Who says disabled children can't be active with non-disabled children?
Our Who says? campaign is back and this time it’s all about disabled children and young people. First launched in summer 2019, the campaign gives people the positive stories, resources, and guidance to improve their opportunities. All over the country, people are joining in and calling time on negative perceptions about disability, inclusion and sport. We were delighted to have students and teachers from St Vincent’s School in Liverpool in the films. We hear from Deputy Principal, David Swanston. He tells us why it’s important to continue to raise awareness and change perceptions to ensure more disabled children do not have negative experiences.
For far too long disabled people have faced misconceptions and presumptions on what is and isn’t possible, including in sport. Activity Alliance wants to move conversations on, open people’s minds and shift out-dated views on disability. Disabled people of all ages have countless personal experiences that lead to marginalisation, low confidence, and inactivity.
Who says? phase two focuses on changing attitudes towards disabled children and young people in sport and activity. Four new campaign films explore some of the negative perceptions that can impact a disabled child’s opportunities to be active. Each film provides upbeat insight from a mixture of disabled and non-disabled children and adults.
Deputy Principal, David Swanston story
Who says disabled children should not be active alongside their non-disabled peers?
Hi, I’m David Swanston and I’m the Deputy Principal at St Vincent’s School. St Vincent’s School is a Specialist School for Children and Young People with sensory impairment and other needs. Inclusion is an integral part of the whole school community and runs throughout all that we do here.
I have always wanted to teach – and to be able to do so at St Vincent’s School is a real privilege. I enjoy it all! Our pupils are exceptional and on a daily basis are overcoming many barriers and achieving their goals – I’m learning from them all the time.
I’m exceptionally proud of what we have achieved here at St Vincent’s School during what has been a very difficult few years for all schools. Our work in physical education has been recognised locally, nationally and internationally – and that is a testament to the staff here.
We support all students in various ways to be active inside and outside of school, with their parents and wider local community. Within the curriculum, all students access a minimum of 2 hours of PE lessons per week, including 1 hour swimming per week and additional enrichment options.
Students also have the option to take up the Duke of Edinburgh’s award – or are involved in many of the outdoor educational activities we run including horticulture and forest schools. We have a school allotment space onsite and encourage all students to access it when we can. The important message is - do what you can.
I’m lucky to say that in my time of teaching I haven’t encountered any negative experiences when it came to sport and activity for my students. We are very fortunate here at St Vincent’s School that we are at the forefront of access to sport for visually impaired people across the city.
We are working closely with numerous universities and researchers to support the improvement of access to high quality and inclusive sport and physical activity. However, when it comes to inclusion there is still lots of work to do.
For me, fairness for disabled people in sport and activity means listening and learning from disabled people themselves. We must be guided by disabled people and their lived experience – they are the experts.
It’s important to continue to raise awareness and change perceptions for disabled children. All children should be able to be active in a safe and inclusive environment. We need to change our perceptions but we also have to be guided by the children and young people themselves. It’s their voice we have to listen to and through that we can make changes that can have a positive and lasting impact on all disabled children and young people.
Get involved
Join the conversation and be a part of the campaign on social media – share the films and add your voice by posting your own experiences using #WhoSays.
Get involved – perhaps you, or your organisation have a Who says? story to share, or a great idea for the campaign, contact news@activityalliance.org.uk or call 0161 200 5443. We have a range of support materials available for organisations and the media to use.
Click here to view our Who says? campaign phase two accessible communication formats - including audio description, British Sign Language and easy read.
We can’t challenge perceptions and change the reality of disability, inclusion and sport. Who says?!
