ICSSPE Seminar to train participants on use of sport in crisis and social problem areas

ICSSPE Executive Director Detlef Dumon opened the six-day practice-oriented training on the development and implementation of psycho-social sport programmes in crisis and social problem areas. He emphasised that in addition to theoretical knowledge, practical experience is essential to learn about sport and physical activity in a psychosocial context. Hence, the seminar offers lots of possibilities for participants to interact, to discuss and to learn from each other.

Develpopment of sports measures
Alan Kirk, Professor at Kennesaw State University, USA, stressed the importance of intercultural learning for self understanding and for the development of sport measures that meet the individual needs of community members to the more than 60 participating social workers, psychologists, disaster relief workers and students from over 20 countries.

Development of society
Gudrun Doll-Tepper, Vice-President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation and Professor at the Freie Universität Berlin, Germany, reminded that sport not only develops it contributes in many ways to the development of society. Ives Vanlandewijck, Coordinator of the ERASMUS Mundus Programme at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Beligum, explained that scientific research and teaching is essential for working in this field.

International experts
In the coming days, 17 international experts will facilitate theoretical knowledge and own practical experience to the participants. Topics of the sessions and workshops range from individuals and society to economic aspects of sport and movement programmes in crisis management.

Speakers of the seminar represent organisations including the Swiss Academy for Development (SAD); PlayAble; Special Olympics Thailand; IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support; Loughborough University, UK; Freie Universität Berlin, Germany; and Kennesaw State University, USA.