Disability Programme

The Stockport Community Foundation is an important element within the local community, where we strive to engage with children and adults in a structured, safe, fun environment and provides development activities, in particular supporting those groups with participants who have Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities.

The Community Foundation is very proud of the collaborative relationship we have developed with other stakeholders including Disability Stockport and Pure Innovations, to run Pan-Disability Football sessions within Stockport to over 150 male and female children, young people and adults with a range of physical and learning disabilities, mental illness, dementia and complex needs to engage with football and sport activities promoting a healthy lifestyle. The Disability Football project is designed to extend physical activity for young people and adults in the local area and increase the opportunity to play football and take part in a range of multi-sports. Through this provision to a variety of groups, with a range of needs, we aim to make a positive difference to people’s lives promoting health and wellbeing, extending opportunity, choice and control benefitting attendees physically, socially and emotionally.

Our provision includes the following sessions:

• Social Wellbeing Football Coaching Session for adults Tuesday 11:00-12:00 at Life Leisure, Brinnington Park Leisure Complex, Northumberland Road, Stockport, SK5 8LS. (Free session).
• As a Community Foundation we work very closely in partnership with  local schools and special educational need and disability schools, colleges, disability organisations, day services and mental health groups by providing both football and multisport coaching sessions on a weekly basis.

The project has grown in strength since its inception 8 years ago and is now a key part of many people’s weekly routine.

What we provide:

• Football/Multisport training sessions for all disabled people (male and female) including wheelchair users, those with mobility impairments and to mental health groups.
• Opportunities for participation in competitive and friendly football matches
• Opportunities for competitive football in local and regional tournaments
• Volunteering opportunities

Over the duration of the project, we have seen the many benefits that the project has brought to people’s lives in that it helps to:

• extend opportunity and choice for disabled children and adults to take part in physical activities such as football and multisport.
• promotes health and wellbeing through a sporting activity.
• improves self-esteem and confidence.
• builds new skills and provides appropriate opportunities for disabled people to volunteer.
• enables participants to enjoy themselves and have fun.
• reduces participants social isolation by enabling social networking and helping to build friendships.
• builds on participants existing interests or to develop new interests as well as enabling them to progress, if they so choose, to ‘mainstream’ providers of leisure services.
• benefits families and carers in providing them with breaks from their caring role, enabling parents and carers to spend time with their other siblings or spend time doing everyday tasks.

If anyone is interested or would like further information about the Pan-Disability Football Project please contact the office on 07778 171964 or email [email protected]