Sports Inclusion Disability Officer

Cork Sports Partnership recently secured funding from Pobal under the Dormant Account Fund to create a new position of Sports Inclusion Disability Officer (SIDO).

The main goal for this role is to increase participation levels of individuals with a disability in sport and physical activity.

Sinead Costello is the newly appointed Sports Inclusion Disability Officer and will be responsible for the development, delivery and monitoring of sport and physical activity programmes for individuals with a disability. Furthermore, any work undertaken will support the work programme of Cork Sports Partnership.

In the next two years Sinead will undertake intitaitve to promote greater inclusion for people with a disability within sports and physical activities; developing activities and programmes, providing information, increasing awareness and addressing training and education needs. Sinead will be involved in developing guidelines for sports clubs, schools and leisure facilities to support the inclusion of people with a disability within their organisations and engage in and facilitate research specific to the area of inclusive sport.

Adapted Physical Activity for Primary Schools

Cork Sports Partnership are delighted to announce that they will be carrying out Adapted Physical Activity Training for all Primary Schools in the County. This training will enable teachers to adapt all PE classes for the needs of children who have a physical or learning disability. The training will take place in a central location in all clusters and will be open to all primary school teachers to attend.

Come Try it Days

 County Cork Sports Partnership will be carrying out a come try it day in the North, East and West of County Cork over the coming few months. Dates and venues to be announced shortly.

 Come try it days aim to promote sport and physical activity for people with a disability in the area and provide an opportunity to try out a wide variety of sports and physical activities as well as being a fun day out.

The events are open to everyone including people with a disability, coaches, special needs assistants, parents, youth club leaders, carers, facility managers and anyone with an interest in promoting sport and physical activity for people with a disability.

The sports/physical activities that will be show cased on the day include power soccer, boccia, athletics, gym/fitness and swimming.

  This is a new national initiative being developed through the Irish Sports Council. All five sports are being showcased nationwide with a future potential for regional and national competition.

Cork SportAbility Forum

The SportsAbility Forum is an inclusive and fully representative countywide structure that enables, encourages and supports the development and delivery of sports, physical education, recreation and physical activity for people with a disability.

The key objectives of the forum are to:

• Develop a strategy for the development of recreational opportunities for people with a disability in Cork
• Develop a strategy for the development of physical activity opportunities for people with a disability in Cork
• Liaise with and support the Physical Education Association of Ireland
• Liaise with and support service providers of PE in schools and colleges
• To produce a directory of sport and physical activity opportunities currently available in Co. Cork
• To have representation on the Board of the Co. Cork Sports Partnership
• To engage in and facilitate research specific to the area
• To guide the Sports Inclusion Disability Officers work plan

For further information on the role of the SIDO or to get involved in any of our programmes and events please contact Sinead Costello on (0214) 665 085 or email scostello@cclsp.com