The Erasmus + Sport – Not-for-profit European sport Events “WoW Europe” project 623004-EPP-1-2020-1-RO-SPO-SNCESE is based on the use of sport as a means to promote health and well-being.
Sport is a tool for relationships and integration that enables children and young people living in disadvantaged social contexts to attend a positive environment to improve their relationship with themselves and with others through access to recreational and educational activities. Through sport it is possible to promote social inclusion, prevent early school leaving and certain forms of youth crime.
In particular, the WoW Europe project aims at encouraging the involvement of children and young people in a pathway towards sport and physical activity, making them more aware of the benefits that sport can bring to their physical and mental health.
WoW Europe promotes sport among primary and secondary school children through the involvement of elite athletes, encouraging them to take up physical activity. The main objective is therefore to promote a healthy lifestyle and harmonious development and to make young people more aware of the importance of sport in everyday life.
PARTNERS
Romania – Asociatia Junior Sport
Bulgaria – Association Footura (Association for the development of sports and sports culture Footura)
Italy – CEIPES – International Centre for the Promotion of Education and Development
Latvia – LSIIDP – Board of Directors of Sports Educational Institutions in Latvia (“Latvijas Sporta Izglitibas Iestazu Direktoru Padome”)
Lithuania – VšI Sportuokime kartu
Macedonia – HEPA Macedonia (National Health Organization for the promotion of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity)
Portugal – ADCS Carvalhais – Associação Desportiva Cultural e Social de Carvalhais
Slovenia – Physical Activity Promotion Agency – APGA
Spain – Club Pitch & Putt Barcelona Teià (CPPBT)
Turkey – Turkish Sport for All Federation (HĬS)
CARRIED OUT ACTIVITIES
CEIPES – International Centre for the Promotion of Education and Development organised five different activities “Today I’m your teacher of sport” at the Euroform vocational and trade school in Palermo. In parallel, these activities were also implemented in the other partner countries.
The students of the institute had the opportunity to meet several Sicilian athletes who compete at regional, national and international level.
In particular, the high-level athletes who took part in the activities are:
Riccardo Meli, a four-metre runner and hurdler with the Italian national athletics team
Osama and Ala Zoghlami, middle distance runners on the Italian national athletics team, who will take part in the next Tokyo Olympics
Ernesto Pascone, high jumper from CUS Palermo with a PB of 2.13m
Svetlana Fanale, sprinter from CUS Palermo who has taken part in several editions of the Italian athletics championships
Bruno Salvaggio and Seydou Dosso, sprinters from Syracuse Athletics
The athletes shared their experiences with the students of the institute. In particular, they talked about the beginning of their sporting career, the difficulties they encountered, the challenges they had to face on a daily basis, their dreams and future goals in sport as well as in life.
The sportsmen and women who have pursued a dual career, working, studying and training at the same time, also talked about how important it is to have a plan B in life in case you cannot live exclusively on sport.
The athletes tried to convey to the children their dedication, passion and perseverance by talking about the sacrifices they make every day to try to achieve their dreams.
In the second part of the meeting, the athletes showed the children some typical exercises of the main athletics disciplines: speed, middle distance, jumps and throws.
Specifically, the students tried their hand at starting from the blocks, running hurdles, jumping and throwing. The students of the Euroform institute in Palermo participated actively and enthusiastically in the proposed activities, which demonstrates the potential achievement of the main objective of the meetings: to bring young people closer to sport!
THE BENEFICIARIES
The project involved about 50 young people aged between 14 and 16 years attending the Euroform vocational school of trades in Palermo. The CEIPES used its local knowledge and expanded its local network, managing to involve teachers, students and tutors from this school.
NEXT STEPS
The WoW Europe project is scheduled to end on 31/10/2021. Several activities are planned. In particular, CEIPES will organise the event “Pedalia” in Palermo. This activity, planned for September 2021, will consist of a bicycle excursion involving children, young people and parents, allowing them to experience a day of physical activity in nature together. The event “The open hour in sport” will allow children and young people to watch some organised sports competitions with the participation of high-level athletes.
During the eligibility period of the projects, several seminars involving experts and professionals from various sectors will also be organised with the aim of transmitting skills and informing about the benefits of sport for health and well-being.
Here are the videos of the activities “Today I’m your teacher of sport” organised by CEIPES in Palermo
