Proud Paralympian Educators ready to inspire and educate the athlete community

From 9-12 October 2019, the Agitos Foundation hosted the first global Proud Paralympian Educator Course, in co-operation with the World Academy of Sport (WAoS).

The course aimed to prepare 14 selected participants to improve and practice their facilitation skills and to become certified Proud Paralympian Educators. On behalf of the Agitos Foundation, the Educators will deliver workshops and outreach activities at various events.

Proud Paralympian, the Agitos Foundation athlete education programme, aims to give Para athletes the tools they need to give their best on and off the field of play. It supports Para athletes to find their place in the Paralympic Movement and learn how to become a leader for Para sport.

Hosted in the Agitos Foundation home city of Bonn, Germany, the course brought together 14 participants from 13 countries. They had the chance to meet each other, exchange experiences and knowledge, and form a network of programme ambassadors that inspire and educate the athlete community.

New Proud Paralympian Educators are Anna Turney (Para alpine skiing, Great Britain), Ariel Quassi (Para swimming, Argentina), Arly Velasquez (Para alpine skiing, Mexico), Chui Yee Yu (wheelchair fencing, Hong Kong), Daniela Luchina (wheelchair rugby, Argentina), Erin Latimer (Para alpine skiing, Canada), Gyu Dae Kim (Para athletics, South Korea), Ileana Rodriguez (Para swimming, USA), Natalie Du Toit (Para swimming, South Africa), Phelipe Rodrigues (Para swimming, Brazil), Piotr Marek (Para alpine skiing, Poland), Raul Anguiano (Para badminton, Guatemala), Richard Perot (Para badminton, France), Sherif Osman (Powerlifting, Egypt).

“It was a pleasure to work with the Proud Paralympian Educators in Bonn. The enthusiasm they showed, together with their commitment to achieving as much as they could from the course, resulted in four days of challenging and yet invigorating workshop sessions”, said Simon Jones, WAoS Master Trainer.

To Anna Turney, Para alpine skier who represented Great Britain in the 2010 and 2014 Paralympic Winter Games, the course has made her feel more confident and well equipped to deliver not only Proud Paralympian, but also to communicate more effectively in both work and social life.

“I gained key skills in facilitating learning and found it interesting, entertaining and fun. I pushed myself and am delighted to have done well and am keen to deliver more Proud Paralympian workshops with this in my toolkit”, she said.