It's called SciAbile — an inclusion project launched 22 years ago that offers free skiing and alpine discipline courses to people with disabilities. Born thanks to the support of Bmw Italia and the involvement of the Sauze d'Oulx Project ski school, the initiative is aligned with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which establishes a fundamental principle: leave no one behind. According to data from the latest National Observatory on the Condition of People with Disabilities, approximately 13 million people in Italy live with some form of disability, of whom more than 3 million are in severe conditions.

The SciAbile inclusion project celebrates 22 years of activity

To mark over twenty years of SciAbile's activity, we headed to the ski slopes of Sauze d'Oulx, where activities also take place in collaboration with Scuola Holden. The initiative, part of Bmw Italia's corporate citizenship programme, welcomed special guests at its latest event, including national Paralympic boccia athlete Carlotta "Cocca" Visconti and Paralympic rider and founder of Diversamente disabili Emiliano Malagoli — whom we had met in 2022 and who, through his association, helps people get back in the saddle and approach motorcycling while overcoming their disability.

A modern, leading company has a duty to give value back to society.

Massimiliano Di Silvestre, President and CEO of Bmw Italia

An inclusion model for every disability

The Sauze d'Oulx Ski School is structured to offer tailored courses for every type of disability. Participating students present around 50 different types of disability, grouped into three broad categories:

• Physical and motor (spinal injuries, amputees, hemiplegics, cerebral palsy)
• Sensory (blind, visually impaired, deaf)
• Intellectual and relational (Down syndrome, autism, genetic syndromes)

All of this is achieved through tools and methods that allow multiple people to ski at the same time, "instilling courage and self-esteem in participants who discover they are capable of succeeding on their own, encouraging comparison with others and giving them the confidence and pride to improve and push beyond their own limits," as the instructors explain. From 2003 to the present day, SciAbile has recorded very positive results, a testament to the strength of the initiative: over 15,000 hours of free ski lessons delivered; from 150 hours in the first season to 1,850 hours in the 2023/2024 season; more than 1,500 students with disabilities, from the initial 30 to the current 400, with participants ranging in age from 4 to 75.

An increasingly international project

A significant figure has emerged in the first months of 2025: requests from groups and associations from across Europe have tripled in just one year. This shows how SciAbile is becoming a point of reference beyond national borders as well. Word of mouth is further boosted by the businesses of Sauze d'Oulx, which promote the initiative on their own channels.

What's new in 2025

The school has introduced several significant new features over the past year: from "Inclusion on the slopes" — with dedicated spaces and equipment enabling families to enjoy a snow experience all together — to awareness-raising activities in secondary schools in the upper valley, through to special activities planned around the competitions during the Special Olympics in March. Those interested in taking part can request all information here.