OUR ADVOCACY

What does Special Olympics Philippines offer?

Special Olympics Philippines Offer a year-round program of recreation, physical education, sports training and competition. The success of which depends on the love and dedication of volunteers who believe that persons with intellectual disability have important contributions to make in the society.

It accommodates individuals with intellectual disability who are four years of age or older, with an IQ of 75% and below. It provides sports and fitness training of the highest quality at every level. Every athlete is given the opportunity to join athletic competitions through local, regional, national and international Special Olympics games.

A full range of developmental sports is offered to those athletes whose mental and physical disabilities are too severe. Each special child is given a "feeling of belonging" by offering him/her membership in a SPECIAL OLYMPICS CLUB.

A Special Olympics athlete is instilled a "sense of pride" by giving him/her a chance to know success. By allowing youngsters of similar abilities to compete, each special child experiences sports in the truest sense. For no records are broken in Special Olympics except those for courage, determination and sportsmanship.

 

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How can you help?

 

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What is Special Olympics?

Special Olympics is made up of passionate, committed individuals from every walk of life, who recognize the value and unique gifts of people with intellectual disabilities. And who, together, share the common belief in dignity, equality and opportunity for ALL people.

Special Olympics is a global nonprofit organization targeting the nearly 200 million people round the world who have intellectual disabilities. With a presence in nearly 200 countries worldwide and seven world-region offices, we are constantly expanding. We can say with all truth that “the sun never sets on the Special Olympics movement.”

Working Every Day
Every day, 365 days a year, our Board members, global leadership, staff and volunteers work to bring Special Olympics to as many communities as possible. Speaking hundreds of languages and coming from diverse cultures and backgrounds, the common thread tying us together is our belief in people with intellectual disabilities and in Special Olympics: its unique ability to envision and create a world where every person is celebrated and accepted — all through the simple platform of sport.

Growing Support
In the decades since Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded Special Olympics in 1968, Special Olympics has been supported by a who’s who of outstanding leaders in the fields of sports, education, business, government and disability advocacy. They serve on the International Board of Directors, give financial and political support, act as spokespeople, help build awareness, and establish connections with important organizations and reluctant governments.

International Board members include President of Iceland Olafur Grimmson; Olympic Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci; pop singer and actress Vanessa Williams; Coca Cola CEO Muhtar Kent; and former First Lady of Panama Vivian Fernández de Torrijos.

A Family of Millions Worldwide
Under the Board’s guidance and the guidance of Special Olympics leaders, our global family of grass-roots volunteers, athletes, family and staff work tirelessly to ensure a quality sports experience for Special Olympics athletes and an accepting community for their families.

Every day, talented individuals in offices around the world work to bring our sports, education, and health programs to as many places as possible. We work so that we may realize founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s vision: to improve the lives of people with intellectual disabilities everywhere, and, in turn, transform the lives of everyone they touch – building a better, more accepting world for all of us.

 

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Intellectual Disability - Facts and Figures

Intellectual disability in Victoria
People with an intellectual disability are those who have shown:

The effects vary in severity
Intellectual disability affects some people more than others. Around 40,000 Victorians are affected - about one per cent of the population. Approximately three quarters of these people are affected mildly. The rest are moderately, severely or profoundly affected. Intellectual disability is not a psychiatric or mental health problem.

People with an intellectual disability can be independent
If you have an intellectual disability, it means:

Expressions such as ‘mentally retarded’ or ‘mentally handicapped’ are misleading and negative, and can cause community ignorance, which further isolates people with intellectual disabilities.

Many things can cause intellectual disability
There are many causes of intellectual disability, but in the majority of cases, the reasons are still unknown. Known causes include:

Some measures may prevent intellectual disability
While most cases of intellectual disability have no known cause, measures that may help prevent some of the known causes include:

A wide range of help is available
Many services are available through the DisAbility Services Program. These services include:

Where to get help

Things to remember

source: Betterhealth.vic.goc.au

 

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