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Description
The basis of the project is the organization of various sporting events where people from several selected vulnerable groups and the public work and sport together and associate. Sport events include football, hockey, tennis, volleyball, tourism and cycling. Participating vulnerable groups are Roma, immigrants and children from orphanages. In the further phase of the project, people from vulnerable groups will be educated in various areas, such as team work, economic education, self-development and communication skills, active citizenship and critical thinking, organizational skills, etc… Participants will use these acquired skills to organize their own larger sporting event for the public. Project plans to engage and empower 75 individuals from mentioned vulnerable groups and promote their inclusion to the majority. Partner of the project, Mareena organization will firstly provide their clients – immigrants in Kosice to participate in the project and secondly provide support in educational phase of the project. Overall, 25 sporting events, 10 educational events and 1 public sporting event will be organized.
Summary of project results
The integration of people from vulnerable groups (e.g., the Roma, immigrants, children from orphanages) into society is a major problem both in Slovakia and across the EU. It can probably only be tackled in small gradual steps and through different ways. One such way can be sport, which when done in a friendly and enjoyable way has the potential to bring together and connect people from different backgrounds, cultures, and language groups. The objective of the project "I Play Sports Whenever I Can" was to enable children and adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds to play sports. Through this project, they were also able to experience what it is like to play on a professional sports field, with professional equipment. Over the course of the project, we organised a total of 25 smaller sports events for children and adolescents from disadvantaged backgrounds as well as the public, and 1 larger sports event which was organised with help from this vulnerable group. We also held 10 educational events. The project involved 75 members of the vulnerable group, 9 of whom were given training for their economic development. A very positive outcome of the project has also been the improvement of the complex organizational skills of the individuals of this vulnerable group, which can have a positive impact on their future. Through the sports events we connected the vulnerable group of children and adolescents with the public, i.e., members of the "majority". Through this connection, they gained a sense of belonging to society and in turn, the ''majority'' gained an insight into their lives. The project is still being realized in the 2nd call of the ACF program.