Naked Heart France holds its third Forum, titled “Bridging the Gaps: Empowering Individuals with Autism through Sports and Fitness”, scheduled for Monday, May 13th.
The Naked Heart France Association is delighted to announce our forthcoming Forum dedicated to Empowering Individuals with Autism through Sports and Fitness. This event will serve as a platform for meaningful dialogue between parents and professionals, offering a unique opportunity to engage with leading international experts in the field. Attendees can anticipate gaining valuable insights, interacting with experienced coaches and practitioners, and receiving a comprehensive overview of the importance of promoting physical activities for individuals with autism.
Regular physical activity plays a crucial role in enhancing both physical and mental health, fostering a sense of belonging and well-being. Unfortunately, individuals with special needs, including autism, often face barriers to accessing such opportunities. Many service providers are unsure of how to effectively promote physical activity or utilize evidence-based practices to support participation in sports and exercise.
During this forum, participants will delve into the significance of prioritizing physical activity for this population, learn how to identify evidence-based practices, and explore strategies for supporting physical activity. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of regular physical activity for individuals with special needs, will be able to identify evidence-based practices for children & youth with autism, particularly those that support physical activity, and discover resources for accessing internet supports to learn how to plan for, use, and monitor evidence-based practices for children & youth with autism.
Having access to physical activity is the first step in improving the overall wellness of people with special needs, including autism. Yet, understanding which evidence-based practices can support an individual, and knowing when and how to implement them, is essential. Participants will learn evidence-based practices that can be applied across settings and age groups to support the learning of fitness and physical activity, and they will receive practical tips that they can immediately utilize to make their programs more accessible to all.
Date and time: Monday May 13, 2024, from 15:30 to 20:30
Place: Auditorium of the LVMH headquarters, located at 22, avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris
Program:
15:30 – 16:00 Registration and welcome coffee
16:00 – 19:00 Forum
● Opening speech: Natalia Vodianova, founder of Naked Heart France.
● Opening speech: Amélie Oudéa Castera, Minister for Sport and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
● Speech by Marie Barsacq, Executive Director Impact and Legacy, Paris 2024 Organising Committee of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
● Intervention on evidence-based practices in Sport and Fitness: Why it’s Important and How to Identify Practices that Work for People with Autism by our distinguished speaker Professor Kara Hume, School of Education at UNC, Chapel Hill, (USA).
● Presentation by Lya Bavoil, a top-level athlete and world champion in powerlifting champion and an autistic person.
● Presentation of the "Onze de légende" program by the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation, the flagship program highlighting extraordinary football teams. These teams are made up of half children with autism and half neurotypical children.
● Intervention on Teaching with Evidence-Based Practices in Sport and Fitness by our distinguished speaker Kathleen “Mo” Taylor, OTR/L Occupational Therapy Department of UNM (USA)
● Q&A with Professor Kara Hume and Kathleen "Mo" Taylor, followed by the closing ceremony.
19:00 – 20:30 Socializing and Cocktail
Our speakers:
Kara Hume, Ph.D.
Associate Professor at the School of Education and Faculty Fellow at the FPG Child Development Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Hume's research focuses on increasing access to high-quality community-based interventions for individuals with special needs. She is also involved in coaching Power Hour, an inclusive adaptive fitness class for young adults with autism and other special needs.
Kathleen “Mo” Taylor,
OTR/L Occupational Therapist at the University of New Mexico Occupational Therapy Department and founder of Theraplay, LLC. Kathleen is a co-author of "Social Engagement & the Steps to Being Social, A Practical Guide for Teaching Social Skills to Individuals with Autism." She has received numerous awards from the American Camping Association for her innovative program development and contributions to inclusion.
Lya Bavoil
Aware of her differences from childhood, Lya was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome at the age of 22. She never intended to become a high-level athlete, but found her calling in Powerlifting, where she quickly ascended to world number one. With emotion and authenticity, she shares her story and the daily challenges of living with an invisible disability, facing difficulties in social interactions, school bullying, and sexism. Her strength, determination, and courage are truly inspiring.