Information and mobilisation of participants

Identification

Identifying potential participants can be a difficult task in a country with limited resources. According to a study in Cambodia, approximately 98 percent of the children with disabilities are unaware of the possibilities and advantages of practising sport. Nevertheless, the project experienced little problems in attracting participants for the sports camps. Hardly any public activities and events are organised for children in general and disabled children specifically, consequently there was great interest in participating in the sport camps.

There are many formal and informal ways to inform and access people, some are listed below:

• Media broadcast - widespread information on the possibility of practising sports.
• Spreading information in places where children and young people usually gather (the market, the riverside, etc.).
• Visiting families at their home, informing disabled children and their family about the planned sports event.
• Mobilisation of non-disabled children and young people from the same neighbourhood as the disabled children.

Any partner or resource organisation should also be involved in the identification of possible participants:

• Mobilisation through rehabilitation centres or other institutions and NGOs working with disabled children and youth.
• Contact to children in schools, kindergartens or other similar institutions. o Mobilisation within an existing local sports centre.

Obstacles

The context of hardship

In a situation of economic and socio-political hardship (post-war conditions, poverty, lack of infrastructure, etc.), many resources like food, medical equipment, physical and psychological strength are scarce. Any kind of disability often represents further challenges to the individual as well as the community. Offering people with disabilities the opportunity of leisure under such conditions might be considered an excessive luxury. Anticipating this reaction, the main objective and the importance of sports as means of rehabilitation and integration need to be emphasised. Through sports, disabled people strengthen their physical and psychological abilities, which encourage their active participation in daily life. Not only the individual but also the community will benefit.

Cultural sensitivity

Certain therapeutic approaches and medical treatment may interfere with cultural values or the interpretation of a specific disability. The involvement of all groups and organisations concerned at all levels (preparation, implementation, evaluation) reduces this risk and allows at the same time the introduction of innovative approaches. Rehabilitation work, through sports or through other methods, always means to respect, involve and strengthen the community network in the same way as the individual person with a disability.

Participation of parents

Parents proved to be the main obstacle to the participation of children in sports camps in Cambodia as well as in Angola. Parents often have insufficient knowledge of the possibilities of rehabilitation. They fail to accept the disability of their child, experiencing at the same time a feeling of isolation, guilt and confusion. The inclusion of parents at the planning stage is crucial as their approval is an inevitable precondition for the children’s participation. The concept of rehabilitation through sports requires much explanation and discussion, and the underlying concerns and misconceptions about disability need to be addressed. The same is true on the issue of girls and young women with disabilities participating in sports activities. Experience pleads in favour of identifying concerned parents who are willing to cooperate and let them address other parents.

Incentives and Motivation

Organised sports activities are generally a rare but welcome change in daily life. Even the planning and preparation stages usually meet great interest. Therefore, finding participants may be easy and incentives considered unnecessary. However, the lack of resources of families and the community very often limit the possibility for children to participate. Thus, organisers of sports activities should support the children's participation. The level of support has to be adjusted to local conditions and the general environment. Too extensive material and monetary incentives may create envy in the community and it also risks destroying the authentic motivation of the participants. In the event that incentives are given it is important not to favour certain participants, for example exclusively the group of disabled children, as it may cause jealousy and be an obstacle to the process of integration. The organising teams in Cambodia and Angola provided means of transport, accommodation, food, soft drinks etc. Food and drinks are of utmost importance to directly compensate the energy used during physical effort and prevent children from losing strength.

The following elements can be considered as an alternative type of incentive and should be communicated on a large scale during the awareness and information campaign at the planning stage of any activity. Sports activities provide the opportunity to:

• enhance fitness and health.
• improve the physical rehabilitation reducing the risk of any further physical handicap.
• increase well-being and self-esteem.
• promote child-to-child interaction.
• improve recognition and appreciation.
• increase social attention and integration.

For parents, sports activities provide the opportunity to:

• experience their child positively.
• meet other parents.
• get a break from everyday life.
• increase their understanding of the abilities of their disabled child.
• improve the relationship between parents and children.