Athletes with disabilities deserve safe, inclusive settings

The benefits of sport participation are undeniable. And everyone should have access to those benefits.

Sport participation for individuals with disabilities can prevent secondary health conditions, improve mental health, and increase social support, life satisfaction, and self-esteem. It also can provide an important athletic identity. The U.S. Center for SafeSport’s online course “Creating Safe and Inclusive Environments for Athletes with Disabilities” can be a valuable resource for any organization that aspires to maximum safety, accessibility and respect.

The 60-minute course covers:

·????????Ways to interact respectfully with people with disabilities

·????????Inclusive practices related to disability and sport

·????????Common types of abuse and misconduct against athletes with disabilities

·????????Responsibilities for reporting misconduct

Learners will gain the skills to recognize grooming behaviors, as well as the signs and symptoms of abuse.

They will also learn to define different types of disabilities and come away with a deeper understanding of harmful “ableism,” which is the idea that disabilities make people inferior and need to be “fixed.”

People are disabled by their environment, not by their condition. This lack of accommodation can include social attitudes and inaccessible spaces. It’s an important reminder that sport organizations design programs and services to meet the needs of all people, not just some people.

The Center’s trainings, some of which are required within the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement, come with the quality parents can trust.?The Center has delivered millions of trainings since our inception in 2017, with a goal of surpassing 5 million by the end of 2023. Be part of the solution. Get SafeSport? Trained and join our mission to end abuse in sport.

Check out our course “Creating Safe and Inclusive Environments for Athletes With Disabilities”?here, along with our full catalog of SafeSport trainings.