Special Olympics World Summer Games
Find out about our data-driven approach to measuring outcomes at a programme level.
Last updated 29 December 2025
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About the Special Olympics World Summer Games
In 2023, 30 Singapore athletes participated in the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, with support from a Tote Board grant. The Games is one of the biggest international sporting events for persons with intellectual disabilities (PWIDs), happening once every four years. Singapore’s representatives included both PWIDs, and their Unified Partners (teammates without intellectual disabilities). The funding covered essential costs like airfare, accommodation, training equipment and medical supplies, enabling the athletes to perform on the world stage. This support aligns with our goals of fostering inclusion, national pride, and celebrating the potential in everyone.
Programme edition 2023
Key partner: Special Olympics Singapore
Programme participants: Persons with Intellectual Disabilities
Funding: $80,000
Number of participants
30 PWID athletes and Unified Partners
13 coaches and support staff
Theory of change illustrating the desired impact and outcomes of the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2023
Download a high-res version of the infographic here [PDF,50 KB].
Implementation
Athletes took more than a year to prepare for the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin, which took place from 17 to 25 June 2023. Support from the community was tremendous, including volunteers coming onboard to assist with the training and preparation. Unified Partners also trained alongside their PWID peers.
Tote Board bolstered generous giving from donors, by matching community contributions through our Enhanced Fundraising Programme.
Impact and outcomes
As a cross-sectoral programme involving sports and social elements, Special Olympics Singapore conducted surveys with 71 respondents to understand attitudinal changes attributed to the Special Olympics.
Notably, the pre- and post-event surveys registered a 22% increase in awareness of Special Olympics sports and/or athletes. Respondents also indicated a 15.25% increase in their sense of national pride towards Team Singapore’s achievements. The data informs our understanding for similar archetypes of cross-sectoral programmes in future.
On a scale of 1-5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest), what is your level of awareness of Special Olympic sports/athletes and Persons with Intellectual Disabilities, before the Special Olympics World Games?
On a scale of 1-5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest), what is your level of awareness of Special Olympic sports/athletes and persons with intellectual disabilities, after the Special Olympics World Games?
On a scale of 1-5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest), what is your level of national pride towards the achievements of Team Singapore athletes, before the Special Olympics World Games?
On a scale of 1-5 (1 being lowest and 5 being highest), what is your level of national pride towards the achievements of Team Singapore athletes, after the Special Olympics World Games?
