Special Olympics Southern California Inc

TO ENABLE INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES TO LIVE BETTER LIVES THROUGH SPORTS.

SPORTS AND HEALTH PROGRAMSSPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PROVIDES SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS IN 13 SPORTS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS, AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING TO PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. ATHLETES HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE LOCALLY THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND COULD EVEN COMPETE NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY.IN 2021, SOSC CONTINUED TO WEATHER THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WITH THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY BEING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE ATHLETES. WE NEVER STOPPED PREPARING PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, ONE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATIONS IN THE WORLD, TO SUCCEED AT LIFE.WE ARE HAPPY TO SAY THAT SINCE JULY 2021, ATHLETES HAVE TRAINED IN-PERSON WITH THEIR COACHES AND TEAMMATES, AND WE HAVE NOT HAD ANY KNOWN COVID-19 CASES FROM A SOSC PRACTICE OR SPORTS EVENT.KNOWING THAT NOT ALL ATHLETES AND COACHES ARE READY TO TRAIN IN-PERSON, WE CONTINUED TO OFFER VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING. THIS INCLUDED THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHALLENGE, MOVE ACROSS CALIFORNIA, VIRTUAL SPORTS LEAGUES, ACTIVITIES FOR UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS, AND ATHLETE LEADERSHIP TRAINING.WE DID ALL OF THIS WITH ONE THING IN MIND: EMPOWERING THE ATHLETES TO LIVE HEALTHIER AND MORE FULFILLING LIVES. ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES INFORMED THE SOSC STAFF THAT WHEN THEY HEARD FROM US OR PARTICIPATED IN VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, SELF-ESTEEM, AND OUTLOOK ON LIFE IMPROVED.

UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS PROGRAM:SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS PROGRAM (UCS) IS SHAPING A GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WILL LEAD US INTO A FUTURE OF INCLUSION. THE PROGRAM SPREADS ACCEPTANCE, INCLUSION, AND AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE FOR STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, REDUCES BULLYING BY 94% IN HUNDREDS OF SCHOOLS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AND BUILDS HEALTHY HABITS.AS SCHOOLS TRANSITIONED TO A HYBRID-LEARNING MODEL (PARTIALLY REMOTE AND PARTIALLY IN-PERSON) DURING THE PANDEMIC, SOSC ADAPTED WITH THEM. UCS PROMOTES A SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE WHERE ACCEPTANCE, RESPECT, AND HUMAN DIGNITY FOR ALL STUDENTS IS THE GOAL. IN A DISTANCE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT, SOSC SUPPORTS EDUCATORS AND PRESCHOOL-TRANSITION STUDENTS BY PROVIDING AN ONLINE CURRICULUM PROMOTING INCLUSIVE SCHOOL CLIMATES, ANTI-BULLYING, AND FITNESS. WE ALSO MADE UNIFIED FITNESS KITS AVAILABLE TO SCHOOLS IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. THE KITS INCLUDED A PEDOMETER, A JUMP ROPE, RESISTANCE BANDS, WORKOUT GUIDES, AND MORE. WE ALSO BEGAN TO ENGAGE THE STUDENTS IN-PERSON AGAIN WITH TRADITIONAL UNIFIED SPORTS, INCLUSIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND WHOLE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT. THESE OPTIONS IN ALL THREE UCS COMPONENTS ARE A TESTAMENT TO SOSCS' COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES TO SCHOOLS NO MATTER HOW THE STUDENTS LEARN.WE ALSO SUPPORTED CHILDREN AGES 2-7 IN AN EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM CALLED YOUNG ATHLETES (YA). BACKPACKS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO FAMILIES OF CHILDREN PARTICIPATING IN YA. THIS SUPPLIED PARENTS AND GUARDIANS WITH AN ACTIVITY KIT THAT INCLUDES FUN AND ENGAGING EQUIPMENT AND FLASHCARDS FOR FAMILIES TO USE AT HOME. BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH LANGUAGE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE IN PRINT FORM WITH ACCESS TO MULTIPLE OTHER LANGUAGES AVAILABLE ONLINE. ADDITIONALLY, ONLINE CONTENT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT BOTH EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES, FROM USER-FRIENDLY ONLINE RESOURCES TO LIVE WEEKLY TRAINING SESSIONS HOSTED BY SOSC IN MULTIPLE COUNTIES AND CELEBRATION EVENTS.

OTHER PROGRAM ACTIVITIESSPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S OTHER PROGRAM COSTS INCLUDE: PUBLIC EDUCATION SOSC COMMUNICATES STRATEGICALLY TO BUILD ON SPECIAL OLYMPICS STRONG BRAND RECOGNITION, WITH THE GOAL OF BETTER EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ON OUR PROGRAMS AND MISSION. SOSC PROMOTES ITS MISSION AND PROGRAMS THROUGH A VARIETY OF MARKETING CHANNELS, INCLUDING DIRECT MAIL, PRINTED AND DIGITAL GRAPHICS, EMAIL MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA, TRADITIONAL MEDIA OUTREACH, CONTENT CREATION, AND MORE. THE CURRENT FOCUS HAS BEEN ON CULTIVATING SOSC'S CURRENT DATABASE OF SUPPORTERS (ATHLETES, VOLUNTEERS, DONORS, AND SPONSORS) AND NEW AUDIENCES TO REACH OUR FUNDRAISING, SPORTS & PROGRAMS, AND VOLUNTEER GOALS. ATHLETE LEADERSHIPSPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA'S ATHLETE LEADERSHIP GIVES ATHLETES OPPORTUNITIES BEYOND SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION. ATHLETES CAN BECOME COACHES, OFFICIALS, TEAM CAPTAINS, SPOKESPEOPLE, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS. ATHLETES HELP GUIDE THE DIRECTION OF THE MOVEMENT AND ARE ADVOCATES OF ACCEPTANCE AND INCLUSION FOR ALL.PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR STAFF, INCLUDING STAFF CONFERENCES PART OF SOSC'S SUCCESS IS THROUGH BUILDING A STRONG TEAM CULTURE AND ENCOURAGING EMPLOYEES TO GROW SO THEY ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS TO ADVANCE SOSC'S SPORTS, WELLNESS, AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS. THIS SUPPORT OF EMPLOYEES INCLUDES YEAR-ROUND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND AN ANNUAL STAFF CONFERENCE TO DEVELOP STRATEGIC PLANS, CREATE CONSISTENCY WITHIN PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION, PROVIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND BUILD TEAM MORALE. RECRUITMENT VOLUNTEERS TO EMPOWER ATHLETES TO REACH THEIR GOALS ON AND OFF THE SPORTS FIELD, WE NEED TO BECOME A STAFF LEAD, VOLUNTEER DRIVEN ORGANIZATION. TO DO THIS, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED CULTIVATING CURRENT DAY OF VOLUNTEERS TO BECOME YEAR-ROUND VOLUNTEERS AS A PRIORITY. EMPLOYEES ARE DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A STRATEGIC VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF SKILLED AND CAPACITY-BUILDING ROLES FOR VOLUNTEERS WITHIN SPORTS, WELLNESS, AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAMMING AND BUILDING RESOURCES TO EMPOWER VOLUNTEERS. WITH MORE VOLUNTEERS SUPPORTING THE MISSION, WE KNOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AND SERVE TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE ATHLETES. IN 2021, WE IMPLEMENTED NEW VOLUNTEER SOFTWARE. OVER THE YEARS, WE HAVE RECEIVED FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE THAT REGISTERING TO VOLUNTEER AND KNOWING WHAT THEY NEEDED TO DO TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER WAS TOO COMPLICATED. THIS SOFTWARE WILL STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND ADDRESS THESE ISSUES, WHICH WILL AID US IN RECRUITING MORE VOLUNTEERS.