Special Olympics New Zealand delivers and supports a range of opportunities through schools across Aotearoa — including specialist schools, satellite schools, and learning support units within mainstream schools. Our programmes open doors for tamariki and rangatahi with intellectual and learning disabilities to get active, connect with others, develop skills, and experience the joy of movement.
Special Olympics Secondary School Events
Each year, we deliver an action-packed calendar of Secondary School Events. These one-day, multi-school events bring students together to participate, compete, and celebrate their achievements in a truly inclusive environment, creating moments of connection and pride that last well beyond the day.
"This was a brilliant event. It was inclusion at its best. Both the students who were learning the skills of basketball and the student leaders who were teaching the skills got a lot from this event."
Secondary School Sport Programmes
Alongside our Events, Special Olympics NZ partners and collaborates with school sports bodies to offer regular opportunities for students to get active and try a variety of sports throughout the school term.
These partnerships currently include Otago Secondary School Sports Association in Dunedin, School Sport Canterbury in Christchurch, and College Sport Wellington — alongside a range of Regional Sport Organisations.
Sport for All programme's directly, providing weekly sport sessions that connect schools, teachers, and students through fun, skill-building activities. The programme also helps teachers gain the confidence and tools to deliver sport back in their own schools.
"Partnering with SONZ means that we can create a safe, welcoming space where students with intellectual disabilities can connect, build confidence, and make friends from other schools. Through the Adaptive Sports Programmes in Dunedin and Central Otago, and the SONZ Secondary School Events, we're helping to give students more chances to enjoy sport and feel included."
Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association
Young Athletes in Schools and Toa Tahi - Champions Together
Special Olympics New Zealand's in-school programmes are now available through Sporty, giving schools access to a range of practical, games-based resources that make inclusive physical activity easy to deliver. With unit and session plans, activity cards, visual supports, and guidance from Special Olympics NZ staff, teachers and kaiako can confidently deliver and teach engaging sport and movement experiences for all students.
Young Athletes in Schools
Designed for primary school level tamariki, this programme builds foundational movement skills and nurtures a lifelong love of being active.
Toa Tahi - Champions Together
Tailored for secondary school students, these sport-specific lessons are scaffolded to support a wide range of abilities, encouraging every student to be a champion in their own way. These programmes are also a great way to prepare students for Special Olympics Secondary School Events.