Odyssey: A sports volunteering association

Odyssey started as an initiative led by a group of young Lebanese sports volunteers who teamed up to develop an association with the goal of using volunteering through sports as a way to develop mutual understanding, respect and promote a peaceful and better world.

After noticing that many sports organisations in Lebanon lack the human power in their events, and many sports management students graduate and lack experience, and moreover these students are required to accomplish volunteering hours in order to graduate with no luck in finding opportunities, the team realised that there is a need for a platform that supports these sports organisations and offers young sports enthusiasts life-changing opportunities.

Basing on its definition: "a long and eventful or adventurous journey or experience", Odyssey is a sports volunteering association that seeks to empower volunteers through sport. Being the first sports volunteering association in Lebanon, Odyssey aims to provide volunteering opportunities that would foster social inclusion, intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding through sport.

Our mission is to become a platform and a liaison key for all those who are seeking a volunteering experience in sporting events. Our aim is to promote and strengthen the sports volunteering culture in Lebanon; promote an active lifestyle and give access to new sports, friends and new social skills such as leadership, communication and organizational skills.

Our goal is to share the philosophy of sport volunteering advantages among the physical education and sports community, to inspire them through voluntary work, to boost their network development, to give them practical work experience and prepare them for the job market. We want to cultivate enthusiasm for volunteering and expand the base of volunteers.

Knowing that Lebanon, a small country with a multicultural environment, is passing through a critical economic and financial crisis, we believe in the significance of Odyssey for all the young Lebanese, in the promotion and endorsement of important values such as volunteering, solidarity and resistance during this crisis. Odyssey will take part, in a way, in the rise of our beloved Lebanon.

This article was first published by ENGSO Youth. Visit their website to read the original article.