Children from Rodney House SEN Primary School were invited down to The Etihad Campus to take part in a variety of activities in the stadiums sensory room, before moving across the City Football Academy’s Blue Pitch to take part in a football session.
The Etihad Stadium sensory room caters to people with a variety of disabilities, including autism, providing them with a space to enjoy the football without experiencing loud crowd noise.
Participants are able to experience the benefits of innovative sensory technology built into the space within the stadium, being able to use the facilities on matchdays to watch games in a more comfortable environment for themselves.
Community Outreach lead disability coach, Paul Kelly said: “It enhances their matchday activities and their daytime activities while in the stadiums, as well as enhancing their families experience too.”
After participants moved across to the Blue Pitch, they were joined by City and England star Jill Scott who watched them take part in an inclusive football session.
Jill added: “I love coming down to CITC sessions and seeing all the smiling faces on the participants.
“The One City Disability programme is fantastic. Just that inclusion element, football should be for everyone, it is where you make friends, it is where you can be happy.
“It has brought me so much enjoyment over the years and I would hate to think that would have been restricted if I had a disability.
“Everyone should be able to play football no matter what.”
CITC celebrates and welcome people with disabilities, having a variety of disability programmes from One City Disability to City Amputees.
CITC’s One City Disability programmes aim to get those with disabilities included in sporting activities and footballing opportunities, no matter their ability.
