Cara
Please click here for CARAFocus Newsletter - edition 8
Information Booklet
Laois Sports Partnership Disability Sport Development Officer has developed an information booklet titled ‘Sport For All Guidelines for Inclusion’. The booklet contains information about different types of disabilities and points to note when coaching or communicating with a person with a disability. The booklet is an excellent resource and is available from Garrett Culleton in the Laois Sports Partnership (Phone: 057 86 71 24 8) or on the Laois Sports Partnership website www.laoissports.ie
Wheelchair Basketball
Weekly Sessions in Limerick City
Wheelchair Basketball in association with the Irish Wheelchair Association-Sport takes place every Tuesday in the Presentation School in Sexton Street from 7-9pm. Wheelchair Basketball is an increasingly popular sport, which is growing rapidly in Ireland. As the Irish League develops and participation increases this is the opportune time to get involved in the sport. You can find out more about the sport at www.iwasport.com
Contact:
Joe Hargrow
Tel: 087 93 57 44 3 or
Email: joehargrow@hotmail.com
Links:
www.iwasport.com
The National Disability Authority, on behalf of the State, promotes and helps secure the rights of people with disabilities. The NDA recently published a report titled “Promoting the Participation of People with Disabilities in Physical Activity and Sport in Ireland”. The report conducted extensive research on the subject and makes recommendations on how to improve the current situation in the country. The report highlights the issues that need to be addressed if everyone is to attain their potential in and through physical activity/sport. It highlights how participation can be increased and how to ensure that people with disabilities experience quality physical activity/sport.
The recommendations made by the report include:
- Develop a national framework for inclusive physical activity and sport
- Inclusive strategies for increasing participation and quality experiences
- Public awareness campaigns around physical activity taking into account national framework for inclusive physical activity and sport
- Education and training
- disability awareness training should be mandatory for all staff in childcare and leisure and play settings
- education and training programmes for physical education teachers and coaches
- all National Coaching and Training Programmes and National Governing Body programmes should have disability awareness training including a module in coaching people with disabilities in their coaching programmes
The Swim Inc programme provided by the Limerick City Sports Partnership and the University Arena was mentioned in the report as an example of best practice in inclusive/adapted physical activity programmes.
The Limerick City Sports Partnership is currently undertaking independent research on the provision of sport/physical activity for people with disability in the local area and hopes to combine this research with the recommendations made by the above report and take some action to further promote the participation of people with a disability in sport/physical activity in the Limerick city area.
A full copy of the report is available on the National Disability Authority website: www.nda.ie
Contact: Phelim Macken Limerick County Sports Partnership
pmacken@limerickcoco.ie Mobile 087 20 79 17 2
Links:
www.nda.ie
GYM INC
GYM Inc was developed in association with UL & local disability agencies in order to develop an accessible and educational programme for people with disabilities on gym access and participation benefits. The project aims to target people with disabilities who are often excluded from participation opportunities for a variety of reasons e.g. lack of programmes catering for their needs, inaccessible facilities, cost etc.
Since Gym Inc got off the ground the feedback from participants has been very positive. One participant who is a wheelchair user stated they never realised they could do so many activities in a gym and were delighted that they could participate in a variety of exercises suitable to their own unique ability.
A variety of equipment was used by the Gym Inc participants during the session. This equipment included treadmills, bikes (including wheelchair accessible bikes), arm ergometer, free weights and weight training machines as well as participating in flexibility and toning exercises.
A key part to the success of the Gym Inc programme is that each individual participates in an exercise and activity programme that is suitable to them and their individual ability thus everybody’s physical activity needs are provided for. The UL Arena is the perfect location to run such a programme in Limerick city. Apart from being a fully accessible world-class facility, the management and staff at the Arena are dedicated and highly supportive towards the inclusive use of the facilities for all persons regardless of their abilities and physical activity needs.