British Blind Sport is going national with a project aimed at encouraging children between three and 11 years old with a visual impairment to become physically active.
‘First Steps’ helps to improve early developmental movement skills and, after being trialled the project in Yorkshire, West Midlands and the North West with huge success, the project is now being expanded across the UK.
The charity has resources to help 450 families over three years and has designed an innovative pack to give to First Steps families with all the tools their children need to take their first steps towards leading a more active life.
The First Steps pack is completely free and includes an audible ball, an activity booklet, progress poster to track achievements, and one-to-one support with the First Steps officer. To register, click here.
British Blind Sport’s aim is that the pack will help children to learn the basics in a fun and supportive environment so that they can grow in confidence and capability, and then be able to take their next steps to a healthy lifestyle by joining into activities and sports clubs in their local areas.
A parent whose child has participated in the programme said: “My little one can now kick a ball, which he couldn’t manage at the start of this project. He can now confidently throw the ball very well and if close enough, he can catch the ball. This is amazing progress for my little boy.”
Another commented: “Our daughter now attends disability football with Wolves FC after we learnt about it at the Have a Go Day. She also goes swimming and we had the confidence to move her from the toddler class to being in the pool with her own age group.”
NATIONWIDE
Alaina MacGregor, Chief Executive Officer at British Blind Sport, is looking forward to seeing the impact that the project has across the nation. She said: “First Steps is a project very close to our hearts at British Blind Sport and we’re so pleased to see it develop nationwide.
“It has had huge success in the areas it has previously been introduced to, with all members of the family benefitting from the unique aspects of the project. Siblings are able to play together more independently, parents are able to see a marked different in their child’s physical ability and children with a visual impairment grow in confidence and ability so much that they are able to join in with local, accessible activities.”
First Steps officer Jane Jacobs said: “I’m really excited to be taking First Steps nationally. It is a lovely project and we’ve already seen the difference it has made to the families in the regional roll-out.
“Now, we get to meet and help families all across the UK and show them the difference that physical activity can have upon their child’s development and general happiness. I can’t wait to start meeting the families and help them take their first steps toward an active life!”
To find out more about British Blind Sport, visit its page on the ConnectSport directory. To add your organisation for free, contact hello@connectsport.co.uk.
