Leisure charity High Life Highland has launched an appeal for more willing volunteers to enhance its disability sport offering.
Whether it’s research in the archives, weeding in the Inverness Botanic Gardens, a beach clean with the Countryside Rangers or coaching youth basketball, High Life Highland has something for everyone to get involved in.
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However, there is one area of the charity’s work that is desperately seeking more volunteers to help make life better.
As part of its aim to be an inclusive organisation, High Life is keen to be able to offer more opportunities for children that need extra support to take part in games and sports, whether for fun or competitively.
Disability sports development officer at High Life Highland, Fiona Green says extra volunteers can create better opportunities for disability sports across the Highlands.
She explains: “We are lucky to have a successful Active Schools network across the Highlands, which is getting more children, more active, more often – but I believe we could deliver more in the area of disability sports if we had a few extra volunteers.
“We need individuals from all parts of the region with an enthusiasm for sport and who are keen to encourage young people to be active and to help them to feel confident to give something a try. It’s not too onerous – we’re only talking about an hour a week of a persons time – and we can provide any training that might be required.”
High Life Highland works in partnership with Highland Disability Sport with the aim of making lift better for people with a physical, learning and/or a sensory disability by developing quality sporting opportunities and promoting a range of initiatives that enhance pathways to participation.
Regular sports across the Highlands include football, swimming, golf, indoor and outdoor bowls, athletics, boccia, dance and fitness with multi-sport sessions, taster sessions and other opportunities available throughout the year.
Alison Thompson, Highland Disability Sport co-ordinator commented: “At Highland Disability Sport our events and training sessions could not go ahead without our amazing volunteers, we are always on the lookout for passionate and enthusiastic new volunteers who want to get involved to make sure people across Highland with a disability can take part in a sport they love.
“We aim to reach all over the Highlands so making sure we have volunteers from all over is very important. If you are involved in a club and think your sport can offer inclusive sessions then reaching out is the best way to make sure everyone has the chance to physical activity.
“Our athletes are great and always show up with excitement for our reginal events but if we don’t have enough volunteers, it would make it very difficult to put on these events regularly though the year.”
Bryan Stevens has been a disability sports volunteer for over 10 years with a variety of organisations including Scottish Disability Sport and High Life Highland. His passion is basketball.
“My motivation for getting involved in volunteering was to be able to give children and adults in the Highlands a means to play sports on a level playing field no matter their ability – I never got this opportunity growing up,” said Bryan.
“It’s been hugely rewarding for me – I have gained skills and qualifications in basketball and wheelchair basketball and race running, first aid and so on. My volunteering in disability sports has given me a sense of pride – seeing my athletes being involved in sport from grassroots to a competitive level warms the heart.”
Fellow volunteer Marisa Mustard – who is involved with swimming and multi sports sessions at Culloden – said: “If you love sports and have a passion for helping others, I believe volunteering with disability sports is a very rewarding experience.
“I see the benefits that young people get from having these opportunities. It gives them a safe space where they can meet others like themselves, develop physical skills and fitness and enjoy being active in a fun environment.
“Everyone has the right to be physically active and I think disability sport is an area that isn’t represented enough at grassroots and development levels. You see Paralympic athletes but often forget that they had to start somewhere and the people who provide opportunities for disability sports are necessary for this to happen.”
Fiona Green added: “Our volunteers all agree that it’s very rewarding to be a disability sports volunteer so if anyone is interested in finding out more, they just have to get in touch – we would love to hear from them – and it would be especially great to get volunteers from across the Highlands so that participants can access sport on their doorstep.”
Anyone wanting to know more is invited to email [email protected] for more information.
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Publish date : 2025-02-18 09:18:00
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