LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

The Ambassadors training will help athletes to look outside of the box for public speaking opportunities that might not come in the form of a written speech, and help prepare them for what those brief conversations or presentations might look, feel and sound like.

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Ambassadors for Special Olympics Minnesota will be trained in concise, on-the-fly speeches about Special Olympics, their personal stories of involvement, Athlete Leadership Programs, or the best resources to give to interested athletes or volunteers. Ambassadors will use the materials provided and training throughout the weekend to communicate the values and benefits of Special Olympics Minnesota and ALPs to their fellow athletes and the Minnesota community at large.

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Athletes as Coaches

Many Special Olympics athletes report that after years of being coached and competing in a given sport, they feel that they have a grasp of the fundamentals of the sport and that they might be able to teach that sport to other athletes. Sometimes they become assistant coaches, sometimes they become the athlete that the coach knows he or she can call on to demonstrate a skill.

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Athletes as Volunteers

Serving as a volunteer is just another way for athletes to strengthen leadership skills and build confidence. This commitment also allows athletes to bring their voices to the table and be part of SOMN in a brand new way.

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Challenges through Choice

Our Challenges through Choice course is a personal growth experience of self-empowerment and challenge through mental and physical activities. Participants will learn the fundamentals of teamwork and how to use communication to creatively solve problems, learn from successes and failures, and take safe risks by challenging themselves to a level that is just beyond their personal comfort zone. Both athletes and mentors will establish a positive working relationship with group members by building trust through honesty, fairness, and dependability. They will learn to challenge themselves, create new friendships, and, most importantly, build self-esteem — a key factor of being a leader.

 

The course focuses on eight principles, including respect, integrity, citizenship, responsibility, courage, care, inquiry, and excellence. This course combines outdoor adventure and classroom education.

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Governance and Leadership

Special Olympics’ Athlete Leadership Programs train athletes to serve in meaningful leadership roles other than, or in addition to, that of a sports competitor. ALPs offer athletes an opportunity to participate as partners in all aspects of the Special Olympics movement in Minnesota.

The three courses typically offered at ALPs Governance & Leadership 101 conferences are:

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• Introduction to Athlete Leadership Programs: This session will focus on the many opportunities athletes have for leadership roles in Special Olympics Minnesota.

• Leadership 101: This curriculum is designed to explore the concepts of leadership.

• Governance: This session will help prepare athletes to understand roles, procedures, and rules governing board and committee member positions within the organization.

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Global Messenger

This program provides Special Olympics athletes training to give formal presentations to peers and potential athletes, civic, sports, and church groups, businesses, school, and community administrators, and families. The purpose of each presentation is to recruit new Special Olympics athletes and the volunteers and donors needed to expand programs. Currently, Special Olympics has approximately 100 Athlete Leadership Program (ALPs) Global Messengers.