Program History In 1987, Special Olympics launched an important outreach campaign called Join The World Of Winners aimed at providing Special Olympics sports training and competition to twice as many individuals with intellectual disabilities by 1991. The program started as the Athletes For Outreach program through which Special Olympics athletes were trained to give formal presentations to peers and potential athletes, civic, sports and church groups, businesses, school and community administrators and families. The purpose of each presentation is to recruit new Special Olympics athletes and the volunteers and donors needed to expand programs. In 1997, the program name changed to the Athlete Leadership Program (ALPs) Global Messenger Program with the same purpose: to recruit new athletes, families, volunteers and donors. Special Olympics Minnesota incorporated the program in 1990 and currently has approximately 100 ALPs Global Messengers.

Global Messenger, Bethany Rampp at the 2005 Special Olympics Minnesota Summer Games Opening Ceremonies.

Training

ALPs Global Messenger Beginer Course — Athletes attend a three-day workshop conducted by Special Olympics Minnesota volunteers, ALPs members and staff in the art of public speaking/presentation skills. After completing the workshop, athletes become spokespersons for Special Olympics. Each athlete attending the ALPs Global Messenger workshop is required to have a speech coach mentor attend the training with him/her.

Global Messenger Graduate Course — Follow-up training to the Beginner Course that works on refining public speaking skills, focusing speeches to get the desired action by the audience and preparation for various media/presentation situations one encounters as a public speaker for Special Olympics.

At the ALPs Global Messenger training, each athlete will receive:

• Accommodations, meals and materials for the ALPs Global Messenger and their speech coach mentor
• A handbook for each ALPs Global Messenger and their speech coach mentor
• A video of the ALPs Global Messenger’s 3-5 minute presentation
• An ALPs Global Messenger certificate of completion from Special Olympics, Inc.
  Membership in SOMN’s Athlete Leadership Program (if not currently a member)
• Business cards
• An official ALPs briefcase
• Materials for distribution at presentations
• An Athlete Leadership Program name tag

Goals 

Each ALPs Global Messenger is asked to make ten presentations each year and report those presentations to the state office. 

Global Messengers and Mentors: Submit your speech report online.

Contact information:

Heather Harmer, Initiatives Manager
800-783-7732  X276 (Minnesota only)
612-604-1276
harmerh@somn.org