Action for Kids with Disabilities (AKD) and Sports Excellence, implemented by Regeneration & Progress through an exclusive grant from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), offer activities that answer a resounding “yes” every single day, all over Greece.
The ultimate goal of the program is to promote physical activity in the lives of children, adolescents, and young adults ages 6-27 with disabilities, and it’s based on six key contributors to a child’s development: fitness, functionality, friends, family, future, and fun. It is implemented by specialized expert coordinators and staff who ensure that these—especially the last—are all put into practice with a holistic approach.
Through a Mobile Sports Medicine Unit and with the approval of the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, the Program’s interdisciplinary team has already visited 27 special education school units throughout Greece. Over 460 children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual and motor disabilities, and genetic disorders have taken advantage of free specialized assessments and interventions aimed at enhancing their wellbeing, including their physical fitness.
In addition, the AKD program’s multidisciplinary team is available daily at the Academy of Adapted Physical Activity, which operates within Attikon University General Hospital of Athens under the scientific supervision of the A’ Orthopedic Clinic of the University of Athens. Through the Academy, children and young adults with disabilities can receive assessments and participate in a range of personalized exercise and adapted sports programs designed to enhance their functionality, motor skills, confidence and inclusion.
By the end of this school year, the number of participants is expected to exceed 500 people. The data collected will be used to map fitness and physical activity rates among students with disabilities, by age and diagnosis, providing important information for the design of future interventions.
For participants, Action for Kids with Disabilities is intended to be more than a program; it’s meant to be a journey of empowerment, belonging, and growth. Through this journey, young people not only improve movement and functionality, but are embraced as active members of a community through adapted sports and specialized exercise programs.