Sport and Inclusion for an Healthy Lifestyle Erasmus Project

Project Title

Sport and Inclusion for an Healthy Lifestyle

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for youth

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Inclusion – equity; Health and wellbeing; Disabilities – special needs

Project Summary

“Sport and Inclusion for an Healthy Lifestyle – SI Health” is a transnational youth initiative whose main aim is to promote healthy behaviors for all in an inclusive perspective of sport. The results of the last survey by the Eurobarometer on Sport and Physical activity, report that the 59% of the European citizens declared to never practice physical exercise or sport or practice it just a little; physical inactivity is even greater among people with disabilities. The project originated from the will of an Italian and a German group of young people and young people with disability to experience and promote an inclusive dimension of sport able to overcome the physical barriers and to stimulate cooperation between disabled and able-bodied people. The project had a total duration of 12 months, from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016; the activities were implemented at the same time and in cooperation in Bremen and in Palermo by two groups of 12 young people, who deepened topics as healthy lifestyle and healthy eating and experienced some possibilities of inclusive sports, they compared the attitude toward sport and physical exercise in their home Countries and the possibilities to practice sport offered to disabled people. In this way they became able to raise social awareness about the importance of an healthy lifestyle and to spread the practice of inclusive sports, while disseminating the European values of equality, non discrimination, tolerance and solidarity, acting as active citizens and promoting the international cooperation and exchange of good practices.
In particular the participants managed and implemented the following activities:
– a preparatory phase with the implementation round-tables, debates and group discussion activities on the project and the themes of healthy lifestyle, healthy eating, sport and physical activity among the participants and with the occasional participation of athletes (able-bodied and disabled), personal trainers and a dietician
– workshop for the preparation and conduction of a survey about the practice of physical activity
– workshops for the exploration of inclusive sports that can be played together by disabled and able bodied people: integrated 5 a side football, pentaquè, sitting volleyball, baskin, drums alive.
– social awareness campaign on the theme of healthy lifestyle, physical exercise and inclusive sport for children and organizations
– workshop on planning and realization of a video-spot to be disseminated on web to raise social awareness on the importance of physical activity for all
– creation of an international photo competition on the theme of well-being
– writing of articles, up-dating of blogs and the project web-site, realization of web-radio programmes
– final seminar with the participants as speakers
– workshop on the creation of a booklet that will resume project’s history, purposes and results
The project foreseen two transnational meetings, one at midterm and the other in the penultimate month of the project, during which six representatives of each group visited the partner organization for the realization of two days of joint activities.

The methodology applied was entirely based on peer education, an inclusive approach and learning by doing ensuring the active participation of each participant through the work in groups and the task division. The participants cooperated in the decision making process creating a “work in progress” course of the project.
SI Health was able to contribute to the enhancement of public health through physical activity and the use of the potential of sport for social inclusion, integration and equal opportunities as suggested by the White Paper on sport by the European Commission. Furthermore contributed to the creation of the basis for the building of a real Inclusive Europe, fighting social exclusion of people with disabilities and spreading a new attitude towards disability based on cooperation.
The project had a strong personal and social impact on the participants in terms of acquiring of knowledge and competences related to the topic of the project, soft skills, organizational abilities, active citizenship and a renewed approach to physical exercise and to disability. The partner organizations had the opportunity to cooperate, to exchange good practices and to create strong partnership.
The impact was sustainable for the entire duration of the project and it is going on to produce positive effects even after its official conclusion thanks to the wide process of dissemination; furthermore the follow-up plan has been the one to create an extended project able to put in practice the acquired competences and to expand the operating range of the project.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 17760,98 Eur

Project Coordinator

ASSOCIAZIONE UNIAMOCI ONLUS & Country: IT

Project Partners

• Diakonisches Werk Bremen e.V.