Yeruult and Araijan's project will provide Special Olympics athletes and their families with practical skills for using digital technology.
About the Project Leaders
Yeruult, 19, is a Special Olympics table tennis athlete and enjoys sharing his experience to schools and community spaces. His friend Araijan, 15, is a Unified partner who became a Youth Leader to help his peers with intellectual disabilities be more included in the community.
The Inspiration
Yeruult and Araijan conducted a survey among the parents of Special Olympics Mongolia athletes. The survey revealed many athletes had limited skills and access to digital technology, even though parents had a desire for their children to gain these digital skills, such as communicating and accessing maps and GPS on their devices.
The Plan
Yeruult and Araijan will expose Special Olympics athletes and their families to digital training sessions and practical experience activities that involve the usage of technology. The Youth Leaders will develop training and collaborate with organizations to host sessions on communication platforms such as Zoom and Messenger. After these workshops, Yeruult and Araijan will organize a visit to a digital technology company. Additionally, Youth Leaders will provide training on map technology such as Zenly and Google Maps, and participants will use these newfound skills in a real-life scenario during a Unified hike.
Project Goals
Yeruult and Araijan believe One Step Closer will bring together Special Olympics Mongolia athletes and their families. The activities will improve athletes’ abilities and interactions with digital technology, and as a result will make the athlete community safer and with greater access to information and new learning materials.