Kent Challenger Games

About The Kent Challenger Games

Gives them an equal opportunity to participate in society as mature and responsible individuals regardless of whatever disability they might have. Reduce the attainment gap, truancy and exclusion. Re-engage disaffected young people through early intervention. Improve behaviour and self discipline. Enable them to participate in sports and outdoor activities.

Through misguided preconceptions of what they are capable of because of their physical disability, medical condition, intellectual difficulties, emotional and behavioural problems, or learning difficulties; that see them social excluded and marginalised from sports and outdoor activities.

The Event day influences school curriculum and teaching for these young people. Schools notice a change in the behaviour of those that took part in the games. Participants experience their inner strengths to understand what they are truly capable of. Participants esteem, morale, and self-worth is increased; and they willingly participate in outdoor activities and sport. Raising their self-worth leads to them contributing more to the well-being of their community. An economic benefit through improving their life chances for employment which in turn reduces dependency on social and welfare services.

It enabled young people with personal challenges to see they have great inner strengths and that what they thought impossible for themselves to be entirely possible. It will lead to a positive impact in the classroom and with learning as the Games gave them self-belief and self-worth. The Games legacy is their vastly improve life chances. The school teaching staff will see a more determined attitude in those that participated and for those that witnessed the Games it will change their perception of what young people with personal difficulties are really capable of and to treat them much differently.

Organisations for Paralympians and military disabled personnel promises of help with 50 champions came to nothing. In the end we found 6 Paralympians ourselves that could help on the day. Promises of help with promotional events by organisations also resulted in us having to find champions late in the timetable. On-going fund raising was a concern given the projected budget and approaches to local big businesses leading to indifferent acknowledgement. Securing a Military Band got bogged down within the MOD and we had to work to find someone within the Military to champion the Games late in the day which secured the asset together with a reduction in the cost.

Results from the funding

This was the first Games and it was judged as an outstanding success by schools and all that attended. Schools said that there is nothing for the profile of young people the Games was aimed at and have asked that the Games become a regular event for the school curriculum. The proposal is to hold the Games every 2 to 3 years and meeting with Mike Hill Portfolio Holder KCC he suggested every odd year would be good since KCC has their Kent School Sports Day in the even years. This scenario will deliver incredible benefits to schools because the two games bring about social inclusion for the school communities, creating a buzz around the school throughout each school year.

Beneficiary story

One of the participants was a boy in a wheelchair who sees himself abled not disabled. He is keen for people to treat him no differently to his other class mates or make separate provision for him. He desperately wished to participate and to show people what he is capable of he got out of his wheelchair onto sticks to undertake activities even though the Games provided for wheelchair contestants. This will raise his esteem with fellow class mates and have a positive impact upon his learning. This brought tears to many eyes to see him do this; it left a lasting impression on all that witnessed it and people will now look upon disabled children in a different light.