Enable launches Access for All to drive inclusion in sport and culture

Enable has launched a new programme championing the rights of people with disabilities to fully participate in sport, culture and the arts.

Access for All is an innovative partnership, inspired by Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), launched during Scottish Disability Sport’s (SDS) 2025 Summer Camp, taking place this week at Badaguish Campsite near Aviemore in the Scottish Highlands.

The residential camp brings together young people aged 10 to 17 years old with physical, sensory or learning disabilities for three days of sport, connection and confidence-building.

Driven by Enable’s purpose of creating an equal society for people with disabilities, Access for All will run as a three-year strategic programme aimed at increasing access to Scotland’s cultural and sporting life.

The first phase focuses on sport, beginning with Enable’s sponsorship of the SDS Summer Camp 2025. This marks the start of a growing partnership between the two charities, with future plans to connect Enable’s local branches with SDS’s regional hubs to help create more inclusive sporting opportunities across the country.

The scheme also sees a renewed partnership with inclusive rugby charity Trust Rugby International (TRI), beginning with the launch of the ‘Bannockburn Clan’, a new inclusive rugby team created with Enable Falkirk. Over the next three years, the partnership will also explore opportunities around skills development and wider participation in sport for people with disabilities.

Enable CEO, Theresa Shearer, said: “For over 70 years, Enable has fought for the human rights of disabled people to be active, connected and engaged in their communities.

“That means going beyond providing services. It means opening doors to friendship, networks, culture, and sport – the things that make life full and joyful. That is why Access for All, Enable’s new multi-year programme, is built around Article 30 of the UNCRPD, which recognises the rights of people with disabilities to fully participate in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport.

“Access for All will be rooted in the rights and ambitions of our members and those we work for, aiming to open up meaningful opportunities for engagement across sport, culture, and the arts.

“We are proud to launch the programme at the SDS Summer Camp 2025, where young people are experiencing inclusion in action, and, through our partnerships with SDS and Trust Rugby International, we will continue building real and lasting opportunities for participation and inclusion in every aspect of life.”

Gavin Macleod, CEO of Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) said: “SDS is delighted to be working in partnership with Enable to co-ordinate the 2025 Summer Sports Camp for young people with disabilities. Both organisations are committed to developing opportunities that allow participants with disabilities to benefit physically, socially and psychologically from being involved in physical activity and sport. The camp has become an important addition to the SDS annual calendar and offers a wide variety of outdoor, recreational and social experiences.”

Jamie Armstrong of Trust Rugby International (TRI) added: “At a time when the world feels more divided than ever, this partnership is about bringing people back together. TRI Social Rugby gives us a powerful way to break down barriers, build trust, and remind communities what it means to truly belong, on and off the pitch.”

Future phases of Access for All will focus on increasing participation in Scotland’s arts and cultural life, and on influencing inclusive policy development, ensuring that the full breadth of Article 30 is reflected in everyday life for people with disabilities across the country.