Abteilung Sportsoziologie - Institut für Soziologie und Genderforschung’s Post

The UEFA Euro is over, and the next big event is already around the corner: the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in Paris!🏅 As we gear up for this exciting time, I want to share some insights I gained from working towards my PhD project, which focuses on the development of youth athletes in parasport. It was just one of my last reads that I really felt like was worth sharing. The findings of Janine Coates and P. David Howe reflect the challenges athletes with disabilities face in finding their way into parasports. This recent study provides a deep dive into the roles parents play and the hurdles they overcome to support their children. The provided quotes from parents really give an insight into their experiences. Some key findings were: 💪 Parents in parasport often juggle multiple roles - supporters, administrators, coaches, and caregivers - all while facing a lack of local resources and funding. 🏫 Children and adolescents with disability frequently encounter social exclusion and inadequate PE opportunities in mainstream schools. This forces parents to look for community sports clubs and disability-specific organizations. 🌟 Despite these challenges, participation in sports greatly enhances self-confidence, social skills, independence, and a sense of belonging for young athletes with disabilities. 🤝 Parents benefit immensely from connecting with other parents who understand their unique challenges, providing much-needed emotional and practical support. What this means for our field: 🏟️ It's important to develop more local sports opportunities and improve the training of coaches to work effectively with disabled athletes. 🔄 Schools and community clubs should prioritize inclusivity, ensuring youth with disabilities have equal access to sports, but at the same time, provide the responsible persons with opportunities to educate themselves on the topic and the necessary resources to support these efforts. 📢  It is vital to increase awareness among educators and the community about the existing opportunities for children and adolescents with disabilities and how to support them to get into parasport. Making these opportunities visible and accessible to parents is essential for fostering inclusion, participation and ultimately talent development. This study is an amazing read for understanding the complexity of youth parasport and the essential role of parental support. For a detailed view of the study, check it out here: https://lnkd.in/gtFB2Hmv #Parasport #OlympicGames #ParalympicGames #YouthDevelopment #Inclusion Abteilung Sportsoziologie - Institut für Soziologie und Genderforschung

I was thrilled to participate in the recent Variety Abilities Unleashed Kids event in West Torrens, an initiative by Disability Sports Australia that fosters inclusion and provides active opportunities for children with disabilities. I was honored to join through an invitation from Baptcare, contributing to the event by promoting chess for the blind. Utilizing an adaptive chess board, we demonstrated how this intellectually stimulating game is accessible to everyone, showcasing the power of adaptive sports. The event showcased various activities, from cricket, footy, and badminton to engaging recreational activities like dancing, each designed to ensure inclusivity and active participation for all children. It was a day of fun and engagement and a stepping stone towards ongoing reflection and learning. Post-event, engaging in discussions, gathering feedback, and reflecting on the experiences is crucial to ensure that the momentum of inclusion and active participation is not just for a day but is integrated into our daily lives and activities. It was inspiring to see students from mainstream colleges and special schools unite, breaking down barriers and building connections through shared activities. One of my personal highlights was promoting chess and engaging in other sports, like kicking a Footy with the students, experiencing the joy and unity that these activities create. These experiences reinforce my commitment to supporting and participating in initiatives that promote inclusion for persons with disabilities. I am eager to continue collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations dedicated to making sports and recreation accessible to all. Inclusion in sports isn't just about playing the game; it's about building a community where everyone belongs and can succeed. Let's keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible and create more opportunities for inclusion and engagement in every aspect of life. #InclusiveSports #DisabilitySports #AdaptiveSports #DisabilityAwareness #InclusiveEvents #Chess

Aspect Research Centre for Autism Practice - ARCAP is shedding light on crucial barriers hindering organized physical activity participation for individuals with Autism. Their findings underscore a significant unmet need for accessible and inclusive sports and activities within the Autism community.   Key findings reveal: 👧 74% of children with Autism express a desire for more participation in organized physical activities. 👨🦳 69% of adults with Autism encounter barriers in joining organized sports, including lack of awareness, communication differences, sensory challenges, physical difficulties, and feelings of exclusion. 🛑 Past negative experiences often lead individuals with Autism to disengage entirely from sports. 🕰️ Access to organized physical activity declines with age, particularly in adulthood.   To foster a more inclusive sporting culture for individuals with Autism, Aspect recommends: 🎓 Enhancing education, understanding, and attitudes toward Autism and inclusivity. 📚 Providing guidelines and resources to address barriers like anxiety and communication differences. 🏟️ Reviewing club policies to ensure accessibility. 🤝 Allowing support persons to accompany individuals with Autism to training and games. 🔄 Offering flexible and tailored program options. 👥 Co-designing programs with individuals with lived experience. 📖 Creating case studies and stories to combat stigma, discrimination, and raise awareness.   Having firsthand experience developing tailored sporting programs for individuals with Autism, I firmly believe that implementing these recommendations is essential for fostering inclusivity in organized sports in Victoria. I eagerly anticipate Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect)'s ongoing efforts in this crucial area. Let's continue to advocate for a more inclusive future together! 🙌   Read more: https://lnkd.in/gXDpzR-t https://lnkd.in/gAWZy-yi  #AutismAwareness #InclusionMatters #SportsForAll #inclusivesports

#TakeActionTuesday: It’s #DisabilityPrideMonth, a time to honor the history, achievements and challenges faced by the disability community. 2X Paralympic snowboard gold medalist and WSF Travel & Training Fund grant recipient Brenna Huckaby PLY lost her leg to cancer at the age of 14 but that didn’t deter her from participating in the sport she loves. “Disability Pride Month to me, is a reminder of the incredible strength that comes from self-acceptance.” said Huckaby in a recent post to her Instagram. Her journey from a young girl navigating hardships on and off the slopes, to a world-class snowboarder, highlights the need for inclusive sports and recreational physical activity opportunities for young athletes with disabilities. Our recently-published Thriving Through Sport report highlights that girls with disabilities who are active in sports experience lower levels of depression and anxiety, along with higher levels of peer relationships, meaning, and purpose compared to their peers who do not play sports. These findings emphasize the importance of inclusive sports programs for girls, so we can see more athletes like Brenna reach their full athletic potential and #KeepPlaying. #TheEquityProject Your Turn: 1. Check out our latest research report ‘Thriving Through Sport’ at the link in our bio, which shows that sports provide a boost to mental health for all girls from all backgrounds across race, family income, parent education, sexual identity, and disability status. https://lnkd.in/eweX7zNg 2. Celebrate Disability Pride Month by supporting athletes with disabilities, listening to their stories and amplifying their voices. 3. Research local inclusive sports programs in your area and advocate for more opportunities for athletes with disabilities within your community.

Forget the Beautiful Game, Football is Becoming the Inclusive Game – Opinion https://ift.tt/8oRB4FY Football is a sport that sees hundreds of thousands of people travel up and down the country every weekend to witness 90 minutes of jubilation, excitement, disappointment or sadness. Most of those people attend games with no issues, just walking out their front door, jumping in their car, on a bus, coach or train, meeting with family and friends, socialising and by the time 5 pm on a Saturday comes along, you’re on your way home having experienced every emotion under the sun. However, for a disabled person to fully experience the highs and lows of a football game, it is not as straightforward as you may think. According to government statistics, one in five of the UK population is disabled, and 16 million people have some form of disability, which is 24% of us. Disabled football fans experience one barrier or another when going to a game, whether that is travel to and from the ground, being able to afford tickets, getting the full match day experience or simply having someone they can trust to go to the game with. Football clubs across the UK accommodate for disabled fans in diverse ways, such as audio descriptive commentary for partially sighted and blind fans or ambulant/wheelchair seating areas. One of the biggest evolutions in accessing football games is what is known as a sensory room. A sensory room is a therapeutic space designed to stimulate and engage the senses specifically for neuro-divergent children and adults, allowing them to attend matches with their family and friends. Typically, a sensory room has soundproof walls and glass, the latter looking out onto the pitch, as well as including soft lighting, soothing visuals, textured surfaces, calming sounds and various tactile objects to create an immersive environment. They also give the individuals a choice to sit on a private balcony if they are feeling comfortable to experience the game in the stands.  At Coventry City, a sensory room opened in 2022 for the first time, allowing neuro-divergent fans to attend games at the Coventry Building Society Arena, joining the likes of Watford, Manchester City and Arsenal who also have these types of facilities. Since relegation from the Premier League in 2001, the club have gone from administration, multiple ground shares and relegation down to EFL League Two, but now find themselves back in the EFL Championship with new owners and a new sense of belief they can reach the promised land once again.  All this positive progress on the pitch has been met with positive progress off it too, from attendances of around 4000 at Sixfields, Northampton in 2013/14 to over 18,000 season tickets being sold for the 2023/24 season. Because of this newfound interest in the club, the need for a facility such as a sensory room has never been greater. When Jodie Jones, Coventry City’s disability access officer joined the club during the 2021/22 s...

Legacy. An emotive word. Personal. Loaded with responsibility. Expectation. Easy to say. The challenge is to deliver. The #Paris #Paralymics will not be remembered for the 49 golds. Or even the fantastic sporting competition. But whether it makes a difference to the lives of. Well, people like me. In the years to come. Springboard to societal change. Or a long jump into a well worn pit of sand. Early days. But an encouraging start. Driving into work heard David Clarke OBE, PLY , CEO of #ParalympicsGB talking about using the lived experience of disabled people to unlock the opportunity. We speak the same language. An open letter this week talked about the need for equal access to school sport. Only 1 in 4 disabled school children regularly access physical education. Chances should not be based on luck. But talent. And a right. A step change in access to sport clubs and fully trained coaches who understand. Is also required. Let you into a secret. I am slightly past my prime to make it as an elite athlete for #LosAngeles in 2028. So here are the things I will be measuring to determine whether the past fortnight becomes a success: · More disabled teachers in the mainstream school system. Educate and inspire the next generation. And no better way to make curriculum content more inclusive · Better representation of disabled people in the media generally. Not always cast as super hero or exceptional but simply bleeding good at what they do. Look no further than Andy Stevenson as an example. He is also a PurpleTuesday Ambassador · More accessible platforms. Trains. Buses. Cant be elite. Or unlock talent and enjoyment. If you cant get there. Or back · Academic attainment of disabled people in higher and further education. The importance of life chances · More disabled people in digital leadership roles. EnableAll should be the norm. Not the exception Agree. Disagree. Other suggestions to put into the mix. Disabled people with our #allies need to take collective responsibility for legacy leadership. Happy Friday. Image Description: Mike is standing in front of a model bicycle in a blue shirt and black trousers. The photo was taken at the Paris Paralympics Veladrome. Mike is looking hot because it was. #Legacy #disabilityleadership #DisabilityMatters #Accessibility #BeASue #AccessibleSport

This is such a powerful post! Legacy should mean real, lasting change for the disabled community. It’s not about medals; it’s about using platforms like the #Paralympics to break down barriers and create true opportunities. School was a nightmare for me—I was left out of school plays, PE, and more. That exclusion still affects me today. Schools should be encouraging all children, no matter their ability or appearance. The fact that only 1 in 4 disabled children regularly access physical education is heartbreaking, and it highlights how much work is left to do. We need more disabled representation in schools, the media, and leadership roles to truly inspire and create inclusive environments. And yes, accessibility to transport and infrastructure is fundamental—we can't talk about unlocking talent if people can’t even get to the starting line. Apologies for my ranting, Mike Adams, but this is something very close to my heart. We must push for more inclusive spaces and elevate disabled voices. Let’s turn the #Paralympics into a real catalyst for change. #DisabilityInclusion #AccessForAll #BreakingBarriers #RepresentationMatters

From Australia.... "A 2022-23 AusPlay report found just 19.7 per cent of women with a disability were regularly involved in organised sport. That was compared to 33.1 per cent of non-disabled women and 29.2 per cent of men with a disability. It was a slight decrease from a 2016-17 study which found 21.5 per cent of women with disability participated, along with 35.6 per cent of non-disabled women and 31.4 per cent of disabled men."

♂️ Despite strides being made in access to sport for people with learning disabilities and health conditions, more needs to be done according to former England cerebral palsy footballer Jordan Smith, health equalities lead and quality consultant at Dimensions UK. 🚧 Notable improvements have been made with relation to swimming and cycling accessibility with the Legacy of the London 2012 games, but barriers still exist, ranging from transport logistics to costs and even physical access to buildings. Jordan remarked “A lot of the people who we support need their own transport or bigger vehicles, or it might be taking two buses to get somewhere. So, we are almost there, but there are still little tweaks we need to make”. Jordan highlights that work needs to be undertaken to continue equal access to sports and in raising awareness of learning disabilities and any requirements that may be needed for people. So, while progress has been made, there’s still room for improvement in advocating for a fairer society with equal opportunities and accessibility to activities like sport 🤝 #Accessibility #Equality #sports Read here for more information on the push for equality in sports - https://lnkd.in/eNxf5hmC

It's great that the Olympics is highlighting mothers and their efforts in athletics, especially Allyson Felix's role in making the Olympics nursery happen this year. But what struck me was the multiple comments on LinkedIn complaining about, "Oh, but aren't dads parents too? Why aren't they highlighted the same way? Or championed the same way?" The usual "call" for equality whenever we talk about progressing from the disparities women face. Obviously, there's plenty of dads who are competing. So, why hasn't the previous Olympics catered to their needs as a parent? First, how many dad athletes in the past have championed as strongly and publicly as Allyson to demand for a nursery and childcare at the games? More importantly, why hasn't the International Olympic Committee – IOC proactively thought about dad athletes in the past and prioritised their parenting needs? Here's why: 💡 Dads have been and still are excluded from the overall childcare picture 💡 Dads are still assumed to be clueless when it comes to their children 💡 Dads are not seen as active parents Our society at large, across cultures, still sees dads this way. Even when this generation of fathers is behaving the opposite - they're present, active, and engaged from the get-go. This is why the meme of Olympic diver medalist, Tom Daley, and the image of his husband, Lance Black, cheering from the stands with their kids makes me so happy that the nursery exists in Paris this year. These dads can have a safe and comfortable space to care for their little ones if they choose to use it. To those commenters I've come across, this is the equality you're asking for. If you pay attention, you'll notice that when mothers ask for resources, we don't always make it all about ourselves. Every parent tends to benefit from our ask! P.S. Such as requesting baby changing stations in EVERY public toilet; including the men's toilet.