Tuesday, 6th October 2026: Active Disability Ireland launches a suite of training & education workshops to provide accessible disability inclusion education to all. The launch took place on Sport Ireland Campus and featured key representatives from the sport, health, education and community sectors working towards a more inclusive disability sport sector. 

The three workshops focus on general disability awareness training, fitness specific training and autism in sport training, to meet a growing demand for education support services. This aims to bridge the gap between people with disabilities looking to get active and those delivering sport and physical activity sessions. 

The launch is a significant development in Active Disability Ireland’s commitment to increase participation in sport for people with disabilities, in line with the National Sports Policy which identifies a participation gap of 20% to 32% between people with and without disabilities.  

CEO Brenda O’Donnell welcomed the launch, sharing: “Today marks an important milestone for Active Disability Ireland and for the continued development of our Training and Education Framework. These new workshops represent a significant investment in building the knowledge, confidence and capacity of those delivering sport and physical activity opportunities across Ireland. By making high-quality, accessible education available across the sector, we are helping to create environments where people with disabilities can participate, belong and thrive. This launch is only the beginning. We are committed to working with partners across the sector to build a more inclusive sporting landscape, where people with disabilities have equal opportunities to be active, achieve their potential and experience all the benefits that sport and physical activity can offer.” 

The self-paced workshops are accessible through the Active Disability Ireland Learning Hub , which include Disability Inclusion, Inclusive Fitness and Autism in Sport. These three areas have been identified as key demands in the sectors for further support.  

Designed for coaches, volunteers, parents and people working in the sectors on a national and local level, the online courses have been developed to be informative, interactive and engaging with a certificate following completion.  

Declan O’Leary, Coaching Development Manager at Sport Ireland indicated that, “Building Capacity is one of the 5 pillars of the Sport Ireland Disability Inclusion in Sport: Statement of Commitment and Action (Disability Inclusion in Sport Statement of Commitment and Action.pdf). The online workshops that Active Disability Ireland are launching today will contribute to Building Capacity in the sector by allowing volunteers and professionals to learn at a pace, place, and time that suits them as individuals. In turn, by applying this new, practical knowledge, they can provide positive, meaningful movement experiences to each person with a disability that they coach, lead, or instruct.” 

Each interactive workshop has been co-designed with people with disabilities, ensuring lived experience is at the heart of the content. Following a process of consultation and collaboration, the workshops are designed to reflect the needs of the people they aim to support. 

The launch concluded with the announcement of another significant development for the sport sector. The Xcessible Gold standard was officially launched, which is a pathway designed to support National Governing Bodies of sport and Local Sports Partnerships in embedding a culture of inclusion at the highest level within their organisations. 

Speaking on the Xcessible Gold Award, Oisín Jordan (Special Olympics Ireland), Xcessible Panel Chairperson, shared: 

“At the heart of Xcessible is a simple ambition: that people with disabilities can access quality sporting opportunities in their own communities and feel that they truly belong. The Gold Xcessible Award is the final step in an organisations inclusive journey that recognises NGBs and LSPs that are showing real leadership in making inclusion part of everyday practice, building the knowledge, confidence and structures that will help create lasting change across Irish sport. It has been a real pleasure to be part of the Xcessible awards and I look forward to the great work those looking to achieve gold will bring for our sporting communities.”

Workshops Overview

Find out more about our Training & Education framework and the available workshops here: https://activedisability.ie/training/