Overview

The Paralympic Games in Beijing, September 2008, provided a wonderful springboard from which to inspire the able-bodied and disabled everywhere to be engaged in sporting activity as a means to enhance quality of life in terms of health, social inclusion and cross cultural understanding.

The project helped Beijing and China to have a Paralympic legacy by contributed to the 2008 Paralympic Games and played a direct part in the cultural and educational programme of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

The British Council's Young Advocates programme (YAP) support the spirit of the Paralympic Movement and the Paralympic Games in Beijing 2008 by training 240 young people worldwide - both disabled and able bodied - to advocate the potential of sport in benefiting a diverse range of people in the community and promote social inclusion around the world.

Core concept

We developed a global team of skilled Advocates who had taken part in training and skills development modules that would augment their awareness of the paralympic spirit and enhance their employability. Through them millions of others will become aware of the potential of sport in benefiting a diverse range of people in the community and promote social inclusion around the world.

In partnership with the Hong Kong Paralympic Committee, 20 Young Advocates have be selected from Hong Kong and 90 Young Advocates from Mainland China and more than 100 from the UK for training in Paralympic Knowledge/Disability Awareness; Sports Leadership & organisation skills; Language, and Media & Communication skills.

Once trained, the Young Advocates will mobilise other young people in their communities - disabled and able bodied - to participate in sport, promote social inclusion and develop cross-cultural understanding. With the International and National Paralympic Committees providing expertise and support, Young Advocates will encourage schools to organise sporting events which include a paralympic component and will pass on their skills to successive generations of Young Advocates.

The result is life changing for participants and inspirational for us all!

The objectives of the programme are to:

I. Develop skills in a core group of young leaders, the Advocates

II. Raise awareness of the potential of sport to benefit a diverse range of people in their communities and their countries

The selected Young Advocates received full-funded training in the following areas from May to September 2008

• Paralympic Knowledge and Disability Awareness Training
• Enhanced Leadership & Organisation skills
• Communication skills
• English Language / Generic Language skills
  

Training modules have been delivered through

• Online self-learning
• Workshops and courses delivered by experienced trainers

Activities

30 May 08 YAP official launch reception

June - September 08 Training period

4 July 08 Paralympic School Day

5 - 12 September 08 5-days Student Forum in Beijing during the Paralympic Games period

March 2009 Teach the students to organise a Paralympic School Day at Singapore International School

February - April 2009 Will organsie different activities at schools and/or univeristies to promote Paralympic Spirit and spread the idea of social inclusion

Local partner

Hong Kong Paralympic Committee and Sports Assocation for the Physically Disabled (HKPC&SAPD)

Partnership and consultation with International organisations:

 International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
  Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games        (BOCOG)
  British Paralympic Association (BPA)
  Leonard Cheshire International (LCI)
 Chinese Disabled Persons Federation (CDPF)
  China Lions Club

For your reference:
General information on Paralympics

Enquiries  

E-mail sports@britishcouncil.org.hk

or please call 2913 5210.