Beyond Sport Awards – Sport for Social Inclusion
Sport can be inclusive in its nature, and this characteristic makes it a popular choice for projects working toward social inclusion. Team sports work well for these types of projects – basketball, football, hockey etc.
The Sport for Social Inclusion Award is for those projects that use sport to address issues of social, ethnic, physical, economic or gender exclusion. The nominees for the 2016 award are:
The project aims at reducing the impact of social exclusion towards young people involved in crime, prostitution, drug and alcohol abuse through hockey in order to facilitate positive social change and transformation hence reintegrate them into community.
The Fundación Tiempo de Juego (Gametime Foundation) is a non profit organization formed in 2008 in the community of Altos de Cazucá, Soacha (Cundinamarca, Colombia). So Gametime was born as a football school that incorporates two essential elements: the methodology of "football for peace" as a deliberate tool to promote conviviality, the inclusion of gender and life skills; and the model of "monitors", which promotes youth leadership to be the promoters and coordinators of activities. Under these two premises, Game Time has transcended the football field, to develop other sports schools, a number of methodological artistic and cultural activities, programs, income generation, production units, strategies for working with parents, working in institutions educational and other community development strategies.
International Mixed Ability Sports is a community interest company promoting the development of inclusive educational projects, and the expansion of Mixed Ability sports in England and across Europe. In 2015 the inaugural Mixed Ability Rugby World tournament was held in England, coinciding with the hosting of the Rugby World Cup, showing to a wider audience that it is possible to break down barriers between able bodied and disabled players through integrated sport.
It is the aim of the project to raise awareness of, and participation in, mixed ability sports through the promotion of social inclusion, equal opportunities and access to healthy life-style choices. In addition, it is about the promotion of the cores values of rugby such as teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.
Playdagogy is a teaching methodology designed for children 6 to 11 years old, developed by PL4Y International in the early 2000s. As much for use at school as in a refugee camp, this approach allows children to learn and grow by playing games and sports. Playdagogy activities help them learn while playing and being physically active. This can be an opportunity to increase their knowledge about certain topics (nutrition/obesity, hygiene, discrimination, disabilities, the environment, etc.) or learn valuable life skills (self-respect, following rules, respecting others, working together, etc.). The change in behaviour reflects positively on the individuals and environments around them. The content and training have been used in France since the beginning of 2012’s school year through distribution of Playdagogy kits ready for use, a user’s site online, video tutorials, and trainings aimed at unifying Playdagogy practitioners. A socio-metric study on six test-group classes has demonstrated the impact not only on children’s knowledge, but also their behaviour.
Soccer Without Borders believes that the potential of soccer to make change is deeper than simply playing the game. Rather, our programs are built around the philosophy that soccer’s interpersonal environment has unique potential to meaningfully impact participants. Within that environment, youth are exposed to the benefits of soccer and team sports for their bodies, voices, and minds, and supported in the application of these benefits to their everyday lives and future goals. When it comes to marginalized populations such as refugees, soccer offers an accessible, familiar space to build friendships and social capital, gain confidence, experience success, acclimate to new surroundings, and heal. Soccer provides an avenue for positive engagement, a platform for personal growth, and a toolkit for a brighter future.
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