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Climb2include

2019-3-PT02-KA105-0063572019Youth mobilityfinalized
Countries: PT|IT|HU|EE|HR|SI|RO|LT|ES · Grant: €23,745
Inclusion - equityAccess for disadvantagedDisabilities - special needs

Objectives

Olof Palme, ex Swedish prime minister in 2000 declared: “we human beings are all different. We have different needs and different weaknesses. Therefore, the society in which we live should never be formed on the basis of the special demands of the few. The society must be formed in such a way that it will suit all“. This project aimed to promote Climbing as a tool for self-development and social inclusion, an experience that can be beneficial to all. Often, when people think of climbing they think of strong muscular people climbing overhanging cliff faces and naturally think, “I couldn’t possibly do that!”. Although some climbing maneuvers look like the ones we see in movies, most of it is within the realms of everyone’s ability, and this is true for able-bodied people as well as those with disabilities (Para Climbing). “Climb2include” also aimed to challenge viewpoints that perpetuate discrimination and inequality and it will educate in diversity with a view to preventing and addressing social problems such as racism, homophobia, and/or social exclusion of people with fewer opportunities, with a specific focus on people with functional diversity or neurodiversity. This also aligns with the Erasmus+ Programme, which aims at promoting equity and inclusion by facilitating access to participants with disadvantaged backgrounds and fewer opportunities. The aim of this training course was to enable youth workers and organizations from several European countries to engage in a more professional and consequential youth work practice by living an experience of diversity, living together in a fully inclusive intercultural environment, and engaging in universally designed physical activities, with a special focus on the practice of Climbing and Para Climbing. The main objectives of this project were to train youth animators with NFE (Non-Formal Education) competencies through sport. train youth animators with skills and tools for the professionalization of youth work. enable youth leaders with skills and methodologies for social inclusion through NFE and ETS (Education Through Sport) and for the prevention of social problems such as racism, homophobia, and/or social exclusion of people with fewer opportunities, with a specific focus on people with functional diversity or neurodiversity. enable youth animators to recognize diversity through recreational physical activity and in everyday life activities exchange experiences and knowledge about inclusive physical activities. create impacts on participants and partner organizations that are relevant to youth work. Explore and adapt methodologies to the new Covid conditions and pandemic outcomes Empower partner organizations as support structures for young people. Promoting the sharing of good practices at the European level. Contribute to achieving the EU 2020 strategy. Diversity was a core concept of this course and participants were supposed to learn to value diversity through adapted physical activity, recreational sport, inclusive games, ultimately, using any form that involves movement (focusing on Climbing), and by coexisting in a safe environment along with people with disabilities. A core problem we wanted to explore during the TC is that people with disabilities are not fully integrated into the forms of living the vast majority do, such as sports, accessibility, and included in our decision-making process, which makes it even harder to notice the small details that can make a change our mentality towards the needs of people with disabilities. Throughout the TC we notice that the participants were more engaged in making necessary changes to integrate everyone in the different moments and sessions we had. It was clear that having a more diverse group hence the caring for everyone else's necessities. On the other hand, we also had participants sharing in reflections that they were more aware of such necessities and therefore they were more proactive in ensuring a safe environment for all. Movement, as a tool that allows us to adapt to new situations; is what allows us to act; to find solutions to problems; it's what allows us to learn and, in a fast-paced society, reflection is essential to understand better ourselves and the reality in our communities. The White Paper on Sport (European Commission, 2007) reaffirms the important contribution that sport makes to economic and social cohesion. It also advocates for access to sport for all residents, taking into account the role that sport can play for people with fewer opportunities. Well-prepared youth leaders and youth workers are essential to building cohesive communities and sport -due to its dimensions- has a great potential to spread a message that emphasizes human rights, diversity, and interdependence.

Project partners (9)