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GSLA’s Stay and Play Programme Achieves National Autistic Society Accreditation

GSLA’s Stay and Play Programme Achieves National Autistic Society Accreditation

The Gibraltar Sports and Leisure Authority (GSLA) is pleased to announce that its Stay and Play Programme has successfully achieved accreditation from the National Autistic Society (NAS) Specialist Award Accreditation, marking an important milestone in the GSLA’s continued commitment to developing inclusive sporting and recreational opportunities for children and young people in Gibraltar.

The accreditation follows an extensive assessment process which began in September 2025 and involved months of preparation, meetings, staff engagement and programme development. As part of the assessment, a National Autistic Society assessor spent four days in Gibraltar, visiting all of the venues where the programme was delivered, speaking with staff members and meeting parents of children participating in Stay and Play.

The National Autistic Society accreditation provides external recognition of the GSLA’s commitment to inclusion and to creating an environment where autistic children and young people can participate in sport and recreational activities with the appropriate support. It provides reassurance to families that the programme has undergone an independent assessment and that the GSLA is committed to continually improving the experience it provides to participants. The accreditation also represents an important step in the GSLA’s wider work to ensure that sport and physical activity are accessible to as many members of the community as possible.

The GSLA would particularly like to recognise the students employed on Stay and Play over the summer. Working as part of the GSLA’s Summer Sports Programme, these young people play a vital role in the successful delivery of Stay and Play and support the children participating in the programme. The accreditation process provided an opportunity for their contribution to be seen and recognised as an important part of the programme’s success.

The Minister for Sport, the Hon Leslie Bruzon is delighted with the news:

“When the GSLA’s CEO Reagan Lima first notified me of his intention for the Stay and Play programme to be audited by NAS I fully supported the decision. We must always strive for improvements, and external audits provide the opportunity for an independent assessment of what is being delivered. There was never any doubt in my mind that the GSLA would achieve accredited status as I have seen the work they undertake first hand and am constantly receiving extremely positive feedback from the parents of those enrolled on the programme. These parents can now have greater confidence in the scheme and staff will now take the feedback on board to make the programme even better for Summer 2027 and beyond.

“My thanks to all young people who worked or volunteered on the Stay and Play programme last summer and in years previous, their hard work and dedication was highlighted by the independent assessor.

“Finally, my gratutide and congratulations to the GSLA’s Sports Development Unit, whose staff have coordinated and supported the programme throughout the accreditation process. The achievement is the result of many hours of work, including planning, staff development and ongoing evaluation. Well done!”