This innovative Sportivate project offered students with moderate to severe disabilities and/or autism, a chance to practice yoga and meditation (mindfulness), which complimented existing links with special schools and Active Gloucestershire’s inclusion programme. Through consultation, yoga was chosen as the activity of choice as it is a suitable activity for people who are not ‘sporty’ or regularly active. The Sportivate sessions included breath work, a physical practice and relaxation.
A number of inspiring outcomes resulted from the Sportivate programme including a young person who is now able to independently move themselves from lying to sitting and sitting to standing unaided. Another young person reported that this was the first group activity they had been able to engage with and sustain for many years due to emotional and behavioural difficulties.
“This project has given young people with additional needs the opportunity to try something new in a supportive and nurturing environment. Consequently, many of the young people have a new interest…this has meant a lot to the participants and their families.”
Lucy Clark, Special Yoga Works