Purpose of Project UNIFY Through Special Olympics, using sports as catalyst, activate youth across the country … Promote school communities of acceptance and inclusion where all young people are agents of change … Foster respect, dignity and advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities Many sounded high minded when we started. Now Project UNIFY is real, and we know it’s working … the results are evident in the last few weeks and since the Global Youth Summit in Boise, the youth created and led “Spread the Word to End the Word” campaign, and the continued enthusiasm that has been generated.

Why Project UNIFY? Strong and irrefutable evidence for Special Olympics sports and related programs … Providing platforms for youth to understand and value their peers with intellectual disabilities, and Empowering and activating youth to create opportunities for and with them in sport, friendship and advocacy. Questions: Why was this opportunity created? Wasn’t Unified Sports® enough? In 40 years of Special Olympics programming, as well as with research conducted recently, there is no better platform for understanding and valuing people with and without intellectual disabilities than Special Olympics. Project UNIFY is an extension of Unified Sports® in which additional opportunities are provided for athletes and partners. 2

Scope of Project UNIFY Youth Leadership School-Community Collaborations Continuous Improvement Communications Professional Development Unifying Programming (Unified Sports® in combination with other youth programming) Creating and Sustaining Relationships A major factor in Project UNIFY is … it is a new way of doing business for us, and staying true to a combination of core guiding principles is important – this is not a new name for the same old youth programming.

Continuum of Engagement Among youth, to become a leading cause, not just a service or activity: Educate Provide a climate of understanding of social justice Motivate Increase recruitment, engagement, and interest Activate Offer opportunities for action, as partners or in other leadership roles, & future leaders of Special Olympics Why does it work? This model or framework works for almost everything we do.

Athlete Leadership & Self-Advocacy Menu of Opportunities Sports at the core / School as the unit of engagement Athlete Leadership & Self-Advocacy Youth Leadership Communications & Engagement Be a Fan – “R Word” Website Sports Experience Inclusive Schools SOGII – Essay Contests Booster Clubs School Enrichment Global Youth Congress Youth Summits Schools Traditional Sports Games/Tournaments Coaching Volunteers Fans in the Stands Supports the service-delivery shift … From a focus on just the events/initiatives To a a focus on the whole school as the unit. Early Childhood Enrichment Young Athletes Inclusive Sports Unified Sports® Camp Shriver 5

Unified Sports® Students with and w/out disability on same team Creating inclusive school climates The advantage to this unification of programming works in both directions – Unified Sports® concepts can carry beyond the playing field into the halls and classrooms… Sutherlin High School 6

Soeren Palumbo Activist for individuals with intellectual disabilities Inspired millions with his high school speech Check it out on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoqaNG0Ozqc

R-Word Campaign Bend High School’s R-Word Rally Educating society about the dehumanizing and hurtful effects of the R-word Bend High School’s R-Word Rally

The Pledge I pledge and support the elimination of the derogatory use of the R-Word from everyday speech and promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities.

Pledge and Plunge Educate others about the R-Word AND raise money and awareness for Special Olympics Oregon athletes Compete with other high schools across Oregon to raise the most $$$

Forest Grove High School

Show & Tell Other Students’ Projects

October 2, 2010 @ Nike Youth Activation Summit Youth Games Unified Sports

Questions? This is the message (both a reminder and a call to action) from the young people with whom we work … “Practice what you preach!”