A new report has highlighted the need for a network of 'activity champions’ and training to build the confidence of people working in social care and sport.

The report, published by the disability charity Sense, underlines the key role that support workers play in getting people with complex disabilities to be physically active.

Released in partnership with Traverse and Sport England, the new report ‘Support Workers: attitudes, approaches and barriers to helping people with complex disabilities engage in sport and physical activity’, contains analysis of the experience of support workers, which it recognises as “playing a critical role in encouraging, informing and helping adults with complex disabilities to access sport and physical activity”.

CULTURAL

The report reveals greater support is required to encourage more support workers to promote the benefits of sport to people with complex disabilities, and how it must “take into account the personal, organisational and local delivery challenges that support workers face”. Amongst its recommendations, it calls for a “cultural shift towards placing physical activity support at the heart of the support worker role”.

Following the insight, a peer network of ‘Physical Activity Champions’ across Sense will be established with the aim of inspiring fellow staff, overcoming concerns and increasing their knowledge of how to best support people to be active.

The report also highlights inconsistencies in knowledge, awareness and understanding of people with complex disabilities and their needs within the sports sector.

As a result, the Sense Active team will be providing additional support and guidance through training, collaboration and sharing best practice in order to upskill the sports sector to create better experiences for disabled people and support staff in a sport and physical activity setting.

CONFIDENCE

Jonathan Monk, Director of Operational Programmes at Sense, said: “Support workers know how to engage people with activities and their communication skills enable people to get the most out of sports and physical activities. I’ve seen first hand how the approach taken by a support worker can give people the confidence, desire and ability to get involved in sport and to have a great time as a result.

“The research, together with support from Sense Active, provides essential guidance to empower support workers to use their impressive range of skills and knowledge to enable people with complex disabilities to actively participate in sport and achieve great outcomes.”

As well as providing research and recommendations for Sense Active and support staff at Sense, this research is relevant for other social care charities. The full report, easy read and accessible versions are available to download here.

For more information, contact Louis Wickett-Padgham, Sense Sport & Physical Activity Development Manager, at louis.wickett-padgham@sense.org.uk.

Visit the Sense page on the ConnectSport directory. To add your organisation for free, contact hello@connectsport.co.uk.