From Participation to Leadership: Inside the Special Olympics Movement

About this episode

The episode explores leadership and inclusion within the Special Olympics movement through personal stories and insights from athlete leaders and a manager.

In this episode, Derek sits down with Special Olympics athlete leaders Declan Fawcett and Amanda Harrinauth, along with Alyssa Cress, Manager of Inclusive Leadership Development for Special Olympics North America, to explore the true meaning of leadership, inclusion, and opportunity. Together, they share how Special Olympics has created a space where athletes can not only compete, but lead—amplifying their voices, shaping their communities, and breaking down misconceptions around intellectual disabilities. From powerful personal stories to practical insights on coaching, parenting, and mentorship, this conversation highlights a simple but important truth: Inclusion isn’t about doing more—it’s about listening, understanding, and creating space for every athlete to thrive. You’ll learn: How leadership opportunities transform confidence and identity Why “nothing about us without us” is critical in sport and life What great coaches and mentors do differently How parents and communities can better support neurodivergent and differently wired athletes This episode is a reminder that being different isn’t a limitation—it’s an edge. Learn more about Special Olympics at…

People in this episode

Host: Derek Shunk

Guests: Declan Fawcett, Amanda Harrinauth, Alyssa Cress

Topics covered

• leadership
• inclusion
• opportunity
• neurodiversity
• coaching
• mentorship

Keywords

• Special Olympics
• leadership
• inclusion
• neurodivergent
• athletes
• coaching
• mentorship
• community support
• confidence
• identity

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Special Olympics North America, Special Olympics, SpecialOlympics.org

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