scholarly journals New dimentions of safety and security of special olympics athletes during events

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (4s) ◽  
pp. 101-110
Author(s):  
Stefka Djobova ◽  
Ivelina Kirilova
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
Special Olympics ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Global Challenge ◽  
Sports Events ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Field Notes ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities

There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the sport sector worldwide as well as sports calendar. Sports events have been cancelled or rescheduled like Summer Olympic and Paralympic games. The same had happened with the Special Olympics (SO) events. The pandemic constitutes a global challenge to the sport movements in terms of security and safety for all participants. Much more complicated it appears to secure the athletes with intellectual disabilities. Pandemic research has found that people with intellectual disabilities are almost six times more likely to die from COVID-19 than the general population. The SO programs organizers will face unknown so far issues in terms of security and safety. Aim: The aim of the study is to explore the influence of new safety and security events protocols of Special Olympics on the mission and particularly on the athletes. Methods: We applied documentary analysis including theoretical-logical analysis, systematic approach (structural-functional, structural-component and structural-integral aspect), comparative analysis, video analysis, field notes and focus group composed by participants in pervious SO World games (delegation leaders, coaches and parents). Results: The results of our research shows that most of the national SO programs are reporting that the pandemic have a devastating impact on the athletes and the movement in general. The new live reality is affecting not only the daily routines of athletes with intellectual disabilities but also their social interaction in terms of communication and emotional functioning. Conclusion: Having in mind that safety is first priority and applying all protocols, SO is attempting to preserve the mission, to ensure joy of sport and physical activity. In the new reality close contact and friendships are approached in a way to preserve them and to keep them as essential part of the events.

Healthy Athletes Program as a chance for a good quality of life of persons with intellectual disability and their families in the context of health and pro-health activities

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30
Author(s):  
Anna Nadolska ◽  
Piotr Bejster
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Life Expectancy ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Health State ◽  
Special Olympics ◽  
Average Life Expectancy ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Families With Children

Abstract Background: One of the consequences of improperly extending the process of socialization is incorrect health education and thus, different structure of the behaviors associated with taking care of their own health. More difficult socio-economic situation of families with children with intellectual disabilities may not adequately protect the needs of family members (especially children’s) associated with health. Up to 1/3 of the cases of people with intellectual disabilities of poorer health state can result from lower socio-economic position (Emerson and Hatton, 2007). Educational failure, typical for families of children and young people with intellectual disabilities (especially mild) can result in the children not acquiring appropriate behaviors, important for health. If these behaviors are missing, consequently, can be expected to accelerate the deterioration of health. The health status of people with intellectual disabilities is worse than the state of health in the general population (Allerton, Welch, Emerson, 2011; Tample et al., 2006). The most serious consequence of the poorer health of people with intellectual disabilities is a higher mortality rate (Krahn et al, 2006). The average life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities is 66 (excluding people with Down syndrome whose life expectancy is even shorter), and so more than 10 years shorter than of people. In so-called intellectual norm! Bearing in mind that access to the highest standard of health care for all people with disabilities is a law that was adopted on 13 December 2006 under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Special Olympics Poland have taken the initiative leading to beneficial changes in quality of life for the players and their families in the context of health and modeling appropriate health behavior through the implementation of the Health Programme, which includes the two related projects: Healthy Athletes and Healthy Special Olympics Community.

scholarly journals СТАВОВИ МАТУРАНАТА ПРЕМА СОЦИЈАЛНОЈ ИНТЕГРАЦИЈИ ОСОБА СА ИНТЕЛЕКТУАЛНОМ ОМЕТЕНОШЋУ

TEME ◽  
2018 ◽  
pp. 017
Author(s):  
Марија Мирослав Цвијетић
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Social Integration ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
High School Graduates ◽  
Close Contact ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Previous Experience ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities

The aim of this study was to determine the direction and intensity of high school graduates’ attitudes towards social integration of persons with intellectual disability and examine correlation between certain characteristics of the subjects and their attitudes. The sample consisted of 95 high school graduates from ˮDušan Vasiljevˮ secondary school in Kikinda. The direction and intensity of attitudes was examined by the Community Living Attitudes Scale – Mental Retardation Form (CLAS-MR; Henry, Keys, Jopp, & Balcazar, 1996), while the data related to race, gender, previous experience of contact with people with disabilities and interests of career dealing with this population were obtained through the questionnaire for testing socio-demographic variables constructed for this survey.The results showed that the attitudes of graduates towards social integration of people with intellectual disability are positive on the scale in general, and three of the four domains of the applied instrument. Our respondents expressed a positive attitude towards the empowerment of these people, their involvement in the community's activities and experiencing these people to themselves. The respondents expressed a negative attitude through the perceived need of people with intellectual disabilities to be placed in protected living and working conditions, beyond the wider community. Connection between the attitudes to gender, previous experience of contact, close contact with people with disabilities and interest for professional work with persons with disabilities was not established.Bearing in mind the presumption about the influence of attitudes towards the behavior of a particular social group, the knowledge of attitudes and their determinants in young people towards this population, on the threshold of their entry into adulthood, can provide useful guidance for planning and implementing practical procedures with the aim of a higher quality integration of people with intellectual disabilities into the community in the future.

scholarly journals Global Initiative of the Special Olympics Movement for People with Intellectual Disabilities

2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 253-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrzej Myśliwiec ◽  
Mariusz Damentko
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Special Olympics ◽  
Coaching Model ◽  
Sports Organizations ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Adults With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Global Initiative ◽  
Sports Organization ◽  
High Level ◽  
Global Initiatives

Abstract The mission of the Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and competition in a variety (33) of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy, and participate in sharing of gifts and friendship with their families, other athletes, and their communities. The Special Olympics movement often goes beyond the sports competition formula. During the last few years, the movement has developed many new global initiatives, which expand its former sports activities. They include: 1. Coaching excellence and the coaching model 2. Partnerships with international (regional) sports federations 3. Sports Resources Teams (SRT) 4. Extended quota for high level athletes 5. Athletes Leadership Program (ALPS) 6. Young Athletes Program 7. Youth volunteer initiatives 8. Unified Sports Program 9. Motor Activity Training Program 10. Healthy Athletes Program These initiatives fulfill and expand the existing program, which was launched in 1968 and is the largest sports organization for people with disabilities worldwide, with very important new social, marketing, and developmental aspects of life, going far beyond activities met in other sports organizations.

The level of sports performance of people with intellectual disabilities in athletics competitions of Special Olympics

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (81) ◽  
pp. 69-75
Author(s):  
Radosław Sroka ◽  
Jerzy Eider ◽  
Aleksander Wiażewicz
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Track And Field ◽  
Special Olympics ◽  
Gender And Age ◽  
Long Jump ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Shot Put

Background: The Special Olympics are dedicated to people with intellectual disability and multiple disabilities. The aim of the study was to define the level of athletics competition results for participants with intellectual disabilities. More over researchers tried to determine the impact of gender and age on the results obtained by people with mental disabilities. Material and methods: There were 1108 results (431 female, 677 male) achieved at Special Olympics events in 2016-2017. Competitors were divided into 4 age groups and competed in 8 track and field events. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the examined males and females in the 50 m sprint scores in all categories. In the 100, 200 and 400 m races, the males in groups III and IV were faster than the females in each group. In the long jump-standing competition, the results for the males were on average longer than the females in every category. The results of the long jump-running indicate that the women in the III and IV category had on average shorter lengths than men in the same groups. Only men in category III had higher scores than females in the ball throw. All categories showed higher results of men in the shot put. Among females there were differences between age groups in 100, 200 m races, long jump-standing and ball throw events. Among males age groups, the differences were observed in 100, 200 m races and long jump-running competitions. Conclusion: The results of people aged 8-11 and 12-15 indicated a similar level of athletics competition results for males and females. In the groups 16-21 and 22+ years, a higher level of athletics competition results for was observed in men.‪

scholarly journals The levels of engagement in sport activity by partners and athletes in the teams of unified football during Special Olympics

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 63-69
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Dangel ◽  
Waldemar Skowroński
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
International Research ◽  
Sport Activity ◽  
Special Olympics ◽  
Sports Activity ◽  
The People ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
The University

Abstract Introduction: Unified Sports are the official programme of Special Olympics, which brings together people with intellectual disabilities (athletes) with their peers with no such disabilities (partners) in teams, in trainings and during competitions. The aim: The aim of this thesis is to evaluate the level of engagement in sport activity by partners and athletes in the teams of unified football programme during Special Olympics. Materials and methods: 206 participants - 113 athletes and 93 partners - from the teams of unified football programme took part in the research in Poland. The average age among the athletes was 15.5, and among the partners 15.7. The results obtained are just a fraction of deeper, international research done with the use of a questionnaire by the University of Ulster in 2009-2010. Results: All the people surveyed like taking part in both trainings and competitions. Around 70% like both of them a lot, 30% enjoy them a bit. In accordance with the answer to the question “How often did you try to do your best in a competition?” one can assume that all the people in the group were highly engaged in the game - 54% all the time, 46% sometimes. All the people questioned claim that their team is competitive - 51% believe it to be very competitive, 48% quite competitive. The partners believed that trainings were more challenging for the athletes than for them. Substantially more partners state that the athletes were doing their best in a competition when compared with the opinion of the athletes themselves. Conclusions: The results prove that the aims of the programme for Unified Sports are realized properly. The fact that all the participants find pleasure in doing sports and that they positively assess the competitiveness of their team explains why all of them are so engaged in sports activity. It means that the programme is really valuable and can develop in a positive way. Research on the motives of taking part in Unified Sports and relations between athletes and partners should, therefore, be continued.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Self-Concept in the Project for People with Intellectual Disabilities: “We Are All Campus”

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 50
Author(s):  
María Luisa Belmonte Almagro ◽  
Abraham Bernárdez-Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Swot Analysis ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
The University ◽  
Phenomenological Design

The inclusion of people with disabilities, intellectual in the case that concerns this research, has been one of the main concerns of society in recent years. The University of Murcia has launched the “We are all Campus” program in order to facilitate the inclusion of this group from a training perspective. Being aware of the influence of self-concept in such inclusion, this research aims to analyze the influence of the self-concept of people with intellectual disabilities in their expectations of inclusion. For this purpose, 18 subjects were asked to carry out a SWOT analysis, assessing the situation in which they find themselves through a qualitative perspective and a phenomenological design. The research reveals, among other conclusions, how important personal development is to them, especially by generating autonomy in their daily routines, and also the relevance of their relationships to feel socially included.

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