“I understand that I'm not doing it in vain!”: St. Petersburg residents will be told how to play sports and do good deeds. Residents of St. Petersburg have the final opportunity in 2022 to learn an unusual format of sports volunteering – to undergo training of volunteer leaders who help blind athletes.
Volunteer leaders helping blind athletes will be trained in St. Petersburg
Training according to its own unique methodology is conducted by the Sports for Life Charitable Foundation, which for 9 years has been developing the accessibility of mass sports for everyone in Russia and helping people with disabilities to get involved in sports activities. And for this work we need the help of volunteer sports enthusiasts. The Foundation operates in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg, in these cities hundreds of blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind people got the opportunity to play sports, and the citizens who are fond of sports (including running) were able to realize their desire to do good deeds.
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Anyone can take the training. It doesn't matter if you are physically fit or not. A volunteer leader actually becomes a vision for a visually impaired athlete; he accompanies the wards of the foundation at trainings and at competitions. At the training, the participants of the training will be able to delve into the nuances of interaction with people with visual impairments, hone their practical skills in training and sports distances. The trainings are held within the framework of the “Sports for All” project, implemented with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund.
Participants of previous trainings positively assess the experience they gained through training, and note that the Sports for Life Foundation manages to destroy stereotypes and help society to form a tolerant attitude towards people with disabilities, and trainings give sports fans an opportunity to learn how to combine their passion and good deeds.
“People are sometimes embarrassed to ask for help, while many want to play sports or at least lead a more active lifestyle. Even a slow jog – this is activity. And volunteer leaders, together with the fund, help in this. It was interesting when already experienced volunteers of the foundation at the training shared with their dreams how they went to starts with their wards, and how some athletes were amazed at the strength and preparation of such a pair of “blind-volunteer-leader”, they were surprised that they were overtaken by a visually impaired athlete . This is how the foundation changes the general attitude towards people with disabilities,” says Roman Ionov, a participant in the training.
“After training, it became clear to me that blind people are the same as the rest of us. They live full, busy lives, and sometimes they need a little more attention. And certainly not a pity. And sport is not about pumped up muscles and the ability to run 100 km without a break. Sports are, first of all, people who are waiting for you at the finish line, these are joint trainings, this is a feeling of community, these are new friends, finally, – Elena Yundina, a participant in the training, notes. – I am motivated by communication with people who, despite the restrictions, regularly run. And if, thanks to me, the guys get the opportunity to run at competitions, communicate with other athletes and get their dose of endorphins at the finish line, then I'm not doing it in vain».
< em>TRAINING INFORMATION:
WHEN: November 15, 17 and 19, 2022. The training lasts 3 days, you must attend all training days.
WHERE: The location of the training will be communicated later to all participants of the training
questionnaire, after which the curator will contact you. Questionnaire at the link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTtRkSNBnM1e9ajtqq9IGsj56EsDvMw55vU1j1lC71dYNVTQ/viewform
Contacts for communication: mvt.spb@gmail.com