In partnership with Sport England and The National Lottery, Mencap have launched Round the World Challenge
Round the World Challenge supports people with a learning disability to get outside and get active in a way that is flexible, fun and empowering.
How does it work?
Round the World Challenge is about turning hours of fun sporting and physical activities into a round-the-world adventure.
You can take part in a variety of activities, including Zumba, boccia, walking-rugby and more traditional sports like football, cycling and tennis.
Each hour of activity you log moves you closer to your next destination, on your way to complete your route!
You can choose from three different routes:
- UK route: 20 hours of activity
- Europe route: 40 hours of activity
- World route: 100 hours of activity
You will receive a postcard from a different location as the number of hours of activity you do takes you around the world. There are also Sports Activator, Volunteering and Employment opportunities!
We will create ‘delivery hubs’ where organisations from local communities will meet and design the activities based upon the needs of the participants. This means that each journey and activity will be specific to the local area.
Round the World Challenge has been designed to be inclusive and is working in partnership with a range of local sports providers to ensure that many of the sessions will take part within existing sport centres.
What are the benefits?
As well as the health benefits of increasing physical activity, the programme will also support participants into:
Volunteering opportunities – We recognise that Round the World Challenge is the start of the journey for people, and we want them to continue being active in their local communities. We will support over 500 people to access volunteering opportunities, provided by local community organisations
Sports Activator – A sports activator is short one-day programme where participants learn the skills and knowledge needed to deliver this activity to a group or individuals. We will sign-up a minimum of 500 participants to become Sports Activators, who will go back into their community and deliver activities, creating sustainable outcomes.
Employment programmes – Alongside with volunteering and Sports Activators, we will support 225 people into employment programmes. We will build on the skills the Challenge gives people: confidence, communication, team work, and transfer these into employment skills through Mencap’s and local community employment programmes.
Vijay Patel, who took part in a pilot scheme said:
“Taking part in Round the World Challenge has made me so confident and helped me get a paid job.
"I feel so much fitter and I’ve made loads of friends. I am now vice-captain of a 5-a-side Football team where I am one of the top goal scorers!
"Thank you to players from the National Lottery for giving us the money to help more people like me get involved.”
