Halloween soccer camps for children with additional needs

Leitrim Observer, 23rd Oct 2009

Leitrim County Council in association with the FAI are delighted to announce an exciting initiative planned for children with special needs during the Halloween break - Your Goal to Enjoy .. Football for All!!

Currently Leitrim County Council and the FAI run a community soccer programme in Leitrim. One of the aims of this community soccer programme is to promote Sport and Physical Activity among Adults & Children with Disabilities in Leitrim and to raise the awareness on the benefits of their participation. Leitrim County Council and the FAI aims to work with key stakeholders including local community, voluntary and statutory organisations to help create an environment where everyone is welcomed and valued in sport, irrespective of ability.

Goal to Enjoy..Football for All will take place during the Halloween break. A number of workshops have been organised and will be facilitated by Oisin Jordan, the Co-ordinator for Football for All in the FAI and Declan Boyle Leitrim Soccer Community Development Officer.

To kickstart this week, on Tuesday, October 27th, there will a free workshop for club members, parents, childcare providers, youth group leaders, health service staff and others interested in helping children with special needs enjoy soccer. This programme is being rolled out for the first time in Ireland in Leitrim in the Carrick on Shannon Sports complex from 10.30am - 3.30pm. The workshop will show people different ways of getting children with physical and sensory disabilities active in soccer and sport in general. It will also give parents, volunteers, club members etc an insight into what it is like to have a disability and try to participate in sport.

On Thursday, October 29th from 10.30am to 12.30pm there will be short soccer camp for children with different additional needs e.g. children with learning disability or children with physical or sensory disability in the Sports Hall, Carrick on Shannon.

This camp will be also held in Manorhamilton on Friday 30th October from 10.30am to 12.30pm in St. Clare’s Secondary School.

There will also be a camp for children with autism on Thursday 29th October from 2pm until 3.30pm in the Sports Hall, Carrick on Shannon.

It is hoped that such an exciting initiative as "Goal to Enjoy ... Football for All" will be ongoing and it is anticipated that there will be a high demand for the workshop for adults and the three soccer camps for children. Places will be allocated on a first come first served basis. For further information please contact Michelle / Simone on 071 9650496 or 9650498 or email mreynolds@leitrimcoco.ie on or before October 23rd 2009.