This month's issue focuses on international disability sport. As Dr. Rimmer emphasizes in his column, sports competition teaches youth with disabilities the value of hard work in achieving goals. Hums et al. (2003) highlight the complexities of U.S. disability sport governance in our featured Research Corner article, and this month's video clips illustrate the benefits of therapeutic riding for children with disabilities.
1) On March 10-13, Dr. James Rimmer, director of NCPAD, will be a keynote speaker at the third annual Sports Science and Medicine Conference 2005, organized by the British Paralympic Association (BPA). Dr. Rimmer will be speaking to personnel working with Great Britain Paralympic athletes on strength and conditioning and cardiovascular training.
2) Amy Farkas, a former Information Specialist at NCPAD, is presently Development Manager for the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). She is responsible for overseeing programs and services designed to grow, develop, and sustain the Paralympic Movement across specified nations, regions, and sports. Currently, she is involved in developing partnerships with international organizations, and assisting with a two-year project funded by the European Union (EU), called the Paralympic School Day Project, which involves development of a curriculum to educate youth about the Paralympics and to increase awareness about disability and sport. She also had the opportunity to carry the torch for the 2004 Athens Paralympics.
Within the global agenda of "Sport for Development" lies a specific target group, persons with disabilities. The World Bank estimates 600 million or 10% of the world's population are persons with disabilities, with at least 500 million living in the developing world. These numbers continue to increase.
The benefits of sport for people with disabilities include socialization, empowerment, self-confidence, and greater independence that can be applied to other realms of life, such as employment and social inclusion. Ongoing work is being chartered by the United Nations to adopt a Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and Draft Article 24, "Participation in Cultural Life, Recreation, Leisure and Sport," at http://www.ncpad.org/688/3128/2005-03-01#1. The International Paralympic Committee hosts additional information at http://www.ncpad.org/688/3128/2005-03-01#2. Also see the new publication, "Promoting the Health and Human Rights of Individuals with Disabilities through the Paralympic Movement," written by Cheri Blauwet at http://www.ncpad.org/get/pdf/ipc.pdf.
3) The Illinois Attorney General's Office announce the 2nd Annual Best Practices Awards, a program that recognizes businesses, organizations, and government agencies that create recreation opportunities for Illinois residents with disabilities. Whether you represent a public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit entity, you may qualify for the awards.
Please submit applications on or before April 8, 2005. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-900-8086 (Voice and TTY) or visit http://www.ncpad.org/employment/index.php#award or http://www.RecreationAccessIllinois.org for more information.
4) NCHPAD Programs Survey: We are updating our databases! Please send new information or updates on your exercise, sports, or recreation-related program for people with disabilities to Cheeri Ong at cheeri@uic.edu, who will send you a NCHPAD Accessible Programs survey.