RUGBY LEAGUE WORLD CUP 2021 INCLUSIVE VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMME

Rugby League World Cup 2021 Inclusive Volunteering Programme

One of Britain’s biggest social care charities, Community Integrated Care, has partnered with Rugby League World Cup 2021 and Sport England to create the first ever volunteering and personal-development programme for people who have care and support needs at a major event. Engaging more than 300 people, it creates unprecedented opportunities for individuals who face significant barriers – changing lives at scale.

The programme uniquely engages people across social care (including people who have profound learning disabilities, autism, mental health concerns, acquired brain injuries and dementia) at all stages of life, from children to individuals in the final stages of their life.rnrnFrom enabling a 10-year-old aspiring rapper who has autism to create a World Cup song with a hitmaker producer for Busta Rhymes, to forming a media-training club for people who have learning disabilities that hosted the Women’s Challenge Cup Final press conference, and even engaging the creative talents of people living with dementia, this has unparalleled impact.

People who access social care face significant exclusion– from hate crime and a lack of opportunities to a shocking reality that only 6% of people who have learning disabilities have ever accessed paid work. Community Integrated Care’s specialist RLWC2021 Inclusive Volunteering Team challenges this, creating life-changing opportunities that transform, independence, build social connections and create a pathway to work.

They have developed a breath-taking range of opportunities. Rap and DJ classes inspired by the tournament. Training for matchday photographers. Constructing an enormous RLWC-themed accessible community garden. Tackling disability hate crime with police forces. Media clubs, that see people develop work with major stars. Creating world-first qualifications. RLWC mental health walking groups. Dance and arts clubs. Even engaging hundreds of knitters to make RLWC-themed bonnets for premature babies!rnrnThis represents a new future for social impact through sport and live events.