By Peter Scott, CEO, Independent Living Fund Scotland
SPORT can have a huge impact on the life of a disabled person, improving both their physical and mental health, while also encouraging an active lifestyle.
It is recommended that children aged five to 18 get a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate physical activity at least three days per week, while most adults need at least 30 minutes, five times a week.
At the Independent Living Fund (ILF) Scotland, we support many young disabled people around Scotland through our Transition Fund, awarding grants to those aged 16-21 to help them try something new and enhance their social interaction with their communities – whether that be taking up musical lessons, learning to drive or funding a hobby.
However, a significant number of the applications we receive are related to sport – whether it be to fund equipment needed, public transport costs to get to competitions or class fees. The young people we work with are recognising the positives of taking up a sport or activity to enhance their lives.
Whilst we understand the barriers to an active lifestyle that a lot of young people living with a disability face, there are many ways in which we can promote accessible and adaptable sports, such as basketball, rugby and tennis.
It is no surprise that sport can improve physical aspects of a disabled person’s life. The physical health benefits include increased muscle strength and strengthened cardiovascular levels, as well as improved motor skills, all of which can be vital to ongoing treatment or quality of life.
As well as these improved physical attributes, young disabled people taking part in sport can also see an improvement in their mental health. Involvement in sport can reduce anxiety and stress, and generally improve mood. This is important for everyone, but can be crucial to people living with a disability.
Living with a disability or impairment – be that physical or mental – can at times feel lonely. Participation in sport is a great way of relieving social isolation as it encourages those who take part to socialise with others.
Independence is something that so many people take for granted, but it can be one of the biggest challenges for young disabled people.
Participation in a sport or activity can greatly enhance a young disabled person’s sense of independence. They can rely heavily on parents or carers, so by being able to get involved with a sport where they themselves have choice and control this helps greatly to improve their independence.
Taking part in a sport can go a long way to improving confidence and social skills, especially for disabled people. Team sports, in particular, teach teamwork skills, as well as everyday social skills, which can be vital when young disabled people go through the transition from childhood to adulthood.
ILF Scotland emphasises trying new activities, because it helps young people to take part in their communities where they can meet new people and learn new skills – giving them experiences which will help them to grow their confidence, with the ultimate goal of living a more independent life.
Young disabled people should have the access they need to take part in sports and an active lifestyle, and we believe that our Transition Fund goes a long way towards making this happen. I strongly encourage all those who are eligible to apply and try something new.
For more information, and to apply, visit
https://ilf.scot/transition-fund/
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