National Sports Adviser for Wales - Volunteer in Swansea

Use your sport expertise to help Special Olympics Cymru Wales grow inclusive opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across Wales, supporting clubs, competitions, and the future development of your sport. National Sports Advisers play an important role in helping Special Olympics Cymru Wales provide high‑quality, inclusive and well‑structured sporting opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities. Their expertise helps strengthen standards, improve competition planning, support local clubs and volunteers, and build clearer sport pathways across Wales. This includes supporting both well‑established sports and newer project sports where we are looking to expand opportunities. The impact of this role will be felt at every level. It will help improve the quality of advice and support available to clubs, strengthen relationships with national governing bodies and partners, and ensure athletes have more opportunities to train, compete and progress in their chosen sports. Most importantly, this role will help more people with intellectual disabilities access meaningful, enjoyable and ambitious sporting opportunities in Wales.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for volunteers with at least three years’ professional, technical, or substantial voluntary experience in one or more of the following areas:

• Governance
• Strategic development and planning
• Project or programme management
• Advice or advocacy
• Mentoring or coaching
• Social care or counselling
• Teaching or education
• Training

The most important requirement is that the volunteer also brings strong sport‑specific knowledge and experience, with the ability to offer practical guidance and help develop high‑quality opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across Wales. Our ideal volunteer will have:

• Strong technical knowledge of their sport
• Experience within their sport at club, regional, national governing body, or Special Olympics level
• An understanding of rules, competition formats, divisioning, equipment, and development pathways
• The ability to communicate clearly and work collaboratively with coaches, volunteers, clubs, and partners
• A genuine commitment to inclusion and creating meaningful opportunities through sport

It would be particularly helpful if the volunteer also has experience of:

• Coaching, officiating, or technical sport development
• Supporting competitions or sporting events
• Developing training, education, or guidance materials
• Working with governing bodies or wider sport partners
• Supporting volunteers, clubs, or community programmes
• Disability sport or inclusive practice

We are looking for people who are dependable, constructive, and able to share advice in a supportive and practical way. You do not need to have volunteered with Special Olympics Cymru Wales before, but you should be able to demonstrate relevant sport‑specific expertise and transferable experience. This aligns with the wider National Sports Adviser role, which calls for significant sport‑specific technical knowledge and at least 3–5 years of relevant sport involvement.

What will you be doing?

We are looking for a volunteer to provide sport‑specific advice and support to help Special Olympics Cymru Wales strengthen and grow opportunities for athletes with intellectual disabilities across Wales. As a National Sports Adviser, you will use your knowledge and experience to help improve the quality, consistency, and development of your sport within our programme. You will act as a source of guidance for clubs, volunteers, and the wider organisation, helping to ensure opportunities are inclusive, practical, and well supported. These voluntary roles will support both our established sports programme and the development of emerging opportunities. We are currently seeking National Sports Advisers for the following sports:

• Athletics
• Alpine Skiing
• Badminton
• Basketball
• Boccia
• Football
• Gymnastics
• Swimming
• Table Tennis
• Tennis

We are also interested in hearing from people able to support project sports such as:

• Rugby
• VR
• Boxing
• Rowing
• Hockey
• Climbing

Key responsibilities will include:

• Providing sport‑specific advice and technical guidance
• Supporting understanding of rules, competition formats, divisioning, equipment, and coaching requirements
• Advising on the development of athlete pathways within your sport
• Supporting clubs and volunteers with sport‑related questions and good practice
• Helping shape training, guidance, or practical resources where needed
• Contributing to event and competition planning guidance
• Supporting relationships with governing bodies and relevant sport partners
• Acting as a point of contact for sport‑specific information within Special Olympics Cymru Wales

You will work as part of a wider volunteer‑led and staff‑supported structure, helping to strengthen both established sports and newer project sports across Wales. The role is flexible, with most tasks carried out remotely and occasional meetings, visits, or event attendance where helpful.