Leeds Rhinos Foundation has partnered with Panathlon and Leeds Well Schools Partnership to increase opportunities for pupils with disabilities and special educational needs (SEND) in Leeds to take part in competitive sport.
Every year across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Panathlon gives over 66,000 young people with SEND the opportunity to take part in competitive sport through primary, secondary and impairment-specific programmes including multi-skills, swimming, 10-pin bowling, football, cricket and boccia.
Leeds Rhinos Foundation will now become a local delivery partner for Panathlon, building on the platform they laid out in the last three years with the Leeds Well Schools Partnership providing competitive sport opportunities for SEND pupils across the city.
Last academic year alone, Panathlon and the Leeds Well Schools Partnership engaged over 750 pupils from 77 primary schools and Specialist Inclusive Learning Centres (SILCs) across Leeds. Leeds Rhinos Foundation staff will now build on this and expand provision to even more pupils and schools.
Since September, Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s Disability and Inclusion Officer, Ed Bates, has been shadowing Panathlon Event Manager, Howard Nicholls, at several of our inclusive sports competitions in West Yorkshire. Ed and other Leeds Rhinos Foundation staff are now fully trained and equipped to deliver Panathlon events in the local community themselves.
It’s hoped the partnership will achieve similar success to our link with Bolton Wanderers Community Trust, which has helped us massively expand our reach in Lancashire and Greater Manchester.
To celebrate the start of the new partnership, young adults with SEND from Leeds City College based at Green Meadows SILC were invited to AMT Headingley Stadium as part of the Rhinos Reach programme. They were introduced to some of Panathlon’s inclusive sports activities and underwent leadership training, so they can help lead competitions for younger pupils back at school.
Ed Bates, Leeds Rhinos Foundation’s Disability and Inclusion Officer said: “The partnership with Panathlon enables us to give children and young people with special educational needs in our local community more opportunities to engage in competitive sport. It also gives them access to the Foundation’s wider programmes including our core disability rugby league offers.
“By Leeds Rhinos Foundation leading Panathlon events across Leeds, we can offer a wider range of events to more pupils and multiply the positive impact they’ve already had on kids’ skills, wellbeing and confidence.”
Tony Waymouth, Panathlon’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “ParalympicsGB’s new Equal Play campaign calls for all children to have equal access to PE and school sport. Together with Paul Anderson and the Leeds Well Schools Partnership, we have made great strides towards fulfilling this aim over the last three years. We’re now giving the ball to Leeds Rhinos Foundation and letting them run with it, so they can give even more children these valuable opportunities.”
Paul Anderson, Strategic Lead for the Leeds Well Schools Partnership, added: “Over the last three years, Panathlon has been immensely popular with primary schools and SILCs in our partnership – it’s the first thing staff and pupils look for on the calendar. This partnership is all about enhancing that existing provision and increasing capacity. It’s tremendous that the Leeds Rhinos Foundation will be able to give pupils even more opportunities to increase their physical, social, communication and teamwork skills.”
Jill Wilkinson, Director of Leeds Well Schools Partnership, said: “We are very excited to be able to develop the partnership between Panathlon and Leeds Well Schools Partnership. Ed Bates will be using the three powerful brands to provide a platform to deliver the programme across Leeds and West Yorkshire. We look forward to being able to extend the offer across the area, resulting in the engagement of many young people with disabilities and special needs.”