Unified Schools give educators, students, administrators and coaches the power to create a more inclusive world and help end the stigma around intellectual disabilities.
About Unified Schools
Unified Schools begin with Special Olympics Unified Sports® to build inclusive school communities for young people of all abilities. This programming creates an environment where everyone feels welcome, valued, and included both in school and in their local community.
These schools can expand their programming to include inclusive youth leadership and whole school engagement in order to become Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®.
These schools can expand their programming to include inclusive youth leadership and whole school engagement in order to become Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools®.
Faces of Inclusion
Stories of impact in communities around the world.
Dedicated to Promoting Inclusion in Greece: Primary 24 School’s Story
As an educator and trainer, Nikoleta is dedicated to serving youth in her hometown of Patras, Greece. During the day, Nikoleta is a physical education teacher at Primary School 24, and after school, she’s a swim coach for Special Olympics Hellas.
3 Min Read
Breaking Down Barriers: Special Olympics Jamaica's Story
On Windsor Road in Spanish Town, Jamaica, two schools on the same street are separated by a chain-link fence.
3 Min Read
Our Work is Proven to:
94% of schools reported that Unified Schools made a big impact in reducing bullying, teasing, and offensive language.
Through Unified Schools, over 2 out of 3 students without intellectual disabilities (ID) experienced substantial positive change in interactions with their peers with ID.
In Kenya and India, 4 out of 5 teachers reported an improved sense of community after participating in Unified Schools.
Get in touch with Special Olympics to volunteer, become an athlete, join a Unified Sports team, work as a coach, and learn about upcoming events.
