Disability Sport NI

About Us

Disability Sport NI is Northern Ireland’s main disability sports charity working to improve the health and wellbeing of disabled people through sport and active recreation.

What We Offer

We work with people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities of all ages and with schools, disability groups, sporting organisations and clubs to ensure that everyone can benefit from the health, social and education benefits of sport and active recreation.

We believe that every disabled person has the right to participate in all aspects of life and are committed to building a more inclusive society where disabled people have the same opportunity as non-disabled people to lead a full, active and healthy lifestyle through sport and active recreation.

We currently have 117 member groups made up of disability sports groups, schools and adult centres.

We organise a range of participation programmes, events, training courses and education projects all designed to improve the health and wellbeing of disabled people.

We also work closely with Governing Bodies of Sport and British and Irish performance sports organisations to ensure that talented disabled sports people have the same opportunity as their non-disabled peers to train, compete and excel in their chosen sport on the world stage.

Disability Sport NI has developed a strong partnership with our main funders Sport Northern Ireland and the Department for Communities and continue to work with them and other government departments and District Councils to develop and implement strategies and programmes designed to further reduce the underrepresentation of disabled people in sport and active recreation.

Disability Sport NI is a limited company with charitable status and is a member of the British Paralympic Association, Boccia UK, Disability Action, the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action and the Northern Ireland Sports Forum. Disability Sport NI also maintains close links with Paralympics Ireland.

What We Do

1 Improving Health and Wellbeing

To improve the health and wellbeing of disabled people and people with long term health conditions through increased participation in sport and active recreation opportunities in every area of Northern Ireland.

2 Developing Sporting Talent

To lead the development of performance pathways and support programmes which enable talented disabled athletes to achieve higher levels of performance in their sport including continued international medal success.

3 Inclusive Sports Facilities and Outdoor Places

To develop access services which encourage and support the development of sports facilities and outdoor places which are inclusive of disabled people.

4 Communications, Training and Engagement

To inspire, facilitate and encourage disabled people to participate in sport and active recreation by engaging with disabled people and the broader community, by delivering inclusive training and by promoting the social model of disability.

5 Governance and Income Generation

To manage an effective well governed organisation with the capacity to lead the development of disability sport and active recreation in Northern Ireland.