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12 July 2013

Challenge for Life helps youth engage with people with learning disabilities

Prospects and Urban Saints have joined together to encourage young people to lead the way in challenging attitudes towards people with learning disabilities.Inspired by the 2012 Games, the charities are giving young people the opportunity to take part in a life-changing challenge.

Challenge for Life is looking to counteract the bad press young people receive by sharing good news stories about young Christians and those with learning disabilities working together to complete a life challenge.

The Paralympics have allowed disabled people to get seriously into sport and, after this year's Paralympic Games, Lord Coe said: "London 2012 has lifted some of the clouds of limitation, that people will never see disability in the same way again."

This autumn, Challenge for Life will be taking part in mountain climbs up Scafell Pike and Snowdon, as well as two separate Paralympic style events. The scheme encourages young people to gather teams and get involved, with more challenges taking place in 2014 and up until the Rio Olympic Games 2016.

Participants in Challenge for Life are seeking to raise £100 minimum for each challenge they take part in and Prospects and Urban Saints will use funds to encourage the Church to provide more access for people with learning disabilities.Money raised will help run more accessible weeks at Christian holiday festivals and will train and help churches to provide accessible content in sermons, worship times and prayers.

"This combined effort has come at a perfect moment in time, and we hope that it will continue to grow in the future. We are encouraging young Christians to do something extraordinary together." said Steve Curtis, church partnerships officer from Prospects

One man who will be participating in Challenge for Life this year is Darren, who has learning disabilities and is supported by Prospects. He took the train up Mount Snowdon to share his moving testimony for a Prospects video. His story is simple: Darren's care worker invited him to church, he met Jesus and his life changed forever.

Darren enjoyed his experience so much that he has decided that this September he will climb the mountain and will be accompanied by two Prospects staff. Darren is keen that "more people will hear [his] testimony and come to know Jesus".

Find out more about Challenge for Life or register a team

For more articles and stories on the Olympics please go to our special Olympics webpage