conjunction with the Irish Sports Council hosted the first ever Adapted Physical Activity Conference in Ireland. This was followed by a second APA conference in 2005 which focused on practical ways of improving service provision in Ireland. It was at this conference that the merits of the CARA Adapted Physical Activity Centre and the Sports Inclusion Disability Officer (SIDO) programme were first aired. The SIDO programme concept was based on a model of national coordination which was working effectively in Wales and of local provision which was evident in the success in Co Laois, where the local sports partnership had appointed a disability sports officer to focus on increasing opportunities for people with disabilities to participate at local level in sport and physical activity.

From the end of 2007 to the beginning of 2008, 20 Local Sports Partnerships across the country appointed a Sports Inclusion Disability Officer. A sum of two million euro was earmarked through An Pobail – Dormant Accounts for this two year national programme to address the imbalance in opportunities available to people with a disability to participate in sport and physical activity.

The opportunities to participate in a variety of sports and physical activity opportunities were made available through the programme. The benefits of participation were evident and in a report completed by The CARA Adapted Physical Activity Centre Ltd, within that two year period over 4521 individuals with disabilities engaged in the Sports Inclusion Disability Programme.

Now five years on, Ireland finds itself in a very different place with regards to the provision of sport and physical activity for people with disabilities. The Irish Sports Council (ISC) has committed to supporting the developments of sport and physical activity opportunities for people with disabilities into the future. This year the Irish Sports Council approved 50% funding, in excess of €400,000, towards the development of the Sport Inclusion Disability Officer Programme. This funding allowed for the continuation of the work of Sports Inclusion Disability Officer in 19 Local Sports Partnership (LSP) sites for 2010 to 2011. (Please refer to Appendix 1 for list of LSP sites)

The ISC has also made an additional fund available to non SIDO LSPs to develop sport for people with a disability within their county. In addition, most recently the Irish Sports Council and the Institute of Technology, Tralee have committed their support of the CARA National Adapted Physical Activity Centre Ltd for the next three years. The CARA APA Centre Ltd will continue to lead, support and coordinate developments for the inclusion of people with disabilities in sport, physical activity and

PE throughout Ireland. This encompasses support to all Local Sports Partnerships in their developments within the Sports Inclusion Disability Programme.

Currently, every Local Sports Partnership throughout Ireland has a remit to assist with and support developments for the inclusion for people with a disability in sport and physical activity in their county. This has lead to the strengthening of the Sports Inclusion Disability Programme in becoming a national programme focused upon by all Local Sports Partnerships.

In 2010, a new steering committee was established for the National Sports Inclusion Disability Programme. Members on this committee represent a range of organisations including Special Olympics Ireland, Irish Sports Council, Local Sports Partnerships, CARA Centre/IT Tralee, and Paralympic Council of Ireland, Irish Wheelchair Association, Cerebral Palsy Sport Ireland and People with disability Ireland (PWDI). The objectives of the programme were re-evaluated and consultation with all parties resulted in a new series of actions being developed to guide all Local Sports Partnerships on the delivery of the Sports Inclusion Disability Programme within their county.

Currently, in Ireland, people with disabilities are participating in regular physical activity opportunities (some for the first time), sustainable sports programmes are being established, mainstream clubs and leisure centres are being encouraged and supported to be inclusive, pathways to participation is being facilitated. In summary, through a model of national coordination and local provision, the overall aim of increasing quality opportunities for people with disabilities in regular life-long participation is being addressed.

Local Sports Partnership Sports Inclusion Disability Officer Locations

National Sports Inclusion Disability Programme Objectives

Share and Enjoy