The Scottish Youth Parliament, YouthLink Scotland and Young Scot want to find out more about your thoughts and feelings as lockdown restrictions begin to ease. You are invited to complete a survey below. Please note your response will be anonymous. Take a look at the information in the link to see how your responses will be used. You can also click here to find out more about how your data will be stored.
Cheryl Lappin
Regional Manager – Central
(Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire)
Email
T: 07577 830 360
Neal Herbert
Regional Manager – East
(City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, West Lothian)
Email
T: 07709 393 514
Richard Brickley OBE MBE
Regional Manager – Fife
Email
T: 03451 555555 ext. 444989
Alison Shaw
Regional Manager – Grampian
(Aberdeenshire, City of Aberdeen, Moray, Shetland Islands)
Email
T: 07828 744 848
Kirsty Ewen
Regional Manager – Highlands & Islands
(Highland, Orkney Islands)
Email
T: 07792 057 153
Graeme Doig
Regional Manager – Tayside
(Angus, City of Dundee, Perth & Kinross)
Email
T: 07999 544 549
Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) are proud to work with many key partners, driving the development of disability sport while also influencing and supporting inclusive practice across the country. An example of this collaborative approach is the relationship SDS holds with Edinburgh Active Schools where inclusion and opportunities for participants with disabilities runs through the ethos of the organisation.
The relationship between SDS and Edinburgh Active Schools is historic and dates back several years, a highlight being the establishment of the East Para Sport Festival (formerly known as the Paralympic Experience Event) in 2012 which welcomed school aged young people with a physical, visual, or hearing impairment to try a range of sports delivered by local community clubs. This flagship event continues to be a collaborative priority, attracting children & young people with disabilities from across the city while gaining the full support of the Active Schools team on the day and in the weeks leading up to the event. This investment is key as Active Schools have established relationships with schools and therefore have the increased ability to engage and interact with individuals who may be interested in accessing the event.
Additionally, both organisations work closely to support pupils in the educational environment through advice and guidance, equipment, sharing resources etc while also developing and delivering sport specific opportunities like Boccia and Goalball to schools and pupils across the city. Furthermore, SDS, Active Schools and local branch Lothian Disability Sport work hard to support participants with disabilities with the transition into the community, often via a club or a session. This work is essential, providing an opportunity for individuals to engage with sport and physical activity over a prolonged period of time and encourages lifelong participation.
The relationship also encourages the coach & volunteer workforce to increase knowledge and understanding of disability sport through education opportunities (UK Disability Inclusion Training), creating positive environments for young people to access sport and physical activity.
Due to the current situation with COVID 19, Edinburgh Active Schools were required to alter their plans for the Coaching & Volunteering Awards for 2020. The awards recognise, celebrate, and showcase the Active Schools Workforce, partnerships and outstanding commitment to providing and developing physical activity opportunities for school aged young people across the capital. The delayed awards ceremony will be delivered virtually over a five-day period, between Monday 10th – Friday 14th May where all nominees and award winners will be recognised over social media (twitter) – @ActiveSchoolsEd #COVAWARDS.
SDS is thrilled to be selected as the Edinburgh Active Schools Governing Body of the Year for 2020 and this recognition illustrates the strong ongoing partnership between the two organisations, with creating and developing opportunities for participants with disabilities a significant priority moving forward.
Active Schools Coordinator and lead for Equality & Inclusion, Jill Coleman highlighted the collaborative approach, stating “The strong partnership working which has developed over the years with SDS hugely enhances and supports a range of areas of work within the Active Schools programme.
SDS approach their work with us with a huge level of professionalism, experience and breadth skills which in turn has helped Edinburgh Active Schools to engage with and support many young people with disabilities within Edinburgh to embark on their journey into sport.
Thankyou SDS!”
Scottish Disability Sport continues to follow the advice given by the Scottish Government and sportscotland on the return to sport process. The positive news is that we continue to head in the right direction currently as restrictions continue to lift however, we do not underestimate how challenging the last 15 months have been for many of our participants, athletes, officials, coaches and volunteers.
The position remains that the vast majority of all physical face-to-face national events including engagement days, para-sport festivals and national championships will recommence from 1 September 2021. All education and training sessions will continue to take place online until the end of August. As a multi-sport organisation advice from sportscotland, the sport-specific governing bodies, Active Scotland and the Scottish Government has been considered.
The exceptions to the above statement are as follows:
A decision on the return of the National Boccia Squad will be made following the meeting of the Boccia Sub Group on Wednesday 27 May. All Scottish boccia clubs should follow the Return to Boccia guidance issued by SDS thus far. Further information for branches, clubs, officials, coaches and players on the return to boccia please watch the Return to Sport videos detailing the best practice before, during and after sessions.
The return of further regional and national squad training will be considered on a case by case basis depending on the nature of the sport, the environment and the underlying health conditions of the athletes. Guidance and advice from sportscotland, the sport-specific governing bodies, Active Scotland and the Scottish Government will also be considered. SDS will provide ongoing support and guidance on the return to sport in Scotland. It is essential we continue to remain alert to the ever-changing environment and SDS will endeavour to keep you up to date throughout.
Many thanks to all the participants, athletes, officials, coaches and volunteers for the support and patience you have all shown throughout this difficult period. SDS has organised a series of workshops to support the return to sport. Please find more information on the flyer attached.
Project Echo is launching a new social media campaign called #CaptureTheBarrier. We would like to hear from persons with disability and their allies. The campaign is part of a larger research project that aims to understand peoples’ experiences of participation in sport and physical activity. By bringing this conversation to mainstream platforms we aim to generate conversation about the many challenges of participation, but also discuss how people have navigated many of the barriers. Through participation in the campaign and subsequent participation in the research, you can help inform decision making and inform policy on the future of sport and physical activity, post-pandemic.
To join the campaign simply:
Blind Golf Scotland (BGS) are trying to get back to business as usual. The first step has been to resume free taster sessions for the visually impaired.
Spaces are available for the next blind golf taster session:
Date: Tuesday 18th May 2021
Time: 12noon – 2pm
Venue: Fairways Indoor Golf Arena, 6 Kirkstyle Cottages, Coatbridge ML5 5AJ
Cost: Free
Due to current restrictions, only 12 people at a time can be accommodated, so please register at developmentofficer@scottishblindgolf.com if you wish to attend.
There will be further taster sessions throughout the year, either in Coatbridge, Falkirk or elsewhere around Scotland depending on demand.
The indoor arenas are ideal places to try blind golf since:
Please see this promotional video for Fairways Indoor Golf Arena to get a better idea.
What do players need?
All a blind golfer needs is a sighted guide, which can be a friend or relative who enjoys accompanying a blind golfer on the greens, driving range or arena.
There are multiple benefits to blind golfing in addition to the physical health benefits and fresh air. Our members are also a support system for others who have similar experiences and challenges, they can share advice, socialise and forge life-long friendships.
The Rangers Charity Foundation host visually impaired football sessions every second Sunday for young people between the ages of 6-18.
These sessions provide the opportunity to increase physical activity, build confidence, improve social skill and have fun.
Sessions are free of charge.
If you want more information or you would like to sign up then please contact rangerscharity@rangers.co.uk.
To mark Deaf Awareness Week (4-9 May), we spoke with Mitchell Graham who told us all about his incredible and varied journey in sport as a deaf athlete. Mitchell tells us about his successes, the barriers he has faced and the work he has done with SDS.
Tell us about yourself, your background and how you initially got into sport?
Hello, I’m Mitchell Graham and I’m 28 years old. Growing up I had always had a passion for sports. I was born Deaf to a hearing family. I currently work as a youth service coordinator within Deaf Action.
My passion for sport covers a range of different sports, including hill walking, basketball, rugby, running & CrossFit to name a few. I actively seek out new sports that will challenge me.
My passion for sport came from my father. When he found out I was Deaf he believed that sport would be a great way to help with communication. Children communicate through play and sport encourages social activity as well as communication. Therefore, from a young age I have been actively involved in sports.
How did you progress into performance sport?
My involvement in sport has required a lot of work and commitment, which isn’t always easy. I started off playing basketball from the age of 12 – 20 which required a lot of commitment. I was introduced to basketball through a teacher who saw that I had a talent in using my hands through my previous involvement with rugby. My rugby skills transferred nicely into basketball, therefore I was invited to have a look around Reading Rockets basketball club. It was great to be given the opportunity to see the club and on my return to school, I was informed of a tournament that was due to take place in south London. There were several schools taking part, however what I wasn’t aware of was that throughout the tournament there were scouts looking to pick pupils to create a team.
I never expected to be picked, but I was and this gave me the drive to work hard and have fun. Our team exceeded expectations and reached the finals. One of the teams we were up against was Reading Rockets. Our team were further up the leader board, so they had some work to do to catch us. It was a close competition, however in the end they managed to overtake us by one point. Although initially I was disappointed, it was a great experience that led to me being picked for trials, which subsequently led to me being selected to represent the GB Deaf team. I also participated in trials with hearing peers and got the opportunity to represent my home country, Scotland.
My sports career took a change and I turned to athletics, and to be honest I was late in joining athletics as I was about 21 years old. I joined a club and initially I found the adjustment to individual sports difficult, as I was used to being in a team. Athletics was very much an individual sport which meant I had to have self-discipline and motivation.
A year on, my self-discipline and motivation paid off as my sports career saw me gaining a place in the GB Deaf team for the European and World championships for athletics. This was an amazing experience that I thoroughly enjoyed. Moving on from these championships and taking on board the experience, I focused on my training, changing my coach as I honed my skills and integrated myself with a whole host of people who I could learn from to enhance my development. This was not an easy journey however, five years on I was lucky enough to be selected to represent team GB at the Deafolympics in Samsun. What an experience, a once in a lifetime and acclimatising to the heat is something I will never forget.
What have been your biggest successes and what have been the biggest challenges?
My biggest successes: I can pin down to two, firstly was during my basketball career. I was 15 years old when I went to the under 21’s world championship tournament in Poland. This was quite
daunting as I was one of the youngest as other competitors were aged 19-21 and towered above me. I went to the tournament with the intention of enjoying my first time within this kind of environment while playing a sport I loved. It was during the closing ceremony, while lining up, that my name was announced. I had won the MVP (Most Valuable Player) Defence for the entire tournament. I was gobsmacked as it was totally unexpected. I remember going to collect my award and feeling overwhelmed. I re-joined the line up only for my name to be announced again. I couldn’t believe it, I had won the award for the most rebounds during the under 21 world championship with 106 rebounds in total throughout the whole tournament.
My second success story was during my athletics career: Competing on a world stage at the Deaf Olympics. Being surrounded by Deaf athletes from around the world and competing against this calibre of athletes was an experience that will say with me.
One of the biggest challenges for me was the change in sport, from basketball to athletics. The main difference was going from a team sport to an individual sport. I no longer had that team around me for support. I had to rely on myself to graft, working hard to adjust and relying on my own resilience to learn how to adapt to new ways of training, creating and following programs to ensure I fitted into the sport.
As a deaf athlete, what barriers must be overcome to make sport fully inclusive for all?
The most important thing for me has to be communication, communication between the coach or manager. This has to filter down from the top to the athletes on the ground. I can’t stress enough how important communication is. Without the right level of communication Deaf athletes will throw in the towel. There is nothing worse than that feeling that someone isn’t putting the extra effort to ensure you understand what is going on.
Without direct, clear and concise communication deaf athletes are left feeling disengaged and unsure of what is expected of them. Throughout my journey I have learned through experience of how to work with my coaches. Unfortunately, sometimes, this means having to change coaches as they are unable to adapt their coaching style to suit my needs.
In Basketball, simple reasonable adjustments for example as the coach writing notes, asking the assistant coach to put the instructions on a whiteboard etc. This allows deaf athletes to feel integrated and fully equipped to continue with the task at hand.
Another thing that the coaches and fellow athletes can do is to invest in Deaf awareness training or learn basic sign language skills through a BSL course. Fingerspelling or gestures is enough to make a Deaf athlete feel that their club is accessible.
Tell us about your wider work with SDS in the past
I was involved in SDS’s youth sports panel and was privileged to be able to travel to America to observe their disability sports model and compare that to Scottish disability sports. This was an amazing experience as I was able to see how sports were made accessible, making sure that clubs were catering to different needs such as wheelchair users, physical disabilities and military veterans, and take all of this on board and think about how to make changes to Scottish disability sports, by working with the panel and asking to them make sure accessibility was made for Deaf people. This is the work I have done up to now with SDS. It has been an amazing experience and I want to thank the SDS for their work so far. There’s still a long way to go but it is a starting point to build from.
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