PLAY AND EDUCATION

The Play and Education programme aims to develop projects to promote a change in society’s attitude towards normalised inclusion. Through conferences, school programmes and training programmes, the aim is to raise awareness and sensitise the population.
EDUCATING IN DIVERSITY TO ADVANCE TOWARDS NORMALISATION

ERAMUS+ PROGRAM

Since its creation, Play and Train has been actively involved in different projects funded by the Erasmus+ Sport programme. The programme promotes the creation and development of European networks, providing opportunities for cooperation between stakeholders and the exchange and transfer of knowledge and skills in different environments related to sport and physical activity.

ERAMUS+ SPORT

STEADY - Sport as a Tool for Empowerment of (Dis)Abled & Displaced Youth

The STEADY Project has a duration of three years, from 2019 to 2021, and is funded by the Erasmus+ Sport Programme of the European Commission. It is composed of the Hellenic Paralympic Committee, the project leader, the Agitos Foundation, Activamente, the Soutelo Social Centre, Equal Society, Footura, the Paralympic Committee of Serbia, the Vienna Institute for Development and Cooperation and Play and Train.

The vision of the STEADY project is to increase sport participation of displaced youth with disabilities (DYD) by promoting volunteerism and equal access of migrants and minorities to organised and grassroots sport.

The project focuses on changing the paradigm, bringing migrants and refugees with disabilities from the margins to become integral members of the sporting community. In this sense, the project promotes volunteering in sport, along with social inclusion, equal opportunities and awareness of the importance of health-enhancing physical activity, through increased participation and equal access to sport for all. Cross-border threats to the integrity of sport, in this case violence and all kinds of intolerance and discrimination, are to be addressed.

Download the manual.

BENEFITS OF OUTDOOR SPORTS FOR SOCIETY (BOSS)

A programme led by several European Universities developed a toolkit that provides a guide for anyone developing or managing outdoor sports to show the impact of their project or programme. The toolkit provides a framework for them to follow a step-by-step process. Play and Train was one of the entities selected for Stage 4 of the Project.

Link to the toolkit: https://outdoorsportsbenefits.eu/toolkit/

WE BIKE TOGETHER

We Bike Together – Training and trail mapping in Europe, is a project co-funded by the European Commission within the Erasmus+ Soprt programme. The project was led by the Italian entity Fondazione per lo Sport Silvia Rinaldi and involved the Municipal Chamber of Agueda, the National Sports Academy of Bulgaria and Play and Train.

We Bike Together aims to promote sport for all, with special reference to physical and sensory visual impairment and the use of different types of bicycles (including hand bikes and tandems). With this project, we intend to facilitate the practice of sports in the field of off-road cycling, involving disabled people together with non-disabled people.

With this aim, off-road cycling routes adapted to people with a disability were developed in the countries of the four participating organisations. All these routes, as well as a manual of good practices and for the creation of future routes, were compiled and published on the project website: webiketogether.eu

NEIGE POUR TOUS AVEC B.A.S.S. ET TROTTI-SKI

The Snow for all with BASS and Trotti-ski project, promoted by the Erasmus+ Sport programme, aimed to promote a new methodology for learning to ski and snowboard through two new assistance systems. On the one hand the Trotti-ski, a system for adapted skiing oriented to people who can stand up, and on the other hand the BASS, focused on snowboarding.

In the first phase of the project, the two leading organisations, Antenne Handicap from France and Ecole Du Sport from Italy, presented the two new systems and their benefits to the other participants from France, Spain and Bulgaria.

After the first meeting in Courmayeur, a user manual was created as a guide for all those who want to learn how to use the aids, and a training session was held for the instructors of the different participating organisations.

Dos hombres usando el sistema BASS en una estación de esquí
Dos hombres de pie esquiando, uno de ellos encima del Troriski mientras tres mujeres detrás también esquiando los observan.

ADAPTIVE SURFING CAMPS FOR PEOPLE WITH AN IMPAIRMENT

The Adaptive Surfing Camps for People with and Impairment & First European Adaptive Surfing Seminar project, led by Play and Train, aimed to lay the foundations for adaptive surfing in Europe and become a benchmark for this growing sport.

Throughout the project, co-financed by the Erasums+ Sport programme and in which the Portuguese Surf Club Viana and the Italian organisation Happy Wheels took part, three surfing camps were held in the three participating countries so that people with visual, sensory or intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, autism or rare diseases could enjoy surfing and the sea without barriers.

The project culminated with the first seminar on adapted surfing that took place on the island of Fuerteventura with the aim of one day seeing surfing at the top of the Paralympic sport. The meeting, organised by the Play and Train association, was the first of its kind and was attended by internationally renowned Paralympic surfers, senior officials from the International Paralympic Committee, medical experts in Paralympic sport classifications and officials from the International Surfing Federation.

The contents of this first European Seminar on Adaptive Surfing were diverse and covered multiple aspects of the sport: from talks about anti-doping measures to information about the necessary materials to enjoy surfing depending on the type of disability of each athlete. In addition, representatives of the International Surfing Federation explained the current state of adapted surfing worldwide and the steps that need to be taken to continue extending and facilitating this sport.

Dos hombres y una mujer de pie delante de una pantalla haciendo una conferencia

YOUTH IN ACTION

EUROPEAN PARA SNOW SPORT YOUTH CIRCUIT

This programme between 2012 and 2014 involved the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the European Paralympic Committee, Freewhite Ski Team, the Slovenian and German Paralympic Committees, and Play and Train.

Children and young people with disabilities often do not have access to sports or competitions. Until then, there were no snow sports competitions for this age group. The European Youth Paralympic Snowsports Circuit enabled the European Paralympic Movement to develop 1) a Youth Para-Snowsports Circuit itself and 2) related education and awareness raising in general.

This circuit provides a solid possibility not only to provide snow sports and educational programmes, but also to grow a future generation of Paralympic snow sports athletes and a generation of young people with any kind of disability to practice snow sports at a competitive level.

In addition to the direct impact of organising educational workshops and training sessions in five EU member states, and the potential of young athletes, fans and spectators participating in it, at a higher level, the project aimed to create sports programmes in less developed EU countries to raise awareness of snow sports for people with disabilities as well as educating and training young people through sport to improve their mobility in Europe, strengthen their self-perception and provide them with the right support through elite level in the long term.

Youth empowerment through sport for Youngsters with a disability a sustainable partner initiative with youth sport workshops in East Africa and Europe

Programme carried out in partnership with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) between 2011 and 2013. One part was held in Kigali (Rwanda) and the other in La Molina (Spain) with the participation of countries such as Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Uganda. It was also attended by the Paralympic Committees of Asia, Macedonia, Aserbajan, Tuberkistjan and Serbia, as well as the now defunct Dutch organisation Playable.

Download the Toolkit.

SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE PROGRAMME (UNOSDP)

Sport for Development and Peace put in place a youth leadership programme aimed at empowering young people in disadvantaged areas. As part of this Youth Leadership Programme, the United Nations Office of Sport for Development and Peace (UNOSDP). The project hosted 30 young people from developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Central and South America and Asia in each of the camps. UNOSDP partners included organisations such as Right to Play, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), FIB, FIFA and others. Play and Train was the partner chosen by the IPC as the representative of sport for people with a disability.

OBJETIVES

The aim was to use sport and play in the camps to help young people inspire and invoke change in their communities. Throughout the camp, young people received practical leadership skills and experiences to advance development. When youth returned to their communities, they began to develop, implement and evaluate their own sport for development and peace programmes to address a specific need or area of development. To help young people promote change in their communities, the camp will guide young people to:
  • Reflect on their own perspective and approaches to development
  • Explore different strategies for using sport as a tool to inspire change in a variety of development areas (primarily addressing the MDGs).
  • Identify and problem-solve ways to implement sport for development and peace programmes in their communities.
  • Share strategies, approaches and best practices in sport for development and peace
  • Learn how to advocate for sport for development and peace
  • Develop an action plan to develop, implement and evaluate sport for development and peace programmes.

METODOLOGY

Using participatory facilitation techniques, the camp favoured an experiential approach to learning. This methodology gave young people the opportunity to reflect on the lesson at hand, connect their learning to real-life situations and apply their knowledge to their communities. Young people were not only active participants in their own development, but also supported the growth and development of young people in other countries. Through numerous presentations from partner organisations, leadership tasks, game-based activities and group discussions, young people also learned how to maximise the transformative power of sport and play.