IRFU (Ulster Branch) recently completed the successful delivery of a programme aimed at increasing the capacity and participation of females and people with disabilities in the sport of rugby union.
Thanks to the financial contribution from Sport NI through the Awards for Sport funding programme, IRFU (Ulster Branch) were able to organise and deliver a programme of activities aimed at females and people with disabilities, based on coach education programmes and participation initiatives to help grow the game and the capacity of the participants.
As a result of the funding:
- 20 females gained the Stage 2 IRFU coaching accreditation •10 females gained the Stage 3 IRFU coaching accreditation
- 4 females gained a Level 2 Fitness Instructors accreditation
Numerous female participation programme were delivered including summer camps, club blitzes and school events resulting in over 250 girls and young women being engaged in the sport.
Moreover, through the support from this project, one of the females that obtained the Level 2 Fitness Instructors accreditation has now gained employment in the Fitness Industry, which is a credit to this project and indeed the individual.
There were 80 people with disabilities engaged through this project as a result of school participation events, club blitzes and one Club, the Enniskillen Elks have sustained activity post completion of the project and now have an active membership of 18 children and adults with learning disabilities. Speaking about the project, Ulster Rugby's Disability Inclusion Officer, Tim Craig said, "I feel that the disability inclusion programme that was made possible by Sport NI Awards for Sport made a significant contribution to the formation of the club and we are delighted to see the sport of disability rugby flourishing throughout Ulster."