Are you working with 8 to 16 year olds? See below news on Destination Deaflympics.
“UK Deaf Sport’s new youth engagement programme is here. Last week saw the public launch of this exciting and engaging programme. It is the culmination of months of planning and design and marks a new direction for UK Deaf Sport, as it moves to engage with the deaf educational sector.
Mapping UK Deaf Sport’s mission to see every deaf person active and inspired by sport and physical activity, Destination Deaflympics is aimed at 8 to 16 year olds, using the Tokyo 2025 games as a focus point. Young people will travel a sporting journey to the November Tokyo Deaflympics, trying out new activities with friends and learning about Deaflympians, Deaflympic sports and the DeaflympicsGB team along the way. Primary and secondary differentiated activities build excitement, with participants marking countries off in their passports, celebrating their progress and success and finally, getting ready to enjoy the 2025 Deaflympics!
At UK Deaf Sport, our mission is to lead opportunities for more deaf people to participate in sport throughout their lives. By making this fantastic, free programme available to all UK deaf schools and hearing support units, as well as to deaf community and sports groups, we’re tackling the activity gap. Deaf young people are half as likely to be active compared to their hearing counterparts. Our hope and belief is that Destination Deaflympics will be a launch pad for real change.
Using the programme resources, teachers, coaches and community leaders in deaf settings can enable students to reach the following objectives:
- To describe what the Deaflympics are, where they are being held, who is involved, when they will be happening and what sports are involved.
- To explain the different competitions that DeaflympicsGB Team will be involved in, their previous successes and their motivations.
- Use their new skills to develop an interest in getting more active and taking part in deaf sport.
Included within the resources are inspirational messages for the young people participating from Deaflympians, including the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics Chef de Mission, Chris Beech: “I look forward to getting you all involved in sport in the future.” Former GB Women’s squad and 4 time Bronze medallist Damaris Cooke shares the following in her video: “Sport has opened doors to a whole new world. I never thought I’d make friends across the world, represent my country, or become a TV sports presenter.” Evie Smith, Tokyo athletics hopeful for this year’s games, enthusiastically tells participants: “Running is a sport where anyone can get involved, especially you.”
UKDS CEO, Chris Radcliffe, had this to say: “I am delighted to see the launch of Destination Deaflympics thanks to the support of 3i. This is an exciting and innovative approach aimed at helping more deaf children to gain a positive experience when participating in sport and physical activity as well as learning more about the Deaflympics. We hope that the project will also help reduce the gap in activity between deaf children and their hearing peers as well as encourage all deaf children to seek more opportunities to play sport on a regular basis.”
Destination Deaflympics Project Manager Becky Price said: “One of UK Deaf Sport’s 3 objectives is to see more deaf people trying, playing & supporting sport. I’m incredibly proud of all the work the team has put in over the last 9 months. We can now show deaf children that there is a world of sport out there for them.”
Watch our reel about the programme here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc4EKig4Rlw
For more information or to sign up for the programme resources, visit: https://ukdeafsport.org.uk/destinationdeaflympics
For organisations not working with deaf 8-16 year olds but interested to understand more about deaf sport and the Deaflympics, please sign up above to access the programme digitally.
For any programme specific questions, email [email protected]“
