Special Olympics Utah Inc

Target demographics: individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) living in Utah the opportunity to participate in sports training and competitions to enhance their physical activity, social interaction, and overall well-being.

Direct beneficiaries per year: 2,500 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Geographic areas served: Utah

Programs: Today, SOUT provides services to over 2,500 youth and adults with ID, offering year-round training and competition in nine Olympic-style summer and winter sports. We have expanded our programming to include Unified Champion Schools, a strategy to promote social inclusion by fostering inclusive youth leadership, uniting students with and without ID on school sports teams, and promoting acceptance and understanding through inclusive student clubs and school-wide initiatives. Our Healthy Athletes program provides free professional health screenings and health education to individuals with ID in six areas: general medicine, audiology, vision, dentistry, physical therapy, and podiatry. Regardless of ability level, Persons with ID may participate in sports and other programs offered by SOUT. Individuals are eligible to participate in our activities at eight; there is no upper age limit, and they always participate for free. SOUT is proud of its role as a leading voice in raising awareness about the abilities of people with ID. Through the power of sports, people with ID discover new strengths and abilities, skills, and success. Our athletes find joy, confidence, and fulfillment — on the playing field and in life — while inspiring others in their communities and elsewhere to open their hearts to a wider world of human talents and potential. unified sports in the schools unites individuals with and without intellectual disabilities with similar age and ability to train and compete on the same team. In partnership with the utah high school activities association, public and private high schools, and colleges and universities participate in unified sports in soccer and athletics. High school state competitions and the college cup were held in spring 2016. In addition, programs were conducted in the schools at all levels to change attitudes and to encourage inclusion, respect and understanding of those with intellectual disabilities and encourage all to play unified. Participation in unified sports included six colleges, 23 high schools, one junior high and two elementary schools with 318 unified athletes; 285 unified partners; and 2,260 youth exposed to the unified message. (note: in 2016 unified sports in the schools became one component of an umbrella program titled unified champion schools. )

outreach and partnerships: it is estimated that one to three percent of the global population has an intellectual disability ("id"). Even one percent of utah's population, which crossed the three million mark to 3. 1 million in 2016, would indicate 31,000 individuals could be eligible for and benefit from special olympics utah programs. It is a goal of so utah to broaden its reach and serve more eligible individuals. Through outreach to businesses, corporations, public and private schools, colleges and universities, and partnerships with private, government and community organizations, so utah is working to reach and serve utah's population with id. Outreach activities include volunteers (age 14 with an adult, or 16 and older) who coach and help at area and state competitions. At least 91,374 volunteer hours were contributed in 2016 by coaches, assistant coaches, and unified sports partners, healthy athletes clinicians, day-of-games volunteers, board members, and more.