International Sports Programs There are a variety of opportunities for individuals with disabilities interested in sports exchanges including participation as an athlete, a volunteer or an intern.

Possible Exchange Programs

• ASD Cultural Exchange
  Randy Bush, Director
   31907 Azucena Court
  Temecula CA 92591
  Tel: (951) 699-9244
  Fax: (775) 261-5759
  Email: rb@ASDCulturalExchange.com
  
  The mission of ASD Cultural Exchange is to provide cultural and sports programs for students and adults from the United States and other countries. ASD Cultural Exchange is committed to providing quality programs for groups traveling abroad.
  If you are a coach, club administrator, part of a sports team and are interested in participating in an international event or if you're an individual athlete or student interested in joining a group touring one of 20 different countries, contact ASD Cultural Exchange today for more information.
• International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
  Human Resources
  Adenauerallee 212-214
  53113 Bonn, GERMANY
  Georg Schlachtenberger
  Tel.  +49-228-2097-200
  Fax. +49-228-2097-209
  E-mail: georg.schlachtenberger@paralympic.org
  
  The International Paralympics offers unpaid internships for career development at the International Paralympic Committee office in Germany. Internships are generally offered in the following areas: Media and Communication, Sport Administration, Finance and Legal Administration, Marketing & Fundraising, Development, Membership Relations, General Administration, Medical & Scientific.
  The IPC provides a quality work experience and prefers interns to stay for at least 3 months with regular attendance at the IPC Headquarters in Germany. Applicants must cover all expenses connected to the internship. The IPC does not offer financial compensation. See the website for more infomration, click on IPC and then on jobs.
  
• The Mobility Project
  Jennifer Smith, Midwest Regional Director
  Tel: 800-818-8846
  E-mail: jsmith@mobilityproject.org
  
  The Mobility Project collects and distributes wheelchairs and teaches sports and mobility skills to people with disabilities in developing countries.

• PADI National Geographic Instructor Internship
  Thailand
  
  PADI offers various internships for the adventurous scuba diving career minded person. They train individuals to scuba dive (or build on existing skills) and then the skills and knowledge required to teach diving. They have placements in Thailand, Cambodia or Vietnam. Using the PADI system they train candidates with no scuba experience all the way up to instructor level (with many unique specialties and skills) allowing them to work in Asia or world wide. All internship programs now include the IAHD (International Association of Handicapped Diving) specialty.
• The Paralympic Academy
  John Register
  U.S. Paralympics
  One Olympic Plaza
  Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909 USA
  Tel: 719-866-2038
  E-mail: john.register@usoc.org
  
  The International Paralympic Academy is a biennial celebration of Paralympic sport for youth with physical disabilities aged 12-18. Youth with disabilities can apply to win a trip to the Paralympic Games, including a recognition banquet, attendance at ceremonies and athletic events, interaction with Paralympic team members, camaraderie with other potential Paralympians, and exposure to the Games host city and country. Applicants submit:
  
  · Paralympic Academy application form
  · 200-250 word essay titled, “What Ability Means to Me”
  · Letter of recommendation from a coach currently working with the athlete
  · Letter of recommendation from a program administrator or teacher

• People to People Sports Ambassadors Program
  Dwight D. Eisenhower Building
  110 South Ferrall Street
  Spokane, WA  99202-4800 USA
  Tel: 888-556-8897
  Fax: 509-534-5245
  E-mail: info@sportsambassadors.org
  
  People to People Sports Ambassador Programs offer a unique sports experience. The program is for student-athletes who have a passion for sports and a desire to become an international ambassador representing the United States of America. The Youth Friendship Games provide a fun and exciting way for student-athletes to advance their athletic skills and to experience:
  
  · International camaraderie
  · Training camps
  · World famous sites in Amsterdam and Holland
  · Different cultures from around the world

• Right To Play
  65 Queen Street West,
  Thomson Building, Suite 1900, Box 64
  Toronto, Ontario, M5H 2M5, Canada
  Tel: +1 416-498-1922
  Fax:+1 416-498-1942
  
  Right To Play is an athlete-driven international humanitarian organization. Volunteers use sport and play as a tool for the development of children and youth in the most disadvantaged areas of the world.
• Special Olympics, Inc.
  1133 19th St. NW
  Washington, DC 20036-3604 USA
  Tel: 202-628-3630
  Fax: 202-824 –
  E-mail: info@specialolympics.org
  
  Special Olympics is an international organization dedicated to empowering individuals with intellectual disabilities to become physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports training and competition. Special Olympics offers children and adults with intellectual disabilities year-round training and competition in 26 Olympic-type summer and winter sports. There is no charge to participate in Special Olympics. People with disabilities can volunteer or be involved in many ways at the international competitions.

Websites

• Sports and Development
  
  This Internet platform is a worldwide hub dedicated entirely to Sport & Development. The site provides a common working framework that facilitates the promotion of Sport & Development as a new domain of international cooperation, and is visited frequently by representatives of the United Nations, governments, sports federations, non-governmental organizations, and academic institutions.

Other Opportunities

• Use the National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange (NCDE) database by selecting a country and a keyword such as "sports," "volunteer," or "intern" to bring up a list of organizations offering opportunities in these areas.  Contact the organization directly for more information or for an application.
• Contact the NCDE staff directly for assistance.
• Use other on-line searches such as www.internabroad.com or www.volunteerabroad.com and select "sports" or "athletics."

Outdoor Adventure Programs

• Global Explorers

2726 Pasquinel Drive
Fort Collins, CO, 80526
Tel: (888) 359-3801
Fax: (719) 623-0442
Email: info@globalexplorers.org

Global Explorers coordinates teacher and student groups at the middle and high school level to travel on short-term workshops to learn about and volunteer in the Arctic regions of Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and Tanzania. Through its Leading the Way program, groups of people with and without visual impairments travel to Peru.

• IDEA 2000 Team

c/o David Panofsky
Outreach Coordinator
448 Jean St.
Madison, WI 53703
Tel: (608) 256-0590
Email: smithpanof@globaldialog.com

IDEA 200 Team organizes groups of people with diabetes around the world for mountaineering trips and to raise awareness of diabetes worldwide.

• New Directions

5276 Hollister Ave., Suite 207
Santa Barbara, CA 93111
Tel: (888) 967-2841 or (805) 967-2841
Fax: (805) 964-7344
Email: info@newdirectionstravel.com

New Directions coordinates international travel programs each year for people with cognitive disabilities. The emphasis is on enriching educational travel opportunities to expand experiential learning and enhance the self-esteem of every traveler. Each program includes personal attention and service. Itineraries are structured but include opportunities for choice.

• Success Oriented Achievement Realized (SOAR)

PO Box 388
Balsam, NC 28707
Tel: (828) 456-3435
Fax: (828) 456-3449
Email: admissions@soarnc.org

SOAR serves youth with learning disabilities or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder who want to build life skills through adventure opportunities in the United States and Latin America.

• Wilderness Inquiry

808 14th Ave. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55414
Tel: (800) 728-0719 or (612) 676-9400,
TTY: (612) 676-9475
Fax: (612) 676-9401
Email: info@wildernessinquiry.org

Wilderness Inquiry organizes a wide variety of canoe, sea kayak, dogsled, rafting, horse pack and hiking trips in Africa, North America, Oceania and other regions of the world. All trips include people with and without disabilities working together to make the outdoor adventures open to everyone.

^{All information provided by MIUSA and the National Clearinghouse on Disability & Exchange (NCDE) is subject to change without notice. Although efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, MIUSA/NCDE cannot be held liable for inaccuracy, misinterpretation or complaints arising from these listings. Mention of an organization, company, service or resource should not be construed as an endorsement by MIUSA/NCDE. Please advise NCDE of any inaccuracies you may find.}