Special Olympics GB National Summer Games Leicester, July 2009

1. The Week• 10,000 athletes, carers & coaches over 21 sports• Record 25,000 spectators at Opening Ceremony • Games media coverage: aggregate 97.5m. reach

nationwide & over 300m. in build-up • Leicestershire’s economic boost : £2.8 mill.• Games Volunteers: 1500; 39% of new recruits from

BME backgrounds; 81 with learning disability; 30 young offenders

2. The Research

History/Observation/Interviews/Surveys1. Interviews with Hosts, Organisers & SOGB2. Observations & 116 on-site interviews

75 Visitors, 41 Locals: 16/21 sports

3. Surveys of Heads of Delegation, Volunteers, Games Families

4. Three on-street public surveys at six-monthly interviews before, during & after the Games (919 respondents)

3. The Findings Successes • Meaningful for athletes in competitive, sociability, self-

esteem & health terms• Meaningful for carers & families: ‘a time out’• Volunteer impact – over 1,000 recruited locally. Trained;

diverse; committed; engaged• Professional development for hosts• Positive local public response• The media & learning disability agenda:

BBC East Midlands Today: 10 mins. 51 seconds ITV Central Tonight: 34 mins. 32 seconds

4. The Lessons & the Future• ‘Crisis’ of funding & support for future hosts• Planning for legacy – ‘joined up’ thinking• Uneven spread & ‘mono-culture’ of SOGB• Exclusion of learning disability athletes/carers• Lack of integration of SOGB & L/D sport into the

landscape of local provision• The future of Special Olympics in Europe?

The Challenge: Maximising inclusion, resources & the impact of volunteers in learning disability sport

Race and Local Sport in Britain Highfield Rangers (1987)

Multiculturalism & Change in UK Sport

1. Leicester – successful multi-cultural city• Pop 300,000. 40% BME (incl 5% African-Carib)

2. Establishing Highfield Rangers 1970-90s• Positive focus for local Black male youth• Race riots of 1981. State subsidies for sport• Success in local competitions follows

3. The Challenges of Multi-culturalism 1990s-• Changing demographics; new arrivals. • Elite black players leave as integration progresses• Withdrawal of club funding• Changing character of the club today?