How sport can be helpful for an integration policy by sharing the best local know-how
“Sharing” is the keyword to succeed both in life and in sports. Human beings cannot live outside of a social context and this is particularly true for the ones among us who present any kind of special need. Luckily, we do not look at disability as a problem anymore but as a resource to be discovered and integrated. Anyway, in sports this is not straightly perceived and this gap has motivated the three partners of the IncludeMe project to reflect, plan and act in order to propose a different point of view on the topic.
Last Sunday, March 17th 2024, a local event in Enna (Italy) took place to think about the experience shared by the swimming club EnnaNuoto Murgano and its local partners dealing with different sports, namely rugby, historical archery, sports dancing, and football. What was clear during this meeting is that sports clubs are sensitive about inclusion and eager to realise what are the best strategies to pursue social equality while assuring the most efficient training sessions for typical athletes. EnnaNuoto Murgano sports club has a long experience in this field and is ready to share its know-how inside and beyond the InMe project. Thus, the exchange of experiences and testimonies held during the local event connected to InMe in Italy can be considered as successful.
Moreover, what gave extra value to the meeting was the chance to show the results of the questionnaires, both pre and post-activity, which in Italy, Slovenia and Greece were dispensed to target athletes (or their families), typical athletes and staff. We think that comparing results from different countries, sharing the best practices, and meeting personally to find solutions to common troubles matches the aim and the mission envisaged by the European Commission that has financed the project and motivated us to act for a more equal sports world. People joining us during this event are in charge of different local fields and organisations, from sports to education and social assistance; they all agreed on the need to work together thus creating new networks and enhancing the existing ones. Finally, they congratulated both with the EnnaNuoto Murgano club and its foreign partners for the work done by now and the new perspectives opened for the coming future.