How can we use sports as a disability awareness-raising tool?
In accordance with the fight against discrimination, the law of August 6, 2021 condemns discrimination against people with disabilities.
Even so, discriminatory acts are still happening. In fact, 22.8 % of people with disabilities admitted to suffering from the consequences of these acts in their everyday life.
It is time to raise awareness, even if the fight will be long.
So, how can we help able-bodied people understand the difficulties of living with a disability?
Sports are a great tool for spreading messages in a fun way. The idea is to make an able-bodied person experience movement restrictions similar to what people with disabilities have to live with, especially when they are suffering from motor deficiencies.
This is our mission at Playmoovin’.
Disabilities and sports : our approach at PlayMoovin’
PlayMoovin’ is a revolution for sports and people with disabilities. The company launched its first sports wheelchair for children from kindergarten to high school in 2019: the FreeMoovin’.
This colourful object made of plastic is both secure and tough.
If it can be used for the inclusion of children with motor deficiencies, it can also be used to introduce able-bodied children to parasport, by putting them in the same situation as a child with disabilities.
By organising games to raise awareness of disabilities, our goal is to:
- make something click amongst participants.
- make them understand that disabilities can rhyme with performance.
- change their outlook on the difficulties caused by not being able to move properly.
Since February 2022, PlayMoovin’ has also been offering the FreeMoovin’ to carry this positive and fun awareness mission towards adults.
Organising parasport events
PlayMoovin’ wheelchairs are the perfect sports equipment to offer parasport activities to able-bodied people. Here are a few examples:
- Wheelchair rugby ;
- Motricity tracks ;
- Wheelchair tennis ;
- Etc.
These disability awareness days, organised by qualified nonprofits, are set up in a playful atmosphere. They also allow participants to:
- Understand the obstacles caused by disabilities ;
- Free the voices facing disabilities ;
- Consider players with disabilities as real athletes.
These friendly events can take place in :
- Sports clubs ;
- Schools, middle schools and high schools ;
- Recreation centres ;
- Companies ;
- Disability awareness nonprofit organisations ;
- Etc.
Keep reading for an example of an awareness event in a sports club below.
Example: awareness workshop in a sports club
Wheelchair rugby is a sport that can be played at every age using a manual chair. Players have to cross the finish line while holding the ball. As an example, this awareness activity has been offered to about 20 children, all of them in wheelchairs.
On the agenda:
- Learning security rules ;
- Doing practical exercises to learn how to handle the chair ;
- Elaborating sports strategies ;
- Playing a game of wheelchair rugby.
Planning a fun activity is the best way to educate children about disabilities!
Are you interested in offering disability awareness workshops in sports? PlayMoovin’ offers daily or weekly sports wheelchair rentals.
Using sports as a disability awareness-raising tool is a true opportunity for able-bodied people to experience, during a short period of time, what it is like to be a person with disabilities. If you want to plan an awareness sports event, call PlayMoovin’ so we can organise your next event together and put you in touch with qualified nonprofits.