The Cabildo kicks off a new edition of PADIS with a record number of participating centers

The fourth edition of the Physical Activity and Sports Plan for Social Inclusion (PADIS), promoted by the Cabildo through the public company Ideco, kicks off today with a record number of participating centers in the program—a total of 94— and with more than 1,700 people benefiting from this initiative, which helps people with disabilities engage in physical activity.

The island’s Sports Councilor, Yolanda Moliné, attended a yoga session today, Tuesday, November 5, held at the Tenerife Athletics Center (CIAT), which was attended by 131 people from about ten different centers.

Yolanda Moliné points out that “PADIS includes activities at various outdoor locations, as well as at the centers themselves, with a program of activities designed from a recreational and educational perspective that aims to facilitate sports participation for people with disabilities while improving their physical, mental, and social health.”

The island councilor explains that “from November through May, 74 activities are scheduled at 15 different locations—both in the north and south of the island, as well as in the metropolitan area—in addition to the various sessions held at the centers themselves.”

The Physical Activity and Sports Plan for Social Inclusion is a very powerful tool structured around three key pillars: sports participation, training for coaches, and support for inclusive community sports. “Ultimately, the goal is to promote awareness, understanding, and respect for diversity by encouraging healthy habits through active lifestyles,” says Yolanda Moliné.

For her part, the Councilor for Social Action, Águeda Fumero, points out that “sports serve as a tool for promoting social inclusion,” emphasizing that “all our policies are centered on equal opportunities for all people, and this requires a cross-cutting approach to governance, ensuring that all citizens can pursue the life they desire on an equal footing.” Fumero emphasizes that “the values of sports align with the Cabildo’s commitment to building an increasingly egalitarian, inclusive, and supportive society.”

The fourth edition of PADIS, which has a budget of 250,000 euros, includes more than a dozen different physical and sports activities such as yoga, paddleboarding, Canarian ball, Latin aerobics, basketball, alternative sports and games, water sports, outdoor activities, track and field, and aquatic activities—with horseback riding making its debut this year as a new addition to the program.

The plan will once again place special emphasis on the continuing education of coaches in inclusive sports to update their skills, an initiative carried out in collaboration with the University of La Laguna.