Dear All,
Thanks for visiting, and please let me know your thoughts and opinions!
Jake
Sunday, July 5, 2009
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Changing Public Perception
“Hi, my name is Ashley, and I want to volunteer for the Special Olympics, when are they?” This was an actual call taken from a high school senior, and potential Special Olympics volunteer. Ashley is immensely misinformed, though through no fault of her own; the public perception of the Special Olympics is incorrect and needs to be addressed. A combination of lack of information coupled with peoples’ unfamiliarity with individuals with intellectual disabilities is responsible for Ashley’s uninformed query. This mentality is universal for Special Olympics offices across the country and globe, but change needs to start at home in one’s own community, and thus will start with the Special Olympics of Southern California.
We all have our causes that we are truly passionate about, we all know a family member that has suffered from Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, or Diabetes. We are passionate about our pets, or saving the environment or hundreds of other causes that prevent or work to cure diseases. The Special Olympics of Southern California doesn’t cure a disease or stop global warming. For this reason, fundraising and public awareness is difficult, for individuals often times are skeptical to donate funds, time or their efforts to an organization that provides joy, and doesn’t work to cure or eradicate. The message of the Special Olympics often times goes unheard and unnoticed.
“The mission of Special Olympics Southern California is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community”.
There is a stigma born with individuals with intellectual disabilities, a stigma that starts in childhood and progresses through the school system and the workplace. This stigma is created out of an inherent truth amongst humans, we are uncomfortable with things that are different from us. As a child we may see an individual that looks different than we do, or sounds different than we do, and immediately the stigma is created. It is thus strengthened by the school systems and its segregation of individuals with intellectual disabilities, often times to different buildings, or entirely different campuses. It is important that steps be taken to erase this stigma in order for the public perception of Special Olympics to change.
“Let me win, but if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt”. The Athlete Oath that is spoken at each and every Special Olympics event does much to change the public’s ill-informed perception. The Special Olympics is an amateur sports organization that does in fact provide year round sporting opportunities, however the competition is secondary to the experience the athlete’s take away.
The only way that public perception is going to change is if we allow it to. People often times get “set in their ways” and are unsusceptible to change or different ideas. This change will occur through word of mouth, and through the constant vigilance of those working with the Special Olympics, the athletes competing, and the thousands of volunteers that provide their time, effort, and funds to keep the organization thriving.
We all have our causes that we are truly passionate about, we all know a family member that has suffered from Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, or Diabetes. We are passionate about our pets, or saving the environment or hundreds of other causes that prevent or work to cure diseases. The Special Olympics of Southern California doesn’t cure a disease or stop global warming. For this reason, fundraising and public awareness is difficult, for individuals often times are skeptical to donate funds, time or their efforts to an organization that provides joy, and doesn’t work to cure or eradicate. The message of the Special Olympics often times goes unheard and unnoticed.
“The mission of Special Olympics Southern California is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community”.
There is a stigma born with individuals with intellectual disabilities, a stigma that starts in childhood and progresses through the school system and the workplace. This stigma is created out of an inherent truth amongst humans, we are uncomfortable with things that are different from us. As a child we may see an individual that looks different than we do, or sounds different than we do, and immediately the stigma is created. It is thus strengthened by the school systems and its segregation of individuals with intellectual disabilities, often times to different buildings, or entirely different campuses. It is important that steps be taken to erase this stigma in order for the public perception of Special Olympics to change.
“Let me win, but if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt”. The Athlete Oath that is spoken at each and every Special Olympics event does much to change the public’s ill-informed perception. The Special Olympics is an amateur sports organization that does in fact provide year round sporting opportunities, however the competition is secondary to the experience the athlete’s take away.
The only way that public perception is going to change is if we allow it to. People often times get “set in their ways” and are unsusceptible to change or different ideas. This change will occur through word of mouth, and through the constant vigilance of those working with the Special Olympics, the athletes competing, and the thousands of volunteers that provide their time, effort, and funds to keep the organization thriving.