Inclusive Community Training “has inspired me to inspire others"
As part of the Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training Awareness Week (6-13 April), we have been sharing the stories of individuals and groups who have benefitted from the Paralympic legacy training initiative. Today we highlight David, a community volunteer from Warrington who works with children and young adults. Having a hearing impairment himself, David was keen to attend a Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training workshop organised by Active Cheshire, to increase his confidence in delivering activities and share his own experiences with others.
Prior to the workshop, David had never delivered any physical activity to disabled people, but now he feels confident to plan and deliver active sessions which include everyone. David said:
“The Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training has given me a much better understanding of how to meet the needs of everyone who takes part in physical activity sessions. I feel much more confident!”
The training has not only benefitted David but also the children he works with. He now uses the tools he learned at the workshop to appropriately challenge and motivate the young people in all his sessions. In addition, his increased confidence has enabled him to introduce new sports, such as boccia and sitting volleyball to the young people.
Since attending the Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training, David has been keen to share what he learned with others. He has been working with his teammates at PANDAs, the local disability football team, to cascade the skills and knowledge he gained to support more people to feel confident delivering inclusive activity. David said:
“I am a positive role model with enthusiasm and energy. The Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training has inspired me to inspire others. Since the workshop I have been able to provide first-hand knowledge to other people working with participants with disabilities in modifying and adapting their sessions to make them more fun and inclusive of everyone.”
After being inspired by the programme, David now plans to further develop his skills and experience by becoming a qualified coach.
The Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training Programme is a creative, informal and informative workshop designed to improve the skills and confidence of those who support disabled people to be more active. It is delivered in partnership by EFDS and sports coach UK and costs a maximum of £10 per participant (further subsidies may apply).
Over 7,000 people have now attended a Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training workshop, with six months of the current programme remaining; there is still time to benefit from this low-cost initiative! Contact EFDS today to find out how!
Find out more about Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training on the EFDS website and check out the latest programme video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0DdACmZfkk
For more information, to find out about workshops in your area or arrange a bespoke workshop, please contact EFDS on AK4A@efds.co.uk / 01509 227751.
