Nationwide Celebration of Getting Active in Scotland

Scottish Disability Sport Week aims to highlight how and why everyone in Scotland with a disability should get active. 

From Monday 25th November to Sunday 1st December, there will be a Nationwide celebration of getting active and involved in disability sport in Scotland, through a predominantly online campaign called Scottish Disability Sport Week (SDSW). The campaign concludes just ahead of the United Nations’ International Day of Persons with a Disability on the 3rd. 

SDSW was launched last year (2023) and received widespread engagement across Scotland.  Over 50 Partners, local authorities and branches across the country have committed to the campaign alongside SDS (Scottish Disability Sport). The campaign aims to highlight and promote the opportunities and the impact physical activity can have on individuals, communities, clubs and society across Scotland.  

The SDSW will also provide a platform to showcase the intersectionality of participants within disability sport and share the message that everyone can participate in sport.   

Scottish Disability Sport’s CEO, Gavin Macleod, said: “Last year’s inaugural Scottish Disability Sport Week was a huge success, with all participating partners reporting increases in online and social media interaction as well as enquiries for local physical activity and sport opportunities.

“We are delighted that so many local and national partners will be part of SDSW 2024 and we thank them all for their support.”

The week-long campaign aims to encourage people with disabilities to improve their wellbeing by being more physically active, in a way that suits them.  

Macleod added, “Opportunities for people with disabilities to get involved in physical activity and sport are available right across Scotland and are more varied than ever before. We hope that SDSW 2024 will shine a light of these inclusive opportunities and inspire more people to give it a go.”

Each day of the week will be centered around a specific theme to provide a focused discussion. Monday will explore the benefits of getting active and participating in disability sports, Tuesday’s theme addresses overcoming barriers, Wednesday looks at intersectionality, Thursday highlights the impact of clubs and communities, Friday explores accessibility, Saturday provides the opportunity to talk about Performance Pathways in sport whilst Sunday gives guidance on next steps. 

The campaign builds on the success of the previous, award-winning Be Active Be Well programme, run by SDS and SAMH, that provided online activity and wellbeing sessions.  

To get involved and stay updated on Scottish Disability Sport Week, make sure to follow SDS across social media and the website: Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.