We create the social space that allows athletes to form a strong and lasting community and feel empowered to speak out on behalf of their peers and themselves. Part of our job is to encourage SOBC athletes to take part in leadership training programs so they can have a voice within their own communities, and become representatives of Special Olympics in B.C., Canada and all over the world.
Through SOBC Athlete Leadership programs, athletes develop the skills and abilities to take leadership positions in a number of roles including public speaking, sitting on Local Committees, and assisting as fundraising and program volunteers. These programs are proven to have a lasting benefit to participants by increasing confidence and self-esteem as well as providing input and insight into athlete issues – a valuable resource to Special Olympics BC.
There are many ways that Special Olympics BC athletes can get involved with public speaking and increase their self-confidence. Our Athlete Leadership programs include:
- Athlete Speakers Bureau sessions
- Athletes as Program Mentors workshops
- Athlete Input Council (formerly Athlete Congress/Governance)
- Health Hero and Health Messenger training
- Athlete Reporter training
- And more!
To learn more about upcoming workshops and engage local athlete leaders, contact SOBC's Michelle Cruickshank by email or by phone at 250-208-5402.
SOBC athlete leaders are active all over the province, country, and planet, providing important and inspiring athlete perspectives. SOBC – Comox Valley athlete Jake Hooper serves on the Special Olympics Canada Athlete Leadership Council and the North American Leadership Council. “I aim to help athletes to the best of my ability,” Hooper says.
SOBC – Langley athlete Matthew Williams participated in our province’s Athlete Leadership programs and went on to serve as a Special Olympics Sargent Shriver Global Messenger in the 2011 to 2014 cohort, as the Chair of the Special Olympics Global Athlete Congress from 2010 to 2018, and as a Special Olympics International Board Member. In 2015, he delivered a TEDxVancouver talk that drew two standing ovations from the crowd of thousands at Rogers Arena and has been watched more than 1.1 million times online.