Moving the needle on sport and physical activity and being active for people with disabilities

Active Disability Ireland and Able Active announce a new partnership to promote inclusion and inclusive activities, especially for children and adults living with a disability.

Active Disability Ireland are a national pan-disability organisation committed to creating an Ireland where people with disabilities have more opportunity to participate in physical activity of their choice.

This partnership with Able Active adds a practical aspect to this mission, where users can use the mobile app to find nearby opportunities for being active. The app also allows organisations to publish their facilities, amenities, clubs and events, not just to the app, but also to their own website.

Able Active uniquely captures feedback and gradings on accessibility and inclusivity, based on real users’ experience, by distinct disability categories, ensuring that others with similar needs can trust the rating and have better confidence that their needs will be met. 

Able Active and Active Disability Ireland will work in collaboration to promote the app and to highlight the opportunities that are available across the country.  Both organisations look forward to working closely together to see how programmes currently developed across Active Disability Ireland could be supported through the app. 

Speaking about the partnership, Brenda O'Donnell, CEO with Active Disability Ireland, said:

“We are delighted to partner with Adrian and his team and to support the promotion and reach of the app across our stakeholders and wider sector of sport.  It is an exciting development and has huge potential to highlight the many accessible opportunities for people with disabilities.  One of the key points that we like about the app is that it allows people with disabilities to feedback directly on the accessibility and inclusive nature of the activity or amenity they are accessing.  As we strive to increase opportunities for people with disabilities in physical activity and sport, we look forward to developing the opportunities that this partnership can provide to us to support all areas of our work”

Adrian Geissel, Founder with Able Active added:

“For Able Active, this partnership is a natural fit, as both organisations work towards a common goal of promoting sport and physical activity for everyone, but especially for those facing additional challenges.”

“Our app and platform provide deep support for infrastructure, organisations and scheduled events and activities, allowing sports clubs, gyms and outdoor activity providers to better describe their offerings and connect with their users.”

“We equally encourage our users to share feedback on their experiences, to inform other users with similar needs and help operators understand the benefits of their investment. Users can also contribute to a number of data quests, aiming to better describe suitable parking locations, toilet facilities and potential hazards or triggers.”

In addition to searching a growing database, users can plan ahead, potentially with family, friends or as a group leader, ensuring that everyone has directions, weather forecasts and other key information. Users can also record their walk, cycle, or hike, even as the basis for doing it again in the future. 

We now invite sports organisations, local sports partnerships, and independent activity providers to connect with the partners to adopt best practices for inclusion and to highlight their opportunities for active lifestyles for people with disabilities. 

ENDS

For further information, contact Brenda O’Donnell bodonnell@activedisability.ie  or Adrian Geissel (087 232 7222)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About Active Disability Ireland

Active Disability Ireland are a national pan-disability organisation committed to creating an Ireland where people with disabilities have more opportunity to participate in physical activity of their choice.

We understand the power of physical activity, how it enables health, happiness and growth and we will help foster a fairer society where these benefits are more accessible for all people with disabilities.

Active Disability Ireland coordinates, develops, and delivers inclusive training and education workshops across the Sport, Fitness, Adventure and Education sectors, equipping participants with the knowledge, competence, and skills necessary to include people with disabilities in sport and physical activity, and increase quality provision.

Guided by the voice of people with disabilities as an insights-led organisation, they strive to support partners and stakeholders to enhance opportunities available to people with disabilities to experience the joy and benefits of participating in physical activity throughout Ireland.

For more information on Active Disability Ireland, visit https://activedisability.ie

About Able Active:

Able Active was developed by Surpass Sport Systems Ltd. with support from the European Space Agency. It was launched as a mobile app for Android and iPhone in July 2024 to map trails, amenities, and things to do for people with disabilities, by disability category and to capture user feedback based on their experience and individual needs. 

The technology platform enables sports organisations and outdoor activity providers to better describe their inclusive offerings, including events, and to learn privately engage with users to explore further improvements. 

Able Active is free to use and is available for download from https://ableactive.ie or by searching online.