Sport and leisure activities are essential levers for theinclusion of people with disabilities. This is the conviction of the guests at the Anytime webinar onaccessible sports and leisure. Long regarded as incidental, they are now recognized as fundamental rights.
"Before Law 2005-102 of February 11, 2005, sport was considered a luxury. Today, the sports life project is an integral part of the life project, in the same way as access to school, healthcare, housing or work," stresses Yannick Calley, sports referent at the Belfort MDPH.
Overcoming obstacles
Despite this legal recognition, a number of obstacles remain. Access to adapted equipment is a major challenge, not least because of the high cost.
"When you have 6 young people who want to play basketball, a major French retail chain has just launched a range in September 2023 of chairs that are 2,000, 2,500 euros. Before that, you used to order them from Germany or the United States, and now they cost 4,000 or 5,000 euros," explains Yannick Calley.
Beyond the financial aspect, the training of supervisors and theadaptation of facilities are also major challenges.
A changing audience requires adaptation
The sector is facing a significant change in the types of people it accepts, particularly those with behavioral disorders. Emmanuelle David, General Manager of the Loisirs Pluriel network, observes this transformation:
"Between 2021 and today, we have gone from 35-38% of children and young people with TND (neurodevelopmental disorders) to today between 50 and 60% of the public we welcome."
This evolution requires constant adaptation of practices and support.
Multidimensional benefits
The benefits of sport and leisure go far beyond physical activity. They are a genuine vector for socialization and personal development.
"We have young people who have difficulties at school, who have difficulties in the family setting, in the medical-social field. They don't get on with each other, and yet sport is where things go well," says Yannick Calley.
Essential support for caregivers
The positive impact extends to caregivers too. "It's clearly about respite and job retention", says Emmanuelle David.says Emmanuelle David.
She illustrates her point with a telling example: "I remember a mother who didn't understand what respite was when her child went to the center on Wednesdays so she could work. When he switched to Saturday activities, she called me and said 'that's it, I understand what respite is', because she could finally take some time for herself."
The promising legacy of the Paralympic Games
The recent Paralympic Games have helped to change attitudes and open up new perspectives.
"The games have given us at least one good image. Leisure facilities have seen the games and are saying 'ah yes, it can be a great activity tool'," observes Yannick Calley.
This increased visibility helps to raise public awareness andencourage the development of new, adapted practices.
To get started, Emmanuelle David advises families to overcome their apprehensions:
"You can't put barriers in your way. I'm not saying it works all the time, not at all, but you have to leave yourself that possibility of getting a yes and not go right away on it's going to be a no."
Access to sport and leisure activities for people with disabilities is a major social challenge. While significant progress has been made, thanks in particular to changes in the legal framework and the commitment of players in the field, more remains to be done to guarantee genuine inclusion.
The positive momentum generated by the Paralympic Games must now be transformed into concrete action to give everyone, whatever their disability, access to sports and leisure activities adapted to their needs and desires.