SPORTolerance

#SPORTolerance project aims to contribute to further human capacity development in sport through development of set of mobilities for sport coaches that will include both educational modules and modules for exchange of good practices in the field of using sport for prevention of radicalization and building tolerance and solidarity. Project will use and further develop in the field of tolerance and solidarity the non-formal educational methodology Education Through Sport /ETS/ that is an illustration of using sport as learning tool and thereby taking steps to stretch sport beyond the activity itself. ETS approach in the context of education, on the basis of non-formal education, experiential learning and active participation, is a conceptual model and a practical learning tool. The activities of this methodology assist and enrich the non-formal learning processes in the youth sector and will equip participating sport coaches with new skills and instruments to be used at daily basis. ETS methodology (official Salto resource) is a structured pedagogical non-formal educational approach that works with sport and physical activity and refers to the development of key competences of individuals and groups, in order to contribute to personal development and sustainable social transformation with a main goal - active citizenship.

The practical focus of the project is to develop skills and knowledge through educational mobility of sport coaches in order to empower them to work with young people from disadvantage background and at risk of radicalization. Through increased possibilities of social inclusion and empowering equal opportunities for youngsters with disadvantage background at risk of radicalization and providing innovative methods, #SPORTolerance project would make positive change in Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Cyprus.

The current small collaborative partnership will implement various activities on local, national and international level; will focus in transfer on knowledge through educational mobilities of sport coaches, promotion and sharing good practices in the field of preventing radicalization and promoting tolerance and solidarity through sport. #SPORTolerance will add to the existing knowledge, know-how and practices of participating directly and indirectly sport organizations and persons involved in project activities and outputs. All activities we will hold by this project will be available and can be used as OER (open educational resources) to the interested stakeholders.

Main objectives, we will focus in the project are:

• Ensure educational mobility of sport coaches and transfer of good practices between European countries (EU and Western Balkans);

• Ensuring new instruments and tools for sport coaches to prevent radicalization and to promote tolerance and solidarity through sport within youth groups with disadvantage background;

• Further development of Education through sport methodology that will be enriched with new activities that will aim to prevent radicalization and build tolerance and solidarity in young people that will be gathered in practical edition, available as Open Educational Recourse;

• Increased capacity in the participating organizations that will lead to wider possibility to deliver quality products to the target groups they work on daily basis;

• By the planned dissemination events, we will increase attention to sport as tool of prevention of radicalization and promotion of tolerance and solidarity;

• Inspiration to participating young people in local activities to feel as European citizens and to motivate them to stay in sport and physical activity as a positive way of personal and professional development;

• Create a new network of organizations working together at EU level to reach common goal – prevent or at least minimize youth violent radicalization in Europe;

• Raise awareness on the added value of sport and physical activities in relation to the personal, professional and social development of individuals through all planned project activities;

• Raise awareness on the importance of health-enhancing effects of physical activity through all planned project activities.

• Increase participation in physical activities and sport for young people with disadvantage background by increased number of local actions and events, awareness-raising activities and providing opportunity to individuals to personally experience the benefits of physical activities;

• Disseminate the accumulated knowledge and expertise of the partnership, its newly developed tools and best practices to inspire and promote further collaborations and synergies on the related topics;

The direct target group of the #SPORTolerance project is sport coaches, working or with clearly expressed motivation to work with youth targets (indirect project target group) from disadvantage background or at risk of radicalization in partner countries. The final beneficiaries of the project are both partner organizations that will be empowered to continue working with young people with disadvantage background in Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Cyprus, recruited sport coaches and young people that will be engaged in local sport activities.

The following Outputs will be developed to achieve the project aims mentioned above:
• Edition Education Through Sport edition “Sport for promotion of Tolerance” with new non-formal educational activities, focussed on fight with radicalization through sport and promotion of tolerance and solidarity;
• Empowered sport coaches in 3 EU and 1 Western Balkans countries to work focussely against radicalization and for promotion of tolerance and solidarity;
• Young people from disadvantage background at risk of radicalization involved in different and innovative sport activities with educational impact;

#SPORTolerance project is co-funded by ErasmusPlus Programme of the European Union (sport chapter) and is a collaborative partnership, coordinated by Bulgarian sports development association and implemented together with The Charity Game (TCG asbl) (BEL), Bosnian Representative Association for Valuable Opportunities (BRAVO) (BIH), Darko Athletics team (BUL) and Social Policy and Action Organization (CYP).