Mission Statement
Enriching the lives of Manitobans with an intellectual disability through sport.
A number of basic principles or assumptions are believed to be inherent in Special Olympics Manitoba's mission statement. These are:
- That programs must be provided for all functional abilities and ages of individuals with an intellectual disability;
- That active, physical participation while attending Special Olympics Manitoba programs is a requisite for attendance/membership;
- Special Olympics provides sport opportunities directly for athletes with an intellectual disability;
- Special Olympic programs are athlete centered. The athlete is all-important in Special Olympics;
- Special Olympics is a sport program. Sport involves the matching of strength, endurance and physical skills in formalized settings with structured rules and determined outcomes;
- Training and preparation are essential to meaningful participation in sport, and are an indispensable element of any Special Olympics program;
- Every Special Olympics athlete deserves the right to a certified coach;
- Special Olympics supports and promotes a fair and safe environment for both athletes and coaches;
- The practice of divisioning athletes for competition, based on their abilities, is fundamental to the Special Olympics program. This practice ensures that all athletes experience equitable competition; and
- Special Olympics uses the medium of sport to assist persons with an intellectual disability to become all that they can be - physically, mentally, socially, emotionally - and to become accepted, respected and productive members of society.
Special Olympics Manitoba through its passion for excellence, is the sport organization of choice that provides broad based, life-long sport opportunities for individuals with intellectual disability across the province. Special Olympics Manitoba is unequalled as an innovative and integral builder of community life through sport.
The following statements "paint a picture" of the desired long-term future for Special Olympics in Manitoba.
- Opportunity & Accessibility:
We will:
- provide all athletes with choices in their opportunity to train and to compete;
- be accessible and open to all athletes with an intellectual disability, regardless of their ability;
- be a change agent for social inclusion - advocating for and providing all athletes with opportunities for integration through sport;
- be recognized as an integral and valued part of the sport delivery system by working in partnership with sport organizations.
- Quality:
We will:
- provide quality programs and services for our members and supporters;
- provide quality training for athletes and coaches;
- provide a high level of support for athletes in training and competition including a focus on their personal health, well being and safety.
- Community Awareness & Support:
We will:
- have a very high level of community awareness so that people know who we are, what we provide and how to access opportunities;
- be in every community that wishes to join the Special Olympics movement;
- be an integral and valued part of communities, such that if we failed to exist there would be an outcry in the community.
- Organization:
We will:
- be an integrated cohesive organization (thinking globally, acting locally);
- have a strong committed group of volunteers;
- provide opportunities for all athletes in the movement to input to and access decision-making processes;
- ensure that people know where to voice their concerns and that they have an opportunity to be heard;
- be accountable to our members and partners, and decision-making processes will be transparent, clear, fair and understood;
- support research and development on issues affecting people with an intellectual disability;
- play a leadership role on the community, provincial, national and world stages in advancing all Special Olympics;
- constantly challenge ourselves to enrich the lives of Canadians with an intellectual disability through sport.
The following values were identified as being paramount to the on-going success of Special Olympics Manitoba:
- Integrity
- Innovation in Leadership
- Passion & Dedication
- Commitment to Excellence
- Transparent & Accountable
Our Values in Action
For each value statement a set of actions has been developed. They include:
- Integrity:
- We respect one another and our athletes and invested partners
- We are open and honest with our athletes, colleagues and partners
- We are authentic and fair in the decisions we make and the actions we take
- We create an environment that fosters trust for one another
- We are ethical in presenting ourselves and in conducting our business
- We encourage, listen to and are responsive to the opinions of others
- Innovation in Leadership:
- We strive for creativity in all aspects of the organization
- We will be proactive
- We will be on the cutting edge in our decisions and on going dealings
- We will strive to maintain and enhance the long term ethics and safety of the organization
- We encourage innovative thinking at all levels of leadership in the organization
- We will seek and provide opportunities to develop and improve
- We believe in accepting and implementing change
- Passion & Dedication:
- We are loyal to the organization and the members of our team
- We believe in the rights of individuals with an intellectual disability
- We embrace challenge with purpose and energy (hard working)
- We have the drive required to be successful
- We recognize personal endeavour
- Commitment to Excellence:
- We believe in providing exceptional athlete centered and customer service
- We succeed through teamwork in a positive environment
- We provide opportunities for individuals to develop and succeed within the organization
- We will provide the resources and authority to meet our goals and objectives
- We will set targets that make a difference
- We celebrate our achievements and organizational triumphs
- Transparent and Accountable:
- We take ownership and are accountable for our actions
- We will make informed decisions
- We will ask questions to encourage self determination in preference to telling people what to do
- We will be able to give clear and concise reasons for the decisions we make
- We will foster communication and encourage our athletes and vested partners to be involved in decision making processes
