{"id":515956,"date":"2026-03-03T12:25:08","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T12:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/515956\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T12:25:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T12:25:08","slug":"super-league-stars-praise-community-integrated-care-as-it-celebrates-decade-of-social-impact-through-rugby-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/515956\/","title":{"rendered":"Super League stars praise Community Integrated Care as it celebrates decade of social impact through rugby league"},"content":{"rendered":"

Some of rugby league\u2019s biggest names have praised Community Integrated Care<\/a> as the charity marks a decade of life-changing impact in the sport\u2019s communities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Delivering more than eight million hours of specialist care and support across the nation each year, Community Integrated Care support people who have learning disabilities, autistic people, those in mental health recovery and others who have complex physical disabilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The charity\u2019s work in rugby league began in 2016, partnering with the sport\u2019s club charitable foundations, including St Helens, Leeds Rhinos and Widnes Vikings, to design programmes that tackled health, social and economic inequalities in individual lives and across the care system.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Three years later it became the Official Social Care Partner of the Rugby Football League (RFL) and Super League \u2013 and also launched the Community Integrated Care Learning Disability Super League, a pioneering adapted sport that enables people with learning disabilities and autism to play for the clubs they love.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The likes of former Man of Steel Jackson Hastings, Wigan Warriors boss Matty Peet and Leeds\u2019 England prop Mikolaj Oledzki have now hailed the efforts of the charity whose mission is to enable people to live the Best Life Possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

St Helens\u2019 Australian scrum-half Hastings admitted: \u201cIt\u2019s unbelievable. It is bigger than anything we can do on a rugby league field.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cCharities like this give people a chance to really shine. No matter what you go through or who you are as an individual, to be able to achieve their dreams and do whatever they want in life is amazing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are showing the next generation they can achieve whatever they want. All the people involved should be very proud of themselves.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Learning Disability Super League has seen players perform on the game\u2019s greatest stages, including Magic Weekend at Anfield, St James\u2019 Park and Elland Road.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The programme has been assessed by Manchester Metropolitan University as annually achieving \u00a31.25m of social value. It has also developed lasting skills and confidence in hundreds of rugby league coaches and volunteers through specialist training, enabling impact in this programme and many more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Wigan coach Peet enthused: \u201cWhat Community Integrated Care does in supporting so many people is unbelievable because it\u2019s changed so many lives and given them confidence. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great for them but it is also great for our sport.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Both the Learning Disability Super League and Inclusive Volunteering \u2013 which enables people to access creative personal development opportunities inspired by sport, building skills that support living with lifelong independence – have been recognised as the Best Sports Community Scheme at the Sports Business Awards, and as best care innovation at the Great British Care Awards.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Leeds and England prop Oledzki added: \u201cA few years ago, these opportunities would never be here and to see other people live out their dream \u2013 like I have \u2013 it\u2019s great to see.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cCommunity Integrated Care has helped give people an opportunity to get involved in rugby league and to grow our game using different paths.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

As the charity marks its milestone moment, they have released a video, including a voiceover from Leeds legend and long-time ambassador Jamie Jones-Buchanan reading a poem that perfectly encapsulates their work together.\u00a0<\/p>\n

John Hughes, Director of Partnerships and Communities at Community Integrated Care, said: \u201cOver the past decade, alongside our partners, we\u2019ve created and grown innovative work that addresses deep health, social and economic inequalities – reflecting Community Integrated Care\u2019s commitment to enabling people to live their Best Life Possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re deeply grateful to our partners in the Rugby Football League, RL Commercial, the clubs and foundations, volunteers, and the players and legends who\u2019ve helped inspire and change lives. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAbove all, this milestone is about the people we support, their families and support teams. We\u2019re excited to reach and support many more in the years ahead.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Marc Lovering, RFL Director of Performance and Development, said: \u201cThe RFL are excited to celebrate the impactful and inspiring work that\u2019s positively impacted Rugby League communities over the past decade in partnership with Community Integrated Care.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cTogether, we\u2019ve shown how our sport can change lives by opening doors, challenging inequalities and enabling people to achieve things they may never have thought possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are incredibly proud of what has been achieved over the past ten years and are grateful to Community Integrated Care, clubs, foundations, volunteers, participants and the Rugby League Family as whole, who have made this journey so special.<\/p>\n

We look forward to continuing this partnership and building even greater impact in the years ahead.\u201d\u00a0
Viveen Taylor, Director of Equality Diversity Inclusion in Sport, at Sport England, said: \u201cSport England is immensely proud to have supported Community Integrated Care\u2019s game-changing work to support thousands of people through sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have tirelessly opened up opportunities for those who often rely on social care and face some of the biggest barriers to being active – giving transformative opportunities to be involved in Rugby League. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is a powerful example of the positive impacts that engaging in sport and the volunteering opportunities within it, can achieve.”\u00a0<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a> to see Community Integrated Care across ten years.<\/p>\n

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