Important steps in development
Adapted physical activity (APA) and disability sports have a long history and tradition in Finland. Through their rich history, APA and disability sport have become an important part of the Finnish sport and physical activity culture. This site contains information about the most important steps in the development of Finnish APA.
Timeline:
1960s
- First sports organizations for persons with disabilities were founded in Finland
- Posts for APA instructors in institutions
- The first APA seminar 1969 (Finnish Society of Sport Science)
1970s
- University-level education in APA begins in University of Jyväskylä
- A pilot and research project about APA in municipalities during 1976−1979 (led by the Finnish Society of Sport Science)
- Proposal for an amendment to the Sports Act regarding physical activity of persons with disabilities
1980s
- National committee for Adapted Physical Activity was founded in 1981
- A position for a full-time APA planning officer in central government 1982
- The first Finnish textbook on APA 1983
- Positions for APA instructors in municipalities 1984. A wider scale APA action starts in municipalities
- The first APA consultation days 1986
- Council for Adapted Physical Activity 1988
1990s
- A subcommittee for APA was founded to the National Sports Council 1991
- The Finnish Federation of Adapted Physical Activity (SoveLi) is founded
- APA becomes a field of specialization in University of Jyväskylä
- University of Jyväskylä gets a Professorship in APA
- The Reform of the Sports Act 1998: Local government (municipality) shall provide opportunities and facilities for physical activity of their inhabitants, taking into account groups with special needs
- The first “APA into Municipalities Project” in 1997−1999 organized by Finnish Society of Sport Sciences, the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health
2000s
- Committee founded to develop health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) 2000−2001
- The evaluation reports of APA instructors work in municipalities become regular (2002, 2005, 2009, 2013, 2017)
- Extensive projects, for example APA into municipalities 2004−2006, 2007−2009 and 2013−2015
- A large number of new books and educational materials published
- Increase in the funding of organizations
- Activities to enhance integration and inclusion
- Process of integrating Disability Sport into national Sport Associations begins in 2005
2010s
- Four Finnish APA organizations merged into Finnish Sports Association of Persons with Disabilities (VAU ry) 2010
- National Sports Councils sub-committee of APA sub-committee of the National Sports Council is replaced with Division for Equality and Equity in 2016. Promoting APA is one of the tasks of the new division.
- Finnish Society of Sport Sciences publishes an evaluation report of the governments’ activities in APA 2018
Read more about the Finnish APA instructor system and the history of APA in Finland.