spol_irl_a5-athleteleadrship - web - rev01 - Special Olympics Ireland

AthleteLeadership

ATHLETE LEADERSHIPThrough participation in Special Olympics sports, athletes gainconfidence, self-esteem and personal skills. With this newconfidence, some athletes wish to pursue other opportunitieswithin the Special Olympics programme either in addition to theirsport or as a follow on from past participation.Athlete Leadership encourages athletes to develop skills which willempower them to be advocates for all athletes and act as a Leaderfor Special Olympics.Becoming involved in Athlete Leadership provides athletes withmany new and different opportunities. Training is provided toathletes who wish to become Athlete Leaders. The training helpsathletes to build on their confidence and self-esteem andencourages them to contribute to the organisation in a widercontext. It also gives athletes a voice in spreading the word aboutthe positive change Special Olympics can bring to individuals andfamilies.Who can be part of Athlete Leadership?Any athlete, with the assistance of a mentor, can participate inAthlete Leadership. Athletes must be over 16 years of age, whilementors must be over 18 years of age. Both the athlete and thementor must be registered members of Special Olympics.Mentors may support one, two or more athletes at the same time,depending on the level of support the athlete may require.

Key elements of involvementThere are many ways in which an athlete may be a part of AthleteLeadership. A number of key opportunities are offered in thefollowing areas:- Ambassadorial Roles- Volunteering Roles- Committee Work- Awards SchemeAthletes as AmbassadorsSpecial Olympics athletes are superbambassadors for the programme.Through Athlete Leadership,training is provided in a range ofareas including public speaking,presentation skills, photography andmedia work. This training givesathletes the confidence to share andexpress their views and ideas and torepresent themselves and theirfellow athletes.Opportunities are provided forathletes to engage at various levelsof the organisation, including cluband regional level. This may lead toinvolvement in Special Olympicsmedia campaigns and interviews,helping to spread the message ofSpecial Olympics to the generalpublic.Athletes as VolunteersThrough volunteering, athletes areprovided with additionalopportunities to develop their skillsand give their time to theorganisation. With planning andsupport from their mentor, athletescan volunteer at their SpecialOlympics club or in their localcommunity. There may also beopportunities to volunteer atvarious levels within theorganisation. .

Athletes as Teammember on a CommitteeAs Special Olympics athletes gainconfidence in new skills, they oftenseek new challenges and as theydevelop, a better understanding ofhow the organisation operates.Opportunities exist for athletes toserve on different committees andteams within the organisation.Through attendance at workshopsand training, athletes and mentorslearn the values of representingtheir peers at various levels of theorganisationThrough training, athletes learnabout committee roles, committeestructures, election process anddecision making and what isrequired should they be appointedto a committee or teamAwards SchemeFor athletes who are both ready andwish to take on an additionalchallenge, Special Olympics Irelandhas established an awards schemewhich necessitates athletes tocomplete various projects and tasks,with the support of their mentor, inorder to achieve an award.There are three levels of award:Bronze, Silver and Gold.Athlete participation in workshopsand other elements of training willenable them to decide on thevarious projects required at eachlevel.The athlete/s and mentor will agreethe activity and time commitmentprior to undertaking the award.Participation in the awards schemeis not compulsory for any athletewho wishes to become a leader inthe Special Olympics programme.For further information please contact the Regional Development Officer Clubswww.specialolympics.ie