Inclusive Skating
{{Short description|Skating with Disabilities Charity}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Inclusive Skating
| formation = {{start date and age|2011|09|09}}
| native_name_lang = en
| image =
| caption = Inclusive Skating Logo
| formerly = Impaired Skating
| founder = Margarita Sweeney-Baird BEM
| type = Charitable Incorporated Organisation
| registration_id = SC042584
| headquarters = 5 South Charlotte Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4AN
| website = https://inclusiveskating.org/
| region_served = International
}}
Inclusive Skating is a charity that provides opportunities for skaters with additional needs. They cater to skaters of all levels, ranging from first-timers to recreational skaters, to elite competitive level athletes and hold events on a global scale which utilise their own judging framework developed for judging skaters who have additional challenges.
Background
Founded in 2011 as Impaired Skating, the charity renamed itself to Inclusive Skating following feedback from its members.
Inclusive Skating's main objective is the advancement of public participation in sport and the promotion of equality and diversity and the development and implementation of programming which fosters the inclusion of skaters with any form of impairment or disability. They offer events, competitions, seminars, workshops, and E-Learning resources for its skaters, coaches, parents, and volunteers.
The club structure has been officially recognised by the Scottish Parliament, where they are an active member of the Cross-Party Group on Sport.
Inclusive skating advocates for the inclusion of skating in the Paralympic Games.
Activities
Since 2021 their courses have been endorsed by CIMSPA
and they are also an approved activity provider (AAP) for The Duke of Edinburgh's Award for physical, skills, and volunteering. In 2023 IS became an SQA approved centre with successful candidates eligible to earn UCAS points.
Judging Framework
This Inclusive Skating judging framework is the first in the world for judging sports which takes into account all types of impairments. Currently, the framework facilitates the inclusion of skaters with conditions including physical disability, visual impairment, sensory challenges, autism, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, genetic disorders and mental and behavioural impairments, among others. They also offers the option for skaters to compete via pre-recorded video, to accommodate for conditions which might impede upon an athlete's ability to compete live, such as anxiety.
Events
Inclusive Skating holds educational events, workshops, seminars, and competitions. Competition events are held for all skating disciplines including: singles free-skating, pairs, ice dancing, solo ice dancing, figures, Synchronized skating, speed skating, inline skating, and off-ice competitive events. These competitions utilise the IS judging system which allows for fair competition between skaters with different disabilities using a compensation system based on the empirically researched Dr. Rondinelli Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment from the American Medical Association.
Prince Edward, president of the Sport and Recreation Alliance, was also a guest of honour at the Scottish Championship event in 2019.
Inclusive Skating's event format has been adopted by the International Skating Union. In 2022 Inclusive Skating became an institutional partner with the ISU for World Ice Skating Day holding the 2022 Virtual World Championships as part of the global celebration.
Membership
Inclusive Skating is a member of the following organisations:
- Scottish Sports Association
- Welsh Sports Association
- Northern Ireland Sports Forum
- Sport and Recreation Alliance
- Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
- Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-61951584|title=Autism: Inclusive ice skating helping 11-year-old express herself|access-date=July 7, 2022|publisher=BBC News}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/why-disabled-figure-skaters-are-fighting-for-the-right-to-fall/|title=Why Disabled Figure Skaters Are Fighting for the Right to Falls|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Vice Media}}
{{cite book|last= Rondinelli|first= Robert D.|date=January 15, 2008|title=Guides for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment|publisher=American Medical Association|isbn=978-1579478889}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1023939/scotland-to-host-international-inclusive-skating-competition|title=Scotland to host international inclusive skating competition|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Inside the Games}}
{{cite web|url=https://scvo.scot/about/community/membership/members/001b000003tRbdDAAS/001b000003trbddaas-inclusive-skating|title=SCVO|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/news/industry/getting-into-the-paralympic-spirit-with-inclu|title=Getting into the Paralympic spirit with Inclusive Skating|date=4 March 2022 |access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Sport and Recreation Alliance}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.sportandrecreation.org.uk/pages/membership-and-representative-bodies|title=Membership and Representative Bodies|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Sport and Recreation Alliance}}
{{cite web|url=http://thessa.org.uk/about/our-members|title=Representing and Championing Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Scottish Sports Association}}
{{cite web|url=https://wsa.wales/membership/membership-directory/|title=Membership Directory|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Welsh Sports Association}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.nisf.net/membership/associate-members/|title=NI Sports Forum Associate Members|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Northern Ireland Sports Forum}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.parlamaid-alba.scot/-/media/files/cross-party-groups/sport/sport.pdf|title=Cross-Party Group Registration Form|access-date=April 15, 2022|publisher=Scottish Parliament}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/glasgow-skaters-compete-inclusive-skating-16572282|title=Feature on Glasgow Live|date=12 July 2019 |access-date=November 15, 2021|publisher=Glasgow Live}}
{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-09-27/the-registered-blind-taekwondo-black-belt-swapping-sparring-for-ice-skates|title=Feature on ITV News|date=27 September 2021 |access-date=November 15, 2021|publisher=ITV News}}
{{cite web|url=https://inclusiveskating.org/resources/cimspa-employer-partner-certificate-280720094139.pdf|title=Inclusive Skating CIMPSPA Certificate|access-date=November 15, 2021|publisher=CIMPSA}}
{{cite web|url=https://scvo.scot/support/coronavirus/funding/scottish-government/wellbeing-fund/recipients/a0V3z00000dJoESEA0/impaired-skating-now-known-as-inclusive-skating|title=Charity Summary from the SCVO|access-date=November 15, 2021|publisher=Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations}}
{{cite web|url=https://inclusiveskating.org/resources/world-wide-recognition---press-release-and-isu-letter-041118044138.pdf|title=ISU Recognition Letter|access-date=November 15, 2021|publisher=International Skating Union}}
}}