Fiji Disability Sport Program

The purpose of the Fiji Disability Sport Program is to ‘increase the number of quality sport programs that people with a disability can participate in at a level and in a role that they choose’.

Structure

Partners

The Fiji Paralympic Committee is responsible for the delivery of this program.

Participation

The program focuses on activities that contribute to the following outcomes:

1. Each special education centre delivers a sports program appropriate to the abilities of its students.
2. Sporting federations and disabled persons organisations deliver quality sports programs for adults and children with a disability.
3. Support services are provided to affiliated organisations and key stakeholders by appropriately trained and properly resourced Fiji Sports Association for the Disabled staff and volunteers.

Implementation

Program activities will target children and adults both enrolled in and outside of Fiji’s 17 special education centres, and people with a disability in Fiji’s main urban area and some rural areas.

Training in supporting activities will be aimed at:

• Fiji Paralympic Committee staff and volunteers
• teachers and volunteers from special education centres
• representatives from identified sport federations.

‘Before we introduced the Paralympic sports of boccia, sitting volleyball and goalball, teachers weren’t giving all the children a chance because they didn’t know what activities to do. Now I know, when 1.00pm comes each Friday, over 1000 children with a disability around the country are playing sports.

‘When people see children with a disability playing sport, they know that they are capable of doing many different things.’
Saimoni Nainoca — Sport Development Officer, Fiji Paralympic Committee