Derbyshire children’s charity first to deliver MATP programme
Children’s charity, Fairplay, has become the first community organisation in Derbyshire to be trained to deliver Special Olympic GB’s Motor Activity Training Programme (MATP). The training will enable charity staff to support members with profound learning disabilities and complex needs to enjoy meaningful physical activity and sport.
Based in Chesterfield, Fairplay supports 350 children with a wide range of additional needs and impairments. The charity has a fully accessible centre featuring an activity hall, outdoor play area, meeting rooms, library, sensory room, kitchen and changing places toilet. Set up in 1992, by a group of parents who wanted accessible activities for their children, Fairplay celebrated its 25th year in 2017.
EFDS works with community organisations like Fairplay on a regular basis providing guidance on accessing sport and exercise opportunities for disabled people. Last year, Fairplay worked with EFDS Engagement Advisor, Catherine Slater to educate their staff on resources and local opportunities available to the children and young people they support. In particular, how they could improve the current lack of sport and physical activity provision for children with profound learning disabilities and complex needs.
EFDS supported Fairplay to find a solution and introduced them to Derbyshire’s Special Olympics network and their national Motor Activity Training Programme (MATP). Since this initial engagement, in January 2018, 12 Fairplay staff took part in a training day so that they can provide MATP activities for their members. Staff will soon begin delivering an 8-12 week training programme with individuals, working on their motor skills and development in four categories: mobility, dexterity, striking and kicking.
EFDS Engagement Advisor, Catherine Slater said:
“It has been a very exciting journey working with Fairplay on the importance of disabled children and young people being active, and how they can help them be involved in local opportunities. Fairplay have enthusiastically taken up the opportunity to train their staff team to deliver Special Olympics Motor Activity Training Programme, to ensure that their members with complex needs have the opportunity to be athletes.
It’s fantastic to see such commitment and I hope they encourage other organisations to do the same, so more disabled children and adults across Derbyshire can take part in regular opportunities and enjoy being active.”
Chief Executive of Fairplay, Heather Fawbert said:
“Working with EFDS and taking part in the MATP training has been fantastic for Fairplay. It has given our staff the opportunity to learn about what resources are available to them and to discuss the importance of health and wellbeing for young disabled people.
“The next step for Fairplay is to roll out the MATP training programme to our children and young people, and set up a Challenge Day in the spring, where members can showcase their new skills to their families. After this event, we hope to take a few our MATP athletes to the Special Olympics Anniversary Games in Stirling in August.”
Fairplay is proud to be the first community organisation in Derbyshire to complete the training and join both the MATP and Special Olympics Derbyshire networks. The charity is now planning for their Challenge Day in May and supporting some of its members to take part in Special Olympics regional and national events in the future. Find out more about Fairplay on their website.
The MATP programme provides genuine opportunities for training and competition for people with profound, multiple learning disabilities and complex needs. Find out more about MATP on Special Olympics website.
