Disability Sports Master Plan 2024: S'pore to raise at least S$10 million via private & corporate donors, govt to match dollar for dollar

Disability sport in Singapore is getting a shot in the arm in 2025.

As part of the Disability Sports Master Plan (DSMP) 2024, a new Enabling Sports Fund will be launched to encourage impactful community-initiated disability sport initiatives.

It is one of 10 strategic moves under the DSMP 2024 announced by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong on Nov. 20.

The target is to raise at least S$10 million through corporate and private donors by 2030, with the government matching donations dollar for dollar.

The fund could be channelled towards the purchase of sport equipment, transport support for programme participants and coaching fees.

Tong said on the sidelines of the Singapore Disability Sports Awards: “We have heard our disability community’s feedback and we know the needs are diverse, we know the experiences are different and to different extents, some more acute than others.

Among the stakeholders was new Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC) patron, Temasek Trust chairwoman Ho Ching.

She was at the Singapore Disability Sports Awards to celebrate Singapore's para-athletes.

There were 90 nominees in two categories – community, as well as pathway and performance.

Seven-gold Paralympic champion Yip Pin Xiu was named Sportswoman of the Year for a fifth time, while fellow swimmer Toh Wei Soong accepted his third Sportsman of the Year award.

Background

The DSMP was launched in 2016.

It aims to raise awareness of disability sport and expand access and opportunities for persons with disabilities.

It has contributed to an increase in the sport participation rate among persons with disabilities from 28 per cent in 2015 to 46 per cent in 2023.

A taskforce was formed in May 2023 to refresh the DSMP.

It has since engaged 850 stakeholders.

DSMP 2024 aims to increase regular participation from 3,200 to 5,400, and the participation rate among persons with disabilities to 70 per cent by 2030.

It will also try to expand opportunities to participate in community sport programmes and competitions and enhance access to and within ActiveSG sport facilities to support people with different disabilities.

To enhance awareness of disability sport and inclusive sport activities, DSMP 2024 is recommending all mainstream schools to conduct programmes for students to experience disability sport by 2028.

The DSMP is also looking to establish a national training centre for para sport to be housed at the new Home of Team Singapore in Kallang, and work on improving the competencies of para-sport coaches and support personnel to allow persons with disabilities to compete at high-performance level.

Top photos via MCCY