Project Title : Being Active! – Sports as instruments for active citizenship

Project Reference: 603102-EPP-1-2018-1-IT-SPO-SSCP

Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Sport
Action Type: Collaborative Partnerships
 
 Start: 01-01-2019 – End: 31-12-2020

Summary

The idea of the project was born thinking about potential of sports activities as tool for promoting active citizenship for young people.
In fact, making sports is one of human activities the most able to involve people without any sort of barriers, to connect people over their differences, to improve building communities and reinforcing identities.
That’s why a lot of non-profit organisations, in many field of action, historically use sports activities for reaching their objectives. For example there are organisations that use sports for promoting integration of foreigner people, of immigrants, for improving social inclusion of disadvantaged people, for reinforcing communities, for enhancing quality of life of disabled people, and many other example could be possible to mention.
So, what SOS Europa propose is to create a network of European non-profit organisations with the scope of identifying best practices, instruments and tools for using sports activities and programmes with the aim of stimulate active participation and active citizenship of young people.
Essential objectives of the project will be:
– developing instruments for stimulating through sports commitment of young citizens in communities life and active citizenship,
– identifying common instruments for improving through sports activities young people attitude to participation in social issues,
– creating a table of best practices, instruments, methods helpful for helping non profit organisations in facing problems and delicate issues in society (integration and hospitality of migrants and refuges, social inclusion of disadvantaged people, improvement of life quality, etc…),
– creating a European network of non-profit organisations that use sports activities as tools for improving society,
– creating a system of evaluation of results for social and inclusive activities realised through sports projects.

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Coordinator:

SOS Europa (Italy)

SOS EUROPA is an indipendent association of social promotion based in Rome. It was created to spread the European cultural values and for improving integration inside and outside the Union, encouraging mobility of young people by promoting cultural exchange and knowledges exchange, participatory and active European citizenship, networking opportunities. The Association is not profit and seeks esclusively scopes of social, human, civil and cultural solidarity and of ethic research. The Association organizes courses, training, seminars and is partner of several European projects.

In particular SOS EUROPA pursues primarily the following aims:

  • commitment to the creation of an intercultural and supportive society, that is directed to encounter and exchange with the Other;
  • education to civil liability and active citizenship;
  • to develop awareness, social consciousness and competence in young generations;
  • promotion of youth and social policies;
  • cultural education and youth policy at European and international level;
  • promotion of youth mobility in cultural, educational and work opportunities;
  • support for young artists, in the fields of visual arts, theater, music, performing arts and creative freedom in general;
  • to promote free flow of ideas and spread of free software in computer world;
  • to promote and to develop paths of non-formal education.

Headquartered in Rome, SOS Europa wants to be a reference point for people and organizations interested in the dynamics of European integration.

On their facebook page SOS Europa shares all the informations about the Erasmus Plus program and about how to participate in mobility projects.

SOS Europa members are experts in planning and dealing with socio-medical and educational services for the individual, the family and entire social groups in order to prevent difficult situations, permit the cure, the rehabilitation and the integration in everyday life of people with problems.
The elements that distinguish us are quality, professionality and personalization in the assistance as well as monitoring and innovation in our processes and our activities.
The most important aspect of our activities is the active participation of the People in need respecting their individuality, their dignity, their rights and their life. We promote the cure of the people who work, respecting their dignity and defending their rights.

The association is based on background and experience of its members, for years involved in associations and experts in EU policies. The idea of the founders of SOS Europa is to concentrate its efforts on the development of young people, actively encourage and support their participation in educational, social, cultural and economic environment, in order to contribute to the improvement of communities in which they live.

In particular, Association SOS Europa is specialized in the following areas, covering the main objectives and activities of the project: promotion of lifelong learning as tool for constantly adapting to changes and for achieving personal and professional growth; promotion of educational activities, of professional development and of social skills of young people, for being suitable and effectively integrated  in dynamics of the society; involvement in social integration of people at the risk of social exclusion; dissemination of European opportunities for mobility and training; promotion of vocational training as instrument to increase youth employment and entrepreneurship; development and organization of training courses, groups work, seminars, events, conferences and youth exchanges, with a focus on Erasmus+.

SOS Europa wants also to provide equal opportunities in education and integration in the labour market for the most disadvantaged groups of people, for those with fewer opportunities or living in difficult situations. To promote European intercultural dialogue, social inclusion, equal opportunities, respect and diversity. To promote European citizenship and to improve the conditions for a civil and democratic participation at European level. To establish and promote networks and relationships at local, national and European level.

At international level, since its foundation, SOS Europa is active on the European field, thanks to knowledges of its members, who already have a solid background of experiences relating to conception, implementation and management of community projects, in particular about the training courses Erasmus Plus KA1.

SOS Europa carried out its first workshop of the European Projecting in which participated a lot of young people that now cooperate with the Association itself.

SOS Europe will involve in this project its staff of multilingual experts, composed by trainers with transverse and complementary profiles, project managers and communications experts, with direct experience about EU policies, LLP and Erasmus+ mobility.

SOS Europa is at the moment committed in the campaign “SOS EUROPA AMBASSADORS”, (https://www.soseuropa.it/sos-europa-ambassador/), that wants to collect voices and impressions of people that, also for a short period, was involved in European project through our association, telling their stories and their encounter with the world of European projects.

SOS Europa is partner of the third edition of Italian Gaymes, cultural sporting event against sex discrimination, and is also partner of Euro Games 2019, a sporting event for the LGBT European community (www.romaeurogames2019.org). SOS Europa is one of the founders of the Italian National Gay Friendly Team (www.nazionalegay.it). SOS Europa periodically organizes courses about europlanning for its volunteers.

At the moment SOS Europa is promoting a campaign about its website, named “Save our Sports”, for sensitization, prevention and fight against racism in sport activities: the campaign proposes questionnaires and polls to people for testifying their experiences about racism in sports (https://www.soseuropa.it/save-our-sports/).

Partner

PROACTING – Associação para a Promoção do Empreendedorismo e Empregabilidade (Portugal)

PROACTING is a non-profit association founded in 2019, after a fusion of knowledge and experience, by its constituent elements, accumulated within the scope of its work in MINDSET – Social Consulting (2016) and APOGESD – Portuguese Association of Sports Management (1996).

Mission & Objectives

PROACTING is born of a joint identification of problems and of the absence of solutions that incite a new course for the transformation of social reality. It recognizes the problems and the current needs, especially in the spectrum of the young people and in the field of social inclusion, entrepreneurship, employability and even innovation. With a priori knowledge of the immense challenges and barriers imposed on young people for personal, social and professional development, PROACTING aims to be a vehicle for access to new experiences that enable, not only the development of skills – as well as the recognition -, but also access to opportunities that enable individuals to reflect, (co)create and act for internal and external change.

In this way, our focus of intervention, although not reducing to this group, is mainly focused on the young people and the relation/interaction that exists between the individual and his community and society. We aim to equip and empower them with new competences, new learning and new experiences, all those who identify problems and needs and who effectively understand their active role in building a new path.

Considering the scope of intervention of PROACTING, the association assumes as intervention purposes:

– Support, promote and foster the harmonious development of society;

– Foster and develop cooperation and solidarity among Associates, and between them and the community, on the basis of initiatives;

– Promote the study, recognition and diffusion of knowledge and information, cooperating with public and private entities, aiming at social development;

– Develop capacity-building initiatives to enhance competences, increase autonomy and sustainability, and strengthen identity, both personal and institutional;

– Integrate transversally into its action the principles of networking and partnerships between organisations, promoting the creation and strengthening of social capital and favouring joint actions and projects;

– Promote citizenship, human rights, inclusion, innovation and social development;

– Promote opportunities for education and training, access to knowledge, development and recognition of competences;

– Promote creativity and entrepreneurship;

– Promote equal opportunities;

– Promote the exchange and cooperation with national and foreign bodies and organisations;

– Compete for programs and projects aimed at supporting and financing the Association’s initiatives;

– Develop mechanisms for the promotion, qualification and valuation of volunteering;

– Edit magazines, newspapers and other documents of relevant interest;

– Organize sessions, meetings, colloquiums, conferences, seminars and events;

– Promote training sessions with a view to social promotion and development.

Although recently, PROACTING has an extremely competent team with a wealth of experience and know-how accumulated in the management and implementation of social projects (including social inclusion, entrepreneurship, employability and innovation) and the dynamization of activities and initiatives with an intention of promotion and social development in order to reach its objectives and the success of the mission recommended.

It is in this sense that our vision is comprehensive and oriented towards the creation of a national and European reference association in the field of strategic, financial, operational, relational and communication/marketing management in the Social Economy and entrepreneurship sector and employability.

PROACTING, with its team of specialists in non-formal and informal education methodologies and in the various aspects of quality management of social projects, aims to be a prominent partner with organisations that appeal to social development.

Asociación Multideportiva Euexia (Spain)

EUEXIA IS A NO-PROFIT ASSOCIATION, FOUNDED IN 2007 BY A GROUP OF FRIENDS WHO LOVE SPORT. FROM THAT TIME THE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN MORE AND MORE PROJECTS, ESPECIALLY THANKS TO THE HUMAN GROUP WORKING IN THE ORGANIZATION: YOUNG AND QUALIFIED PEOPLE HIGHLY MOTIVATED. WE DEAL WITH MANY MUNICIPAL SPORT SCHOOLS, AMONG THEM ONE OF SPORT ADAPTED FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITY, ALSO WE CARRY OUT A PROGRAM OF “FAMILY RESPITE” DURING THE WEEKENDS. WE ORGANIZE SUMMER CAMPS FOR CHILDREN AND SPORT EVENTS, WE COLLABORATE WITH THE ASSOCIATION PLACEAT (ASSOCIATION FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY) IN MANY OF OUR PROJECTS: ACTIVITIES ABOUT SOCIAL INCLUSION WITH SCHOOLS AND INSTITUTES, SPORT ACTIVITIES WITH THE PATIENTS OF THE ASSOCIATION, A WORK CAMP IN SUMMERTIME WITH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERS TOGETHER WITH THE USERS OF THE ASSOCIATION, AND SINCE MANY YEARS WE ARE PARTNERS IN OUR EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY PROJECTS. WE ALSO COOPERATE WITH THE PSYCHIATRIC CENTER OF PLASENCIA (CÁCERES) FOR SPORT ACTIVITIES WITH THE PATIENTS AND EVS PROJECTS. WE ARE EVS SENDING ORGANIZATION, COORDINATING ORGANIZATION (FOR PLACEAT AND PSYCHIATRIC CENTER) AND SINCE 2015 WE ARE

ALSO EVS HOSTING ORGANIZATION.

FROM A.M.EUEXIA WE ALSO OFFER A SERVICE OF INFORMATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, ACCORDING WITH AN AGREEMENT SIGNED WITH THE TOWN HALL OF PLASENCIA. FROM MONDAY TO FRIDAY STARTING FROM 10 A.M. UNTIL 2 P.M. WE OFFER INFORMATION IN OUR OFFICE TO ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES ABROAD: EUROPEAN PROGRAMS OF MOBILITY, JOB OFFERS, SCHOLARSHIPS, ETC.

WE HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE European Voluntary Service, SINCE WE PRESENTED SO FAR 7 EVS PROJECTS AS COORDINATING ORGANIZATION AND 3 EVS PROJECTS AS HOSTING ORGANIZATION, WITH A HIGH DEGREE OF SATISFACTION OF THE PARTICIPANTS (PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS). ALSO AS SENDING ORGANIZATION WE SENT MANY VOLUNTEERS ABROAD TO DIFFERENT PROJECTS IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES. WE REALIZE PERIODIC TALKS ABOUT THE EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE IN THE UNIVERSITY OR THE YOUTH HOUSE IN PLASENCIA, BEING THE EVS PROGRAM INCREASINGLY KNOWN AMONG THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF Plasencia AND EXTREMADURA. WE ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE ERASMUS+ PROGRAM, SPECIFICALLY EVERY YEAR WE PARTICIPATE TO MANY YOUTH EXCHANGES ABROAD AND WE ORGANIZE YOUTH EXCHANGES HERE IN pLASENCIA TOO.

IN OUR ASSOCIATION THE PERSONS IN CHARGE OF THE EUROPEAN PROGRAMS HAVE EXPERIENCE AS COORDINATORS OF THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS AND ALSO IN THE ORGANIZATION OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES WITH THE VOLUNTEERS, SUCH AS THE WORK CAMPS, YOUTH EXCHANGES…. IN OUR TEAM WE ALSO RELY ON EX-VOLUNTEERS OF THE EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE. REGARDING WITH OUR COMPETENCES AND FORMATION: WE COUNT ON GRADUATED YOUNG PEOPLE, HAVING EXPERIENCE IN THE ERASMUS + PROGRAM, WITH KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGES, AND SO ON…IN OUR ASSOCIATION THE PERSONS IN CHARGE OF THE EUROPEAN PROGRAMS HAVE EXPERIENCE AS COORDINATORS OF THE PREVIOUS PROJECTS AND ALSO IN THE ORGANIZATION OF DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES WITH THE VOLUNTEERS, SUCH AS THE WORK CAMPS, YOUTH EXCHANGES…. IN OUR TEAM WE ALSO RELY ON EX-VOLUNTEERS OF THE EUROPEAN VOLUNTARY SERVICE. REGARDING WITH OUR COMPETENCES AND FORMATION: WE COUNT ON GRADUATED YOUNG PEOPLE, HAVING EXPERIENCE IN THE ERASMUS + PROGRAM, WITH KNOWLEDGE OF LANGUAGES.

Sveikatingumo idejos (Lithuania)

Our organization is established by Marijampole municipality and ARVI enterprise group. The main object is to develop social, cultural, sports and economic projects in Marijampole district and international level. We gained experience in developing local, national and international projects (Youth initiatives, exchanges, democracy projects.) Our success is based on the reliable partnership and continuously developing the new relations. We actively run the projects that strengthens the relations between neighbouring and more distant EU countries and candidates.

We work with the secondary schools and colleges, non-governmental youth organisations in order to increase the level of cultural and mental prosperity of youth in Marijampole region.

Organization operates in educational, cultural and social fields, pays special attention to youth issues, maintains dialogue with government and business. It has implemented more than 50 international and national projects  (Erasmus+,  Europe for Citizens,  USA embassy, EU structural, national and local funds, Norway grants), has experience in gathering local community, youth and educators’, developing new competencies through informal activities, volunteering (more than 20 volunteers), organizing conferences, debates and forums, workshops and lectures, publicizing them and gathering citizens of different age and social status to discus in common themes as politics, self-awareness, active citizenship, art and culture impact on people and democracy as well. Organization seeks to develop new competences of society through creative and active informal activities, contribute to fostering civic and democratic traditions, and educate conscious younger generation.

Our organization has organized or took part in a lot of youth projects such as Youth in Action programme’s local youth initiatives, youth exchanges and youth democracy projects. We have more that 8 years of project managing experience which would help us to make this project (under the Erasmus+ programme) more successful. During recent years by acting actively and managing youth projects we found many partners in our country and abroad countries. We have strong relations with them and they rely on us and our work.

Beside the project work we try to involve young people in many other activities like debates, discussion with famous people. We try to make youth feel that in our town and even in whole Lithuania there are many opportunities to express themselves at any form, to find activities that would be suitable for particular will or even to make your own new activities.

– All social institution “Sveikatingumo idėjos” staff have a relevant experience as project managers in the frame of both European and local funding. This ensures specific and strong expertise in project management, the capacity to coordinate international projects as well as a clear understanding of the overall objectives, priorities and technical aspects of the Erasmus+ programme.

– Social institution “Sveikatingumo idėjos” involves youth leaders, youth workers and trainers who have gained relevant experience in non-formal education both at local and international level, with a focus on peace and nonviolent education for community development. This ensures a clear understanding of the non-formal education principles on which the project is based as well as the capacity to deliver high quality training/seminar.

Asociatia Tinerilor cu Initiativa Civica – Romania

Asociația Tinerilor cu Initiativa Civica (Association of Youth with Civic Initiative) is a youth organization, apolitical, NGO that aims to drive the development of the Romanian society attracting young people towards active citizenship and promoting the local and national cultural values.

  A.T.I.C. was established in 2016 in Galați by a group of young people in order to contribute to the social and personal development of local youth.

  We are active in our community – working with children and youth from placement homes, poor families, unemployed and facing other social problems.

 One of our main objectives is the inclusion of local disadvantaged youth through different methods, such as sport, music, theatre, dance and painting. In order to realize our objectives, we cooperate with families, local authorities, primary schools, high schools and universities and we develop projects with them.
Despite the fact we are a young organization, the key staff is very experienced in the NGO zone and Erasmus+ program, working in the field for more than 4 years, with very good results, in different positions and departments, among the local NGOs.

Some of our activities include:
Do it for community, do it for your family, do it for yourself – local seminar with the participation of the local community, students and teachers regarding volunteering and active citizenship;
Human Rights with no exceptions – Seminar on Human Rights education, especially on gender and LGBTQ issue.
Play with your hearth – charity show meant to help with funds the kids from the orphanage in Galati;

Campaigns in local schools about the abuse of legal and illegal drugs;

Be cool, clean your neighbourhood – ecological event, meant to make young students and volunteers be more aware of having a cleaner environment;
– Social Entrepreneurship for Sustainability – seminar aiming to explore the concept of social entrepreneurship as an innovative way to solve social problems in youth work using entrepreneurial skills
First Aid knowledge is life-saving knowledge – first Aid course for organization’s volunteers with the support of local Ambulance staff

–  Students Agora – seminar meant to make volunteers more confident in their speech, accommodate them with the idea of public debate;
Sporty life is a healthier life – event that encourage youngsters to add more sport into their daily lives