Family Support Network

SPECIAL OLYMPICS PAKISTAN

Events held for Federal and KPK Region during JAN, 2013 Till July, 2013.

GLOBAL ATHLETE MESSENGERÁLVARO MIRANDA STATEMENT: Families are the engine of Special Olympics.

Keeping in mind the above statement FSN and families helped their Athletes in preparation for the Special Olympics world winter games held in Korea in Jan 2013.

Events were held in collaboration with families, different organizations and volunteers to boast up the morale of the Athletes who participated in the games.

These events also provided opportunity for families to meet the Athletes who were going to participate first time from Pakistan in Special Olympics Worlds Winter Games.

In KPK region families were engaged in supporting and organizing the KPK Regional Games held in Mashaal Special School Terbala Ghazi. Families played a vital role as they offer athletes, coaches and team official’s comfortable lodging and a home away from home during the Games

. Similarly family’s participation was witness in Federal Regional Games held in Islamabad. Families

helped the organizing committee of the games in serving lunch to the Athletes. They remained in the stadium to show their support and encouragement for the Athletes, which is very important in building confidence. Moreover parents themselves felt happy while witnessing these games .They were able to meet new families and Athletes. These events reported positive outcomes such as parents showing increased confidence in their parenting abilities and increased friendships between families leading to a decline in social isolation.

NOTE OF GRATITUDE: A part of above mentioned events, the most memorable event was FSN ANNUAL SUMMIT held in Karachi, which was possible for the first time in SPECIAL OLYMPICS PAKISTAN history. Thanks to Mrs.Ronnak lakhani’s outstanding contributions as a member of the organizing committee of Special Olympics Pakistan .we know how much time and energy this Summit demanded, families from all the regions who attended this summit deeply appreciate all of her efforts in making it a great success. During the summit her idea’s got all families energized about the road ahead is just the kind of innovative thinking we needed to push our FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK PROGRAM TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

What worked well:

Whole families not individuals. Growing confidence in families. Building partnerships to improve family support. Group work with families. Families voice launch-taking it to communities.

PICTURES:

REPORTED BY

LUBNA NAWAZCOORDINATOR FSN SPECIAL OLYMPICS PAKISTAN FEDERAL AND KPK REGION.