Special Olympics Great Britain

Who we are

Special Olympics Great Britain (GB) is a non-profit organisation and largest provider of year-round sports training and athletic competition in summer and winter sports for children and adults of ALL abilities with intellectual disabilities also known as learning disabilities. 

With a competition pathway designed to nurture and progress athletes from local competitions through to accessing elite level competitions, our focus at Special Olympics GB is on ability not disability and providing opportunities for our athletes to compete with others at similar levels both at home in Great Britain and abroad.

We operate across Scotland, England and Wales and currently have a network of 95 all ability, inclusive sports accredited programmes and delivery partners. We offer 27 different sports from ice-skating and skiing to football, boccia and judo to name just a few.  All of which is delivered by an amazing team of over 3,500 volunteers who support more than 6,500 athletes in a safe and nurturing environment.  

Special Olympics GB is so much more than just a sport organisation – we genuinely transform lives.  Through sport we provide opportunities for our athletes to make friends, learn social skills, feel part of a community, increase confidence and self-esteem, realise potential, develop physical fitness and mental well-being, demonstrate courage and experience joy and pride. And above all, for both athletes and their families – to have some FUN!

Special Olympics GB is part of the global Special Olympics International organisation which is the largest disability sports organisation in the world. As a global movement Special Olympics reaches 5.7 million athletes across 200 countries.  Together we want to inspire real change by raising awareness of intellectual disability, ending discrimination, and building an inclusive world for all. 

We are Special Olympics GB. We are Inclusion in Action. 

Our culture and values

Our vision at Special Olympics GB is simple.

We want to be a thriving, financially sustainable organisation that is at the forefront of innovation within the Special Olympics movement and recognised as a leader in driving societal change and inclusion through the power of sport for people with intellectual disabilities in Great Britain. 

Or in other words:

To grow a strong organisation that will transform the lives of the 1.5 million people who live with intellectual disabilities in Great Britain through sport. 

We are a values led organisation.

We are authentic.  

We act with honesty, integrity and respect.  

We are creative and innovative.  

We love to embrace difference and doing things differently.  

We are brave, courageous, resilient and determined.  

We listen and are led by the voices of our athletes. 

We are always kind. 

We are Special Olympics GB.  We are Inclusion in Action.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Special Olympics Great Britain (SOGB) is committed to achieving equality and diversity in both employment and the services it provides. No user of SOGB’s services, including employees, athletes, volunteers, other service users or job applicants, should receive less favourable treatment because of:

• Age;

• Disability;

• Gender reassignment;

• Marriage & civil partnership;

• Pregnancy & maternity;

• Race;

• Religion or belief;

• Sex & sexual orientation;

or • Any other criterion not relevant to the point at issue.