Scottish charity Enable has today (Thursday 10 July 2025) launched a new landmark programme, ‘Access for All’, championing the rights of people with disabilities to fully participate in sport, culture and the arts.
The innovative partnership, inspired by Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), is being 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.
Access for All, driven by Enable’s purpose of creating an equal society for people with disabilities, 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 FRSE, 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, Chief Executive Officer 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) said: “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.
For further information on Enable and the Access for All programme, visit www.enable.org.uk
Case study: Kyle’s journey into inclusive sport
This is Kyle’s first time at a residential sports camp, a big step in his personal journey towards building confidence, trying new activities and finding a place in an inclusive and welcoming environment.
Kyle, who has learning disabilities, first connected with Enable through the Breaking Barriers programme, where he began building friendships and developing new skills. Since then, his confidence has grown, and he is looking forward to his university graduation in November. Kyle has also become more open to new experiences, including sport.
Sport hasn’t always been accessible for Kyle. He once trialled for a mainstream youth football team, but he wasn’t selected – an experience that left him feeling discouraged. That moment stayed with him until he discovered the PAN Disability Football League, which changed everything. Kyle said: “I’ve had more chances to play, to improve, and to be part of a team. They welcomed me, and I’ve started to feel like I belong in sport.”
He found out about the SDS camp through Enable and immediately saw it as a new opportunity to grow. “I’m feeling good about it. I want to try new things and share my story with others,” he said. “It’s about developing confidence and realising what’s possible.”
Kyle is especially excited to try new sports and hopes the camp will help him build the confidence to inspire and support others on their own journeys into inclusive sport.
When asked what the camp means to him, Kyle said: “Sport should be for everyone. Camps like this show what’s possible when people are given the chance – and the support – to take part.”
