Sports for the disabled go to the heartlands
The Jurong West Sports Centre. Photo courtesy of Sport Singapore.
SINGAPORE — Singaporeans with disabilities will soon get more opportunities to play and try out sports in their neighbourhoods. Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (ACCY) Grace Fu announced today (Dec 2) that centres of expertise in disability sports will be set up at five of Sport Singapore’s ActiveSG centres around the island, with the project to kick off in Jurong West and Toa Payoh next year.
In order to allow more to participate in sports, the centres will have inclusive gyms with fitness equipment geared for users of all abilities. Learn-to-play modules, play-the-game programmes and learn-to-compete programmes will also be available, with each centre to pilot programmes in one disability sport like table tennis, swimming and boccia.
The initiative is the first to be launched as part of the key recommendations from the Committee for Disability Sports formed by the MCCY earlier this year as part of the Government’s vision to build a more inclusive society and open up opportunities for persons with disabilities to participate in sports. Consisting of representatives from the public, people and private sectors, the committee consulted with stakeholders, which included voluntary welfare organisations (VWOs), the National Disability Sports Associations and special education schools.
There are also plans to work more closely with VWOs, hospitals and rehabilitation centres to introduce sport as part of the rehabilitation and recovery process for patients. Workshops will also be organised to equip teachers to run adapted and inclusive PE lessons for students with disabilities in mainstream and special education schools.
The aim, said Ms Fu, is to build a legacy for Singaporeans beyond the ASEAN Para Games. “Ultimately, we hope to build upon the 8th ASEAN Para Games to enable more persons with disabilities to live better through sport,” said Ms Fu in her speech. “We want to use disability sport to improve society’s awareness and understanding of persons with special needs, and through this, foster a more inclusive and caring society in Singapore. This is the legacy that we want to build for the 8th ASEAN Para Games.”
Some 1,500 athletes from 10 countries will compete across 15 sports during the Games, which kicks off tomorrow and ends on Dec 9.
