Super League stars praise Community Integrated Care as it celebrates decade of social impact through rugby league

Some of rugby league’s biggest names have praised Community Integrated Care as the charity marks a decade of life-changing impact in the sport’s communities. 

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. 

The charity’s work in rugby league began in 2016, partnering with the sport’s 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. 

Three years later it became the Official Social Care Partner of the Rugby Football League (RFL) and Super League – 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. 

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

St Helens’ Australian scrum-half Hastings admitted: “It’s unbelievable. It is bigger than anything we can do on a rugby league field. 

“Charities 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. 

“They are showing the next generation they can achieve whatever they want. All the people involved should be very proud of themselves.” 

The Learning Disability Super League has seen players perform on the game’s greatest stages, including Magic Weekend at Anfield, St James’ Park and Elland Road. 

The programme has been assessed by Manchester Metropolitan University as annually achieving £1.25m 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. 

Wigan coach Peet enthused: “What Community Integrated Care does in supporting so many people is unbelievable because it’s changed so many lives and given them confidence.  

“It’s great for them but it is also great for our sport.” 

Both the Learning Disability Super League and Inclusive Volunteering – 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. 

Leeds and England prop Oledzki added: “A few years ago, these opportunities would never be here and to see other people live out their dream – like I have – it’s great to see. 

“Community Integrated Care has helped give people an opportunity to get involved in rugby league and to grow our game using different paths.” 

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. 

John Hughes, Director of Partnerships and Communities at Community Integrated Care, said: “Over the past decade, alongside our partners, we’ve created and grown innovative work that addresses deep health, social and economic inequalities - reflecting Community Integrated Care’s commitment to enabling people to live their Best Life Possible. 

“We’re deeply grateful to our partners in the Rugby Football League, RL Commercial, the clubs and foundations, volunteers, and the players and legends who’ve helped inspire and change lives.  

“Above all, this milestone is about the people we support, their families and support teams. We’re excited to reach and support many more in the years ahead.” 

Marc Lovering, RFL Director of Performance and Development, said: “The RFL are excited to celebrate the impactful and inspiring work that’s positively impacted Rugby League communities over the past decade in partnership with Community Integrated Care. 

“Together, we’ve shown how our sport can change lives by opening doors, challenging inequalities and enabling people to achieve things they may never have thought possible. 

“We 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. We look forward to continuing this partnership and building even greater impact in the years ahead.” 

Viveen Taylor, Director of Equality Diversity Inclusion in Sport, at Sport England, said: “Sport England is immensely proud to have supported Community Integrated Care’s game-changing work to support thousands of people through sport. 

“They 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.  

“This is a powerful example of the positive impacts that engaging in sport and the volunteering opportunities within it, can achieve."