Road to success: lessons from the Qatar Foundation Ability Friendly Program

Abstract

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Reuse permitted under CC BYNC. No commercial reuse. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. INTRODUCTION: QATAR FOUNDATION’S ABILITY FRIENDLY (AF) PROGRAM History and evolution of the programme Although the AF sports programme was not officially launched in Qatar until 2019, the planning process for the development and inauguration of the programme was set in motion much earlier. Three years earlier, in 2016, the World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), an initiative of the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF), published a global research report on autism titled ‘Autism: a Global Framework for Action’. This report formed one of a series of reports published during the WISH 2016 summit, and 1 of 50 WISH has produced since its inception in 2013. Publication of the autism report also coincided with a powerful grassroots campaign from a group of mothers in Qatar who were collectively calling for greater inclusion opportunities for their children. The idea for a programme that would provide a unique opportunity for inclusive sports, leisure and social opportunities for children and young adults with autism came directly from the recommendations of the WISH report. For the vast majority of WISH research reports, it falls to national and regional governments, along with other care providers, to implement and take forward report recommendations. While the Qatari government set about creating an overarching national autism strategy at the national level—taking many of the recommendations from the 2016 report—the WISH team saw an opportunity to use its parent organisation, QF, as a platform to lead the introduction of abilityfriendly programmes within the community. Physical activity (PA) and participation in recreational and competitive sports in general have long been considered a positive Summary box