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NEWS
10.11.2023
On November 10, 2023, within the fifteenth International Scientific Congress "Challenges and Perspectives of Sports Science," the Bulgarian Sports Development Association introduced ongoing activities and initiatives, including research findings from the innovative action #SWIM - Swim Without Fear, to leading scholars, coaches, and experts from Bulgaria and abroad. The research highlighted that hydrophobia is not an uncommon phenomenon, with many children experiencing fear or anxiety related to water. It's crucial to recognize and address these fears to ensure that children can enjoy water activities safely.
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09.11.2023
On November 9, 2023, at the National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski" in Sofia, the Bulgarian Sports Development Association held an event as part of the "Multisport Community Experience" project, engaging sports educators, coaches, and students. The project is a collaborative partnership with five partner organizations: the Bulgarian Sports Development Association (Bulgaria), Sports Association in Dubrovnik (Croatia), European Platform for Sports Innovation (Belgium), NGO Nest Berlin (Germany), and the University of Thessaly (Greece).
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08.11.2023
Participating in sports has been associated with a number of benefits for one's physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Unfortunately, individuals with disabilities are often excluded or discouraged from participating in sports due to various barriers such as a lack of training and competition opportunities, inadequate awareness on how to include people with disabilities, and inaccessible facilities. On November 8, 2023, the first online meeting within the SHOWDOWN initiative took place, bringing together partners from Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, and Spain.
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27.10.2023
On October 27, 2023, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Sports Development Association organized a training course as part of the 'SCAED - Sport Community Against Eating Disorders' initiative. Coaches and sports specialists from Bulgaria participated in the event, where topics such as the challenges faced by athletes, parents, coaches, and sports organizations related to eating disorders and dietary habits were presented and discussed, as well as the goals and activities of the project, as well as its future actions in Bulgaria, were commented on.
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26.10.2023
DevelpMENS: Youngsters personal and social development through self-determination theory, critical thinking and media literacy is a transnational project that brings together a consortium of partners from 6 different countries, including Italy (L'ORMA - applicant), Croatia (Vere Montis), Bulgaria (BSDA) (Programme Countries) and Bosnia (BRAVO), Albania (New Vision), and Kosovo (Heimerer College) (Region 1 – Western Balkans Countries). The project amins at enhancing the personal and social development of young people through the integration of self-determination theory, critical thinking, and media literacy into formal, non-formal, and informal education. It involves conducting scientific research and focus groups on self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation, and soft skills, developing educational content based on the research findings, and creating a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) to disseminate the knowledge and skills acquired.
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23.10.2023
On October 23, 2023, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Sports Development Association organized a training course as part of the 'SCAED - Sport Community Against Eating Disorders' initiative. Coaches and sports specialists from Bulgaria participated in the event, where topics such as the challenges faced by athletes, parents, coaches, and sports organizations related to eating disorders and dietary habits were presented and discussed, as well as the goals and activities of the project, as well as its future actions in Bulgaria, were commented on.
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21.10.2023
On October 21, 2023, the "Dad and Me – Athletes" event took place at the National Stadium "Vasil Levski," organized by the Darko Team Athletics School. The athletic competition gathered over 100 children and their partners in a sprint, competing in a 2x50-meter relay. The event kicked off with an adapted start, featuring participants from the Sports Club "BG and Sport for All" and the Sports Club "Adapted Sports". Among the partners were students majoring in "Adapted Physical Activity and Sports" at the National Sports Academy "Vasil Levski," a program becoming increasingly attractive for sports specialists.
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20.10.2023
Families play an important role in society, both in human sustenance and individual development. Sport has tremendous potential for bringing parents and children together in a healthy and playful environment. Children with disabilities often lead a passive lifestyle due to a lack of adapted sports content and unhealthy nutrition which has negative consequences on their health. Families of children with disabilities are usually not properly instructed in the methods of conducting sports or nutrition by which they could contribute to improving the lives of their children.
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20.10.2023
UNICEF reports that nearly 240 million children in the world today have some form of disability. New report from UNICEF exposes the depth of deprivation experienced by the 1 in 10 children with disabilities worldwide across several indicators of well-being, including health, education and protection. Also, the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities states that all children and young people should be able to grow up together for the benefit of all, showing respect for others, and EU’s role is to promote the protection of the rights of the child as an EU objective as well as its competence to combat discrimination based on disability.
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19.10.2023
On October 19, 2023, the second meeting of the Public Council at the Committee for Citizens' Participation and Interaction with Civil Society at the Forty-Ninth National Assembly took place. After an open procedure for the selection of members in the Public Council, the "Bulgarian Sports Development Association" was chosen as the main representative in the field of competence "Physical Education and Sports." In this meeting, the "Bulgarian Sports Development Association" was represented by Yoanna Dochevska, the organization's chairperson.
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19.10.2023
On October 19, 2023, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Sports Development Association organized a training course as part of the 'SCAED - Sport Community Against Eating Disorders' initiative. Coaches and sports specialists from Bulgaria participated in the event, where topics such as the challenges faced by athletes, parents, coaches, and sports organizations related to eating disorders and dietary habits were presented and discussed, as well as the goals and activities of the project, as well as its future actions in Bulgaria, were commented on.
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19.10.2023
- Welcome to the SMILE Podcast: Empowering Lives Through Sports and Inclusion
Welcome to the SMILE podcast, where Sport, Motivation, Inclusion, Leadership, and Engagement come together to create a transformative experience. We are thrilled to take you on an inspiring journey into the heart of the #SMILE initiative.
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19.10.2023
In a compelling episode of the SWIM Without Fear podcast, listeners are invited to embark on a journey that resonates deeply with parents and coaches alike. This #SWIM podcast delves into the challenges of overcoming hydrophobia in early childhood. Hydrophobia, or the fear of water, can be a significant hurdle for young children and their families.
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17.10.2023
On October 17, 2023, the Bulgarian Sports Development Association conducted an online training course for the "Carbon Neutral Sports Club Network – C ZERO SPORTS CLUB" project. During the training course, the "Carbon Footprint Measurement Program for Sports Organizations" created for the project was presented, demonstrated, and discussed. The course also covered the results obtained from the C ZERO SPORTS CLUBS study, future project goals and activities, as well as the roles and responsibilities of partner sports organizations. The consortium consists of seven partner organizations from Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, and Turkey.
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16.10.2023
Participating in sports has been associated with a number of benefits for one's physical, mental, and social wellbeing. Unfortunately, individuals with disabilities are often excluded or discouraged from participating in sports due to various barriers such as a lack of training and competition opportunities, inadequate awareness on how to include people with disabilities, and inaccessible facilities.
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12.10.2023
The international seminar "Strong Mind for Success" #SMS was held in Sofia, Bulgaria from October 9th to 12th, 2023, offering participants from Bulgaria, Italy, and Slovenia the opportunity to enhance their knowledge in the field of young athletes' mental health, while providing a platform for future networking activities. Each partner organization (Bulgaria, Italy, Slovenia) participated with 6 individuals - 1 project manager + 5 football players/country (participants aged 13 to 18 years old).
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07.10.2023
On October 7, 2023, the "Happy Hand in Hand" festival took place in Plovdiv, gathering people with disabilities, their families, and those empathetic to their challenges at the Rowing Base. Part of the #SMILE team had the opportunity to showcase their athletic skills and abilities. The event, organized by the "Parallel World" association for the seventh consecutive year, featured participants engaging in various sports activities such as pickleball, volleyball, field hockey, badminton, capoeira, boxing, basketball, Zumba, and wall climbing.
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05.10.2023
On October 5, 2023, in Lublin, the European Youth Capital for 2023, the annual SALTO Awards ceremony was held. Representing the Bulgarian Sports Development Association (#SMILE coordinator), Yoanna Dochevska, the chairperson of the organization, attended and accepted the award. The SALTO Awards aim to recognize outstanding work and inspire young people, European citizens, decision-makers, Erasmus+ program candidates, and European Solidarity Corps candidates to have a greater impact.
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04.10.2023
Par-Olympia event was held in Athens in the period 27.09 - 04.10.2023 and part of #SMILE team had new international opportunity to show their sport skills and abilities. The Bulgarian delegation consisted of 6 athletes with intellectual disabilities and was accompanied by students from the Adapted Physical Activity and Sports specialty (NSA “Vasil Levski”), which is becoming more and more attractive as profession and provides prospects for the development of young people.
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02.10.2023
On October 2, 2023, a consortium meeting for the project "Ramps4Champs" took place in Sofia, with representatives from partner organizations in Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, and North Macedonia. During the meeting, a practical visit to an Adapted Basketball training session at the National Sports Academy (NSA) was conducted.
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30.09.2023
The #BeActive European Week of Sport took place between September 23 and 30, 2023, with all residents and guests of Sofia having the opportunity to become part of the largest sports celebration in Europe. The European Week of Sport is an initiative of the European Commission, held in September throughout Europe since 2015. Through the week, conducted in the form of a campaign to promote physical activity, the numerous benefits of sports and physical activity are popularized, and everyone, regardless of age, origin, or physical condition, can participate in it.
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28.09.2023
"POP-UP, Sport for empowerment and for hoping-up your personal and professional pathway" aims to enable the training and integration pathways for low-skilled adult populations, especially women, to develop and incorporate innovative training activities centered around physical activity and sports, with a focus on health and well-being, and a pedagogical perspective of empowerment and skills development relevant to employment. The activities developed support the accessibility and inclusion of these populations and will create opportunities at both a personal and professional level.
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26.09.2023
Augmented reality is an interactive experience that enhances the real world with computer-generated perceptual information. Using software, apps, and hardware such as AR glasses, augmented reality overlays digital content onto real-life environments and objects.
“Strong Mind for Success” is an ErasmusPlus co-funded initiative aiming to build capacity in sport organizations nowadays in the field of mental care awareness and care towards youth athletes. Strong Mind for Success project will deliver innovative education on how mental health can contribute for the successful development of young football players in Bulgaria, Italy and Slovenia.
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24.09.2023
Businessman Rumen Dimitrov, who operates six swimming pools in Sofia, is a partner of the Bulgarian Sports Development Association and the Bulgarian Swimmers Association in the implementation of the European project "Swim Without Fear" (#SWIM). In the interview, Dimitrov shares some of his experiences on working with children in swimming training at the pools he manages. In the last decade, over 10,000 young people have been trained in these six pools.
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23.09.2023
In the period September 20th and 23rd, 2023, in the city of Novi Sad, Republic of Serbia, an international partnership meeting was held for the "Carbon Neutral Sports Club Network – C ZERO SPORTS CLUB" project. During the meeting, the "Carbon Footprint Measurement Program for Sports Organizations," created for the project's purposes, was presented, demonstrated, and discussed. The results obtained from the C ZERO SPORTS CLUBS study, as well as the future goals and activities of the project, along with the tasks and responsibilities among the partners, were also addressed. The consortium consists of 7 partner organizations from Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, and Turkey.
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21.09.2023
Following an open selection procedure for members of the Public Council to the Commission for Direct Citizen Participation and Interaction with Civil Society in the Forty-Ninth National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Sports Development Association will serve as the primary representative in the field of competence 'Physical Education and Sport.' In the work of the Public Council, BSDA will be represented by Yoanna Dochevska and Associate Prof Stefka Djobova, Board members of the organization.
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19.09.2023
On September 19, 2023, at the National Football Base "Boyana" in Sofia, Bulgaria, the second national roundtable within the framework of the Council of Europe's initiative - Start to Talk, took place to discuss the development of a roadmap and additional work needed to finalize and define the role of the child protection officer, their profile(s), necessary competencies, and training programs. The meeting also discussed measures and policies for child protection in sports, modern models, and key elements required in developing the roles of child protection officers, including the skills, knowledge, and experience of the individual. Representing the Bulgarian Sports Development Association (BSDA), Ivaylo Zdravkov, a member of the BSDA Board, participated in the event.
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