Special Olympics Southern California Inc

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

SPORTS AND HEALTH PROGRAMS:SPECIAL OLYMPICS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PROVIDES SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS IN 12 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 2022, SOSC BEGAN ITS RETURN TO SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITION IN COMMUNITY PROGRAMS. THROUGH AUGUST, ATHLETES PARTICIPATED IN SPORTS SKILLS TRAINING, AS THEY HAD DURING MOST OF THE PANDEMIC, BUT THE FALL FEATURED A TRADITIONAL SEASON OF SPORTS TRAINING AND COMPETITIONS, INCLUDING THE FALL GAMES CHAMPIONSHIPS. IN THE WINTER, WE KICKED OFF A NEW SPORT: FLOORBALL. THIS SPORT REPLACED FLOOR HOCKEY AND WILL ALLOW ATHLETES TO HAVE MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE AT USA GAMES AND WORLD GAMES. SOSC'S IMPACT IS AS STRONG AS EVER. WE CONTINUED TO BUILD UPON OUR CURRENT PROGRAMMING IN 2022. WE ADDED VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, SUCH AS THE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHALLENGE; INCREASED THE NUMBER OF MEDFESTS WE HOST; PREPARED TO EXPAND UNIFIED SPORTS TO COMMUNITY PROGRAMS IN 2023; AND MORE. THE RESULTS FROM SOSC'S SPORTS AND BEYOND SPORTS PROGRAMMING ARE PROVEN. IT IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF HEALTH IN PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, EMPOWERS THE ATHLETES TO LIVE MORE FULFILLING LIVES, AND CREATES MORE INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES.

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.IN 2022, WE HAD 75 SCHOOLS MAKE A COMMITMENT TO CREATING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND ACCEPTING ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. THIS INCLUDES THREE COMPONENTS:1. UNIFIED SPORTS IS A PROGRAM IN WHICH PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (ATHLETES) AND THOSE WITHOUT (PARTNERS) TRAIN AND COMPETE TOGETHER ON SPORTS TEAMS. IT IS INSPIRED BY A SIMPLE PRINCIPLE: PLAYING TOGETHER IS A QUICK PATH TO FRIENDSHIP AND UNDERSTANDING.2. INCLUSIVE YOUTH LEADERSHIP - STUDENTS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES WORK TOGETHER TO LEAD AND PLAN ADVOCACY, AWARENESS, AND OTHER INCLUSIVE ACTIVITIES THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR.3. WHOLE SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT INCORPORATES AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ACTIVITIES THAT PROMOTE INCLUSION, REACH THE ENTIRE SCHOOL, AND ALIGN WITH THE UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS MISSION.THESE COMPONENTS PROVIDE THE MOST OPPORTUNITY FOR CREATING POSITIVE SCHOOL CLIMATES. THROUGH THEIR COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND AWARENESS, UNIFIED CHAMPION SCHOOLS ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY THOSE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, BECOME PART OF THE SCHOOL'S SOCIAL FABRIC.

SPECIAL 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 LEADERSHIP SPECIAL 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. THE DEVASTATING IMPACT OF COVID-19 HAS AFFECTED VOLUNTEER PARTICIPATION IN SOSC'S PROGRAMMING. TO REACH MORE PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITIES, WE NEED MORE COACHES AND ONGOING VOLUNTEERS. 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 MORE ATHLETES.