"Sport and Inclusion for an Healthy Lifestyle - SI Health" is a transnational youth initiative whose main aim is to promote healthy behaviors for all in an inclusive perspective of sport. It is realized within the Erasmus+ Programme and it is cofunded by the European union.

 

The results of the last survey by the Eurobarometer on Sport and Physical activity, reports that the 59% of the European citizens declared to never practice physical exercise or sport or practice it just a little; physical inactivity is even greater among people with disabilities.

 

The project originates from the will of an Italian and a German group of young people and young people with disability to experience and promote an inclusive dimension of sport able to overcome the physical barriers and to stimulate cooperation between disabled and able-bodied people.

The project will have a total duration of 12 months, from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016; the activities will be implemented at the same time and in cooperation in Bremen and in Palermo by two groups of 12 young peoplewho are members of Associazione Uniamoci Onlus (Palermo - Italy) and Diakonisches Werk Bremen (Germany); they will deepen topics as healthy lifestyle and healthy eating and will experience some possibilities of inclusive sports, they will compare the attitude toward sport and physical exercise in their home Countries and the possibilities to practice sport offered to disabled people; in this way they will became able to raise social awareness about the importance of an healthy lifestyle and to spread the practice of inclusive sports, while disseminating the European values of equality, non discrimination, tolerance and solidarity, acting as active citizens and promoting the international cooperation and exchange of good practices.

 

In particular the participants will manage and implement the following activities:

-  a preparatory phase with the implementation round-tables, debates and group discussion activities  on the project and the themes of healthy lifestyle, healthy eating, sport and physical activity among the participants and with the occasional participation of athletes (able-bodied and disabled), personal trainers and a dietician

- workshop for the preparation and conduction of an online survey about the practice of physical activity

- workshops for the exploration of inclusive sports that can be played together by disabled and able bodied people: integrated soccer/wheelchair soccer, pentaquè, sitting volleyball, baskin

- social awareness campaign on the theme of healthy lifestyle, physical exercise and inclusive sport in High Schools and organizations

- workshop on planning and realization of a video-spot to be disseminated on web to raise social awareness on the importance of physical activity for all

- creation of an international photo competition on the theme of well-being

- writing of articles, up-dating of blogs and the project web-site, realization of web-radio programmes

- final seminar with the participants as speakers and the involvement of professionals in the project field

- workshop on the creation of a special booklet that will resume project’s history, purposes and results

The project foresees two international meetings, one at midterm and the other in last month of the project, during which six representatives of each group will visit the partner organization for the realization of two days of joint activities.

 

The methodology applied will be entirely based on the peer education, an inclusive approach and learning by doing ensuring the active participation of each participant through the work in groups and the task division. The participants will cooperate in the decision making process creating a “work in progress” course of the project.

 

SI Health will be able to contribute to the enhancement of public health through physical activity and the use of the potential of sport for social inclusion, integration and equal opportunities as suggested by the White Paper on sport by the European Commission. Furthermore it will create the basis for the building of a real Inclusive Europe, fighting social exclusion of people with disabilities and spreading a new attitude towards disability based on cooperation.