Twelve athletes with an intellectual disability from Special Olympics Great Britain (GB) have helped design and produce its first athlete-designed merchandise to raise funds.
Available to order now for £24.99 (deadline Monday 16 December for delivery before Christmas) three t-shirts have been unveiled by the athletes who participated in Special Olympics GB’s fourth Unified Business project with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).
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The athletes split into three teams (Inclusion, Friendship and Inspiration) and over six weeks they worked alongside CCEP volunteers on t-shirt design, production and pricing, before playing their part in the launch video and sales pitch.
“Having people with and without intellectual disabilities in teams, completing entrepreneurial challenges is an incredibly powerful activity, and it’s invaluable for the development of our athletes,” said Tom Casson, Head of Projects (Impact and Inclusion) at Special Olympics GB.
“In each project, athletes worked alongside CCEP volunteers and benefitted from their industry skills and expertise. This helps nurture the athletes’ entrepreneurial skills and, for some, supports their journey towards employment.
“The resulting t-shirts are our first ever athlete-designed merchandise that we have sold, and they look amazing. We’re hoping that many people will want to get their hands on the t-shirts in the run-up to Christmas.”
The Unified Business programme, which is unique to the partnership between Special Olympics GB and CCEP, launched in 2022 to support athletes in developing their employability skills through project-based learning, skill-sharing and confidence building, working side-by-side with volunteers.
The pilot project supported three athlete entrepreneurs to deliver a Christmas gift box campaign, whilst the second and third projects saw items designed for athletes participating in the Berlin 2023 Special Olympics World Games and the Folgaria 2024 National Winter Games.
Holly Firmin, Senior Community Partnerships Manager at CCEP, said: “Unified Business is a programme we’re really proud of at CCEP.
“Through the partnership with Special Olympics GB, we wanted to support its athletes in developing their confidence and employability skills, by leveraging the skills of our staff, who are all volunteers in the programme.
“It’s been inspiring to watch athletes, and colleagues alike, develop new skills, build confidence and truly thrive. It couldn’t be more evident that inclusion and diversity drive success, in the workplace and beyond.”
All three-T-shirts are now available to purchase through Special Olympics GB’s new online store. Postage and fulfilment of all orders is co-ordinated by Mail Out, which is a London based social enterprise warehouse offering mailing and fulfilment for businesses as well as vocational and accredited training for adults with a learning disability.