SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES,
29.06 – 03.07.2006 Struga

SOCIAL INCLUSION
of adolescents with intellectual disabilities through sports and recreational activities

     The Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA as a service provider manages four day centers for adolescents with intellectual disability throughout the country. The day centers provide the needed support for the clients on daily basis; training for improvement of the independent living skills; educational programs and vocational-occupational programs as well as social activities and integration for persons with intellectual disability.

     The day centers, within their program activities, are also organizing sports and recreational activities for the clients/adolescents with intellectual disability. The main goal reached with these sports and recreational activities is promotion a new form of inclusion of adolescents with intellectual disability in the society life through sports and recreation and contribution in the development of the skills for independent living for adolescents with intellectual disability. Also these activities offer opportunities for improvement of the psychophysical condition of the adolescents with intellectual disability.

     The sports and recreational activities that have been organized by the Republic Center for Support of Persons with Intellectual Disability – PORAKA were held in the Education and Recreation Center of the City Red Cross Skopje in Struga in the period from 29.06 to 02.07.2006. This manifestation included 45 adolescents with intellectual disability who are clients of the day centers managed by the Republic Center – PORAKA in Skopje , Radovis, Ohrid and Struga. There were also 8 leaders of the teams (personnel from the day centers) and 3 professionals from the Republic Center – PORAKA.

     The sports and recreational activities provided opportunities for developing the sense of and spirit for competition amongst the adolescents with intellectual disability as well as the experience to be a part of a sports team and to feel the unity in the team. The participants had possibilities to feel the motivation for competition and victory, but at the same time to experience and cope with being defeated in sport games. At the same time these activities offered opportunities for the personnel of the day centers to be 24 hours together with the clients of the day centers. This allowed valuable information for the personnel. Furthermore, the observation of the clients in a new environment, without parental influence, offered the personnel new insights regarding the improvement of the independence and self-esteem among the clients and the unselfish support and friendly behavior between themselves. Thus, this manifestation also provided opportunities for improvement of the skills for personal hygiene, skills for social interactions etc.

     Since the Education and Recreation Center has its own beach, it provided opportunities for organizing recreational activities in the lake during the afternoons. This was a whole new experience for the participants because they are for the first without their parents, and at the same time with their peers, on a beach. There were some participants that were afraid of going into the lake, but the volunteers found adequate ways to overcome that fear and each of the clients, especially those that do not have any swimming skills, experienced floating on water with the assistance of the volunteers.

     When organizing this type of activities, raising public awareness regarding the potentials and possibilities of persons with intellectual disability is also one of the goals. Therefore, the media was present to cover this manifestation in order to witness the importance of organizing this type of activities and to interview the persons with intellectual disability regarding their reactions about the event. Another possibility for raising public awareness was the presence of the Minister for Labor and Social Policy, Mr.Stefce Jakimovski, who found time within his busy schedule to spend a whole morning with the persons with intellectual disability. Also the volunteers of the City Red Cross Skopje, who were at the same time staying at the same Center, had opportunities to socialize with the persons with intellectual disability during the recreational activities. On their initiative there was a football match between a team of the volunteers of the City Red Cross Skopje and a team of the clients of the day centers of the Republic Center – PORAKA.

The sports activities were divided in the following disciplines:

Athletics
•  Running on 25 m (men, women and combined);
•  Running on 50 m (men, women and combined);
•  Jumps in distance.

Football
•  Competitions in small football (men, women and combined).

Basketball
•  Competitions in basket (teams of three persons – men, women and combined).

Volleyball
•  Competitions in teams of three persons (men, women and combined).

Rope pulling
•  Competitions in teams consisted of three persons (men, women and combined).

The participants were previously divided in teams according to their possibilities, regardless of the day center they come from, which ensured equal participation of everyone.

The recreational part of the program included:
- Relay games (like, pass on the ball);
- Badminton;
- Frisbee;
- Different social games (memo, twister, etc);
- Drawing;
- Music and dancing.

     At the end of the sports and recreational activities, the City Red Cross Skopje gave diplomas for every participant, for his/her active participation on this manifestation.

     It may be concluded that the aim of the sports and recreational activities was fully realised. The clients of the day centers were actively included in the sports and recreational contents, and the personnel from the day centers of PORAKA had opportunity to find out important information regarding the behavior of the clients outside the day centers, which will be of enormous significance in their further work for improvement of independent living skills.

	STRUGA 2005 SPORT ACTIVITIES	click to zoom any of the photos