Back to search

Erişilebilir Spor için Gençlik Hareketliliği

2023-2-TR01-KA153-YOU-0001675422023Mobility of youth workersfinalized
Countries: TR|EL|RO|IT · Grant: €34,900
Physical and mental health, well-beingYouth policy developmentDevelopment of disadvantaged rural and urban areas

Objectives

The main objective of this project was to increase disadvantaged young people's access to sports across Europe, to develop an accessibility-based inclusive approach between youth workers and athletes, and to make visible the transformative impact of sports on social participation. At the heart of this goal were efforts to improve the knowledge and experience levels of youth workers in the field of accessible sports, to enable participants from different countries to become familiar with good practice examples, and to develop joint solution proposals. The project was carried out within the scope of the Erasmus+ KA153 Youth Worker Mobility Program, with a total of 40 participants from Turkey, Italy, Romania, and Greece, in Antalya, Turkey. The participants included individuals with disabilities, national athletes, youth workers, and actors involved in sports policy development. Through workshops, practical activities, field visits, and intercultural exchanges, both individual and institutional learning and impact were achieved during the project. Participants were encouraged to analyze access-related issues in their own countries, to develop proposals for these issues, and to plan for the implementation of these proposals both locally and at the European level. Sessions in which the concept of accessibility was addressed both in terms of physical infrastructure and social awareness were supported with non-formal education methods to facilitate active learning. The development of new sports games that could be played together with people with disabilities, awareness sessions enriched by intercultural interaction, and policy-based discussions held with the participation of public authorities added strategic depth to the project. In particular, the full participation of senior representatives from the Ministry of Youth and Sports provided an important achievement in terms of integrating the ideas developed into public policies. One of the innovative ideas developed within the scope of the project, the game “Basketball for Everybody,” in which teams play blindfolded, attracted great interest from the participants as an equality-based and accessible sports model. In addition, the intercultural night event allowed each country to share its traditional foods, dances, and social values, thereby both celebrating diversity and strengthening mutual understanding. At the end of the project, each participant was awarded a Youthpass certificate, documenting the learning outcomes and enhancing the sustainability of the project. Coordination through a WhatsApp group facilitated flight and logistics planning while also laying the groundwork for sustainable inter-institutional cooperation. A large proportion of participants stated that they would transfer the experiences gained during the project to their own organizations and local communities, and many institutions decided to continue these collaborations in KA2 applications. All activities throughout the project were planned and implemented within the framework of Erasmus+ Quality Standards, integrating priorities such as disability, social inclusion, youth participation, environmental awareness, and the use of digital tools into the design of activities. In conclusion, the project was not only a one-week activity but also a qualified, concrete, and sustainable step toward the development of accessible sports in Europe.

Project partners (5)