Olimpiadas Especiales Honduras (HON-6)

Type: Health: Disability - Country: Honduras

Brief description and main aims

Olimpiadas Especiales Honduras – OEH belongs to the international network of Special Olympics International. OEH is a non-profit organisation founded in 1995, dedicated to provide sports training and athletic competition throughout the year in a variety of sports of Olympic style, to children, youth and adults that have an intellectual and/or physical disability such as Down Syndrome, autism and cerebral palsy.

The main aims of OEH are to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, and that people with disabilities have the opportunity to be useful and productive citizens who are accepted and respected.

OEH has had important participation in international games, winning more than 500 awards in all the competitions since its creation. Enthusiasm, the willingness to surpass oneself and the constant training have made it possible that the Honduran athletes stand out nationally and internationally, which although obtaining a medal or rosette is not OEH’s main objective, gives joy to the athletes and makes them want to exert themselves even more.

Main Activities

OEH offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition. There is no charge to participate in the activities. OEH is currently present in 15 departamentos (counties) of the country, although the main headquarters is located in Tegucigalpa.

The activities are mainly carried out in the Complejo Deportivo “José Simón Azcona” Villa Olímpica, the biggest sports complex of Tegucigalpa, which has an athletics track, Olympic swimming pool, baseball stadium, multisport gymnasiums, tennis, football, volleyball, bowling courts, among others. OEH has its own headquarters built within this sports complex. The main activities of OEH are focused in the following initiatives / programmes:

• Atletas Líderes(Leader Athletes): It offers to athletes the opportunity to undertake active leadership roles both within and outside the sports field. Athletes help in Board of Directors/Trustees, organise competitions, train other athletes, help as speakers and make decisions on the future of Olimpiadas Especiales Honduras.
• Deportes Unificados de Olimpiadas Especiales® (Special Olympics Unified Sports ®): It combines people with and without intellectual disabilities (called compañero unificado – Unified Sports Partner) in sports teams to train and compete, drastically increasing community inclusion and using sports to help break barriers that historically have maintained people separate.
• Red de Apoyo Familiar(Family Support Network): It gives support to families in communities within OEH. Understanding the challenges of raising a child with disabilities, OEH has created a network to provide a connection for the families of athletes of Special Olympics. There are more than 100 networks in more than 60 countries.
• Programa de Atletas Jóvenes™ (Special Olympics Young Athletes ™): An innovative programme of sports games for 2-8 year-old children with intellectual disabilities (ID) and developmental disabilities (DD) and their parents, designed to introduce them into the sports world. The benefits of this programme have been proven worldwide. First of all, these activities will help the children to improve physically, have a cognitive development and get on socially. This programme also helps to raise awareness on the Special Olympics programme and serves as an introduction to the resources and support available within OEH for the families and schools.
• Atletas Saludables(Healthy Athletes): It helps athletes to improve their training and competition focusing in their general health and physical condition. This is achieved through basic health check-ups, providing preventive and treatment services, educational information and care references for follow-up.
• Hidroterapia(Hydrotherapy): The use of water of the swimming pool with therapeutically purposes, either as a thermal way (heat) or mechanical way (jet or contact), helps for injuries or local or internal disorders; it helps people with cerebral palsy or other pathological conditions.

OEH also organizes different fund-raising activities and raises awareness on intellectual and physical disabilities

Volunteer tasks

Generally, the volunteer will work from Monday to Friday, agreeing a full-time schedule with OEH. The main role of the volunteer will be as an assistant to a sports educator, training the athletes on different sports, such as swimming, athletics, basketball, tennis, gymnastics, football, volleyball, floor hockey, among others.

Volunteer requirements / Skills

• be at least 18 years old.
• really like sports
• be able to practice several sports
• be dynamic, enthusiastic, responsible, and willing to work with people with disabilities
• like to be outdoors.

Location

The project is located in Tegucigalpa, Francisco Morazán.

Hosting Situation (Board and Lodging)

The volunteer will live with a host family.

More Information

The project is available to start in February every year for 6-12 months.

Social media accounts of Olimpiadas Especiales Honduras – OEH:

• Website: www.olimpiadasespecialeshn.org
• Facebook Page: @olimpiadasespecialeshonduras
• Instagram: @olimpiadasespecialeshn
• Twitter: @HondurasOE
• Snapchat: @oehonduras

You can request more information of this Project contacting ICYE Honduras: incoming@icye.hn