Quinn Barrie-Watts – Belonging Forum

Issue Area: Disability

Organization: Special Olympics International

Fellowship Year: 2019

Impact Location: Canada

Quinn graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor’s in Political Science and a minor in East Asian Language and Literature. She was adopted from Taizhou, Jiangsu, China at the age of 14 months old and has grown up in Montreal, Quebec. She is passionate about human rights and the politics of international law, and hopes to build a career in which she will affect people’s lives for the better.

Partner: Special Olympics International

Policy Brief: Inclusion for Individuals with Profound/Multiple Disabilities+ Infographic – The Future of Special Olympics’ MATP

Final Report: Building Social Connectedness for People with Profound or Multiple Disabilities

Final Report (Easy-to-read version): Building Social Connectedness for People with Profound or Multiple Disabilities

This report looks at the barriers to the development of Special Olympics’ (SO) Motor Activity Training Program (MATP). MATP is an adapted sports training program for individuals with profound/multiple disabilities (PMD). The findings of this report will aid SO in its desire to better foster inclusion for those with PMD and their families/caregivers. Barriers vary across regions, although some are common to all. Notable barriers include a lack of resources and the persistence of negative attitudes towards people with disabilities. Recommendations include adapting existing SO programs, increasing research and data output on the population with PMD, and raising awareness through campaigning and community-based interactions.
Keywords: disability, Special Olympics, sports, profound, multiple, inclusion, barriers, programs, policy, attitude, intellectual disability

Community Engagement Initiative: Camp Massawippi Olympics
Quinn organized a mini olympics for youth who are part of Day Camp Massawippi. The event encouraged the collaboration and interaction between individuals with and without a variety of disabilities. Athletes had the opportunity to participate in a warm-up and compete in five sport events: target shooting, javelin, shot put, bowling and relay.