Our organization has the roots in early sixties . In 1991 the new organization focused on disabled sport was established and named Sports Association of the Disabled “START

• We are the oldest Polish unit that uses sport as the most important factor in rehabilitation work. Our history begins in 1961 when motivated with ideas of world-famous professor Wiktor Dega, an initiator of Polish physiotherapy school; we started adaptive sports for disabled. Our competitors represented Poland during all Paralympics Games, won hundreds of medals and for many times were Polish, European and World Champions. We are also pioneers in Polish Handicapped Camp System.
• Physical education, sport and tourism are main elements in association's tasks and take the leading role in our physical and psychological rehabilitation.
• The long-standing experience obligates us to keep regular rehabilitation programs, special camps for the disabled, different forms of education and integration activities, also in pathological environments.
• Offered programs are distinguished by modern methods of sport therapy and excellent, worked out during many years, organizational skills.
• We teach disabled the necessary life independence, include them in social inter-actions, and try to compensate their living opportunities.



• The process of solving problems of the disabled people, in order to be successful, requires participation of many important units and organizations. Our partners are: Municipal Government City of Poznan, The Marshal Office of Wielkopolska Province and State Fund for Rehabilitation of Disabled.
• We co-operate with Physiotherapy Institute of Poznan Sports Academy and many out-of-government and state-owned organizations. Students of rehabilitation in Sports Academy and Post-high school Physiotherapy Institute serve their internships during our camps.
•  Our co-operation with other similar units doesn’t only border to area within Poland. There are numbers of organizations in European Economic Community countries and United States, which carry on different kinds of experiences’ exchange and collaborate in the field of rehabilitation. We attend many professional schooling abroad and organize the same in Poland. Instructors and trainers have been working together with Swedish organization “Rekryterings-gruppen” and promoting “active physiotherapy” ideas for more than 10 years. Swedish model, which was successfully carried into effect in Poland, contributed to revolutionary changes among thousands of young disabled. As an appreciation of our “active physiotherapy” model, our organization received an invitation from British Foundation “Motivation” to attend and join in organization of disabled camps in Albania, Romania and Malaise in 1994-96. Sports Association of the Disabled “START” has conducted a few camps for the disabled for Swedish disabled sports organizations “Skanes Handfikappidrotsforbund” from Arlov and “Foreningen Idrott for Handikappade” from Malmo in Wagrowiec. During 1994-1999 our instructors completed special training at American “National Sports Center for the Disabled” Winter Park, Colorado, “National Ability Center” Park City, Utah and “Recreation Unlimited” Ashley, Ohio. Our organizational skills were used in 1996, when the Order of the Hospital of St. John – The Knights of Malta committed the preparation of the 13th International Malta Summer Camp in Wagrowiec to ours care. Over 300 young disabled from all over Europe participated in this event. Authorities of the Order evaluated it as the best organized so far.




• "START" has at its disposal efficient executive machinery for realization of its plans. Our professional staff prepares eight sport sections and disabled camp programs. Our team consists of highly qualified specialists of different branches, graduates of Sports Academy in Poznan, students and voluntaries. The association, well known in the country, is supported by state-owned and self-governed institutions.

• Our offer includes full year classes with physically disabled individuals and persons with visual impairment. The aim is set at physical, psychological and social rehabilitation. There are also many sports events organized by seven other sections, which promote active life style. These are swimming, archery, lights athletic, table tennis, boccia, bowling, alpine and water-skiing.

• Particularly worthy to point out are programs for children and young adults:

1) We promote an innovatory integration program, which combines education and swimming-classes for full-efficient and disabled children in Sports Primary School no 29. We train them within 3 groups: record-holders, base of supplies, swimming lessons. Representatives of first section are competitors in the national Polish team for Paralympics in SYDNEY’ 2000 and ATHENS’2004.

2) We lead professional light-athletic section based on students of Educational Center for Blind Children in Owinska and students of Sports Academy. Our athlets won several medals in Paralympics SYDNEY’ 2000 and ATHENS’2004.

3) We also lead archery section and the only one in Poland - boccia section. Even highly disabled children can attend and participate in these classes.

4) We started, from the basis, alpine skiing program for people with spinal cord injuries. Four competitors are also preparing for Winter Paralympics in Salt Lake City 2002.

5) Since 1997 we have been carrying out our own program fighting alcoholism. We are trying to achieve our aim by organizing summer camps and regular therapy classes for children born in families with alcoholic problems. Through these camps we try to solve their educational and emotional difficulties and fight with psychoactive substance dependence.



• Results of our activity:
physical, psychological and social rehabilitation of children and adults
creating conditions for human existence of disabled people
creating conditions for human existence of people from pathological families
compensating chances in social life
social integration process
changing common-existed, not adequate, disability stereotype



• Sports Association of the Disabled “START” actively participates in the disabled organizations' movement. Among others is a member of All-Polish Seym for Disabled and local Co-ordination Council for Out-of-Government Disabled Organizations of the Disabled in Wielkopolska. Using its long-lasting experience "START" joins the process of informing state and town authorities in the matter of disabled problems. This helps to draw up proper law and define practical solutions at central and local levels. It also creates good social atmosphere and technical and architectural conditions.

• We also prosecute initial guidance of all rehabilitation forms. In particularly difficult cases we direct people to qualified institutions. This procedure has its use in educational process too, which is one of fundamental ways to compensate living opportunities.

• We have good effects in solving problems with orthopedic and rehabilitation equipment for disabled people. We work through Ministry of Health's departments and independent Health Insurance or we directly help interested individuals. Foreign charitable organizations give theirs relief too.

• We are in contact with pathological society environment. We maintain our connections through:
- psychologists, pedagogues, teachers and school's Head Masters
- members of Poznan AA, AL.-ANON, AL.-ATEEN groups
- Representative of State Agency for Solving Alcoholic Problems
- Representative of Commission for Alcoholism Counteraction
- Representative of Poznan City Government
- children houses
- Centers of Social Welfare
- church organizations
- individual contacts