Personal tales of triumph mark 1,000 people successfully receiving ICT
Specialist training aimed at those who have the opportunity to help disabled people become more active has been hailed as “opening the eyes” of participants.
Over a thousand people have now received support through Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training (ICT), part of the Active Kids for All Scheme, designed to support more disabled people to be more active.
"I really enjoyed it - it has opened my eyes"
One beneficiary, Babs Agnew, says she enrolled onto the training in order to “get a better understanding” of ways of involving disabled people in physical activity.
“I attend swimming, gym, athletics, disability sports and wheelchair basketball with a [disabled] young man,” said the support worker from York.
“I wanted to go on the course to do games with the other kids that would be suitable for everyone.”
Just like hundreds of workshop attendees before her, Babs found the training and creative support extremely informative and useful.
“I came to understand how to create an open game, or games, suitable for all people with a disability,” she said.
“I have [now] gotten people to join in and play as a team. Before, it was people doing their own thing - now we are doing things together. I really enjoyed it. It has opened my eyes to a lot of things.”
The Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training helps introduce healthier active lifestyles to those that need support.
Its key focus is to engage with those that have not historically been involved in sport and physical activity training, but who currently have direct contact with disabled people.
"There is no activity that I or the people I support cannot be a part of"
Babs’ positive experience is echoed by that of Donna, a Senior Care and Support Worker from County Durham Sport.
Participating in a workshop in September 2014, Donna found the support and encouragement on offer helped her address her uncertainties surrounding sports participation.
“Through the training I was able to overcome my childhood fears around sport,” she said.
“During the workshop we were able to experience some non-competitive activities. I particularly enjoyed this because it enabled me to be involved in a sports-based activity with no winners or losers, which is what discouraged me from sport at school.”
In completing her training, Donna says she now feels equipped to help the disabled people with whom she works.
“I support individuals to participate in physical activities arranged by others, but had never delivered any activities myself.
“The training has given me the knowledge, skills and confidence to assist staff and clients in reaching their full potential. I now feel that there is no activity that I or the people I support cannot be a part of.”
A three hour face-to-face session
Sainsbury’s Inclusive Community Training, a part of the Active Kids for All scheme, is funded by Sport England through the National Lottery, receiving £1 million in 2013 to train 10,000 people by 2016.
It is delivered by the English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS) in partnership with sports coach UK.
The training consists of a three hour face-to-face session complimented by online resources - it costs just £10 per participant (further subsidies may apply).
At present, only two out of every 10 disabled people are active regularly. While many want to do more, EFDS’ research indicates that 70% of those surveyed are not aware of any local opportunities.
All programme partners through this initiative have made a commitment to support more disabled people to be more active.
For further information please contact Kat Southwell, Active Kids for All Manager. Email AK4A@efds.co.uk or telephone 01509 227751. Jimmy Smallwood, Communications Officer, email jsmallwood@efds.co.uk or telephone 0161 228 2868.
