ITHAND – Inclusion Through HANDball
The “Inclusion Through Handball” project aims to bring immigrants together within European societies through sports and integrate them with the locals. The project begins with the premise that sport can serve as a unifying force that promotes inclusion, diversity and social equality in Europe. The influence of immigrants on local cultures and their social, political, economic, and legal rights have become hot topics of discussion among citizens and politicians in Europe (Davidov & Semyonov, 2017). But encouraging immigrants in Europe to participate in sports through cultural expression and collaborations can enhance their overall health and well-being while cultivating cross-cultural relationships (Monserrate-Gómez et. al., 2023). Project acknowledges that in addition to the difficulties that immigrants face when integrating into their new communities, such as language barriers, cultural differences and discrimination, sports trainers or local athletes may be hesitant in their approach towards individuals who do not speak the same language and have culturally different backgrounds, and sets out to find solutions to these. Drawing on the unifying spirit of handball, this project aims to create a more inclusive and diverse sports environment in Europe.
Start date: End date:
Project code: 101184602
EU Grant: 60.000,00 EUR
Programme: Erasmus plus
Key Action: Sport Action
Action Type: Small-scale Partnerships
Project PARTNERS:
Applicant:
- ASD Accademia Pallamano Conversano 2014 (IT)
Partner Organisations:
- NGO Nest Berlin EV, (GE)
- Gülümse Spor Kulübü (TR)
- Caribbean Education and Culture Foundation, Sint Maarten
Project TOPICS:
Social inclusion in and through sport
Integrity and positive values in sport
TARGET GROUPS:
Immigrants Interested in Sports, migrant organisations and communities
Local Sports Organizations, Education Institutions, Handball Clubs, and Trainers
Partner Organisations and Staff
EU and National Partners
Project OBJECTIVES:
The objectives that ITHAND aims to attain are as follows:
To facilitate the inclusion of immigrants into local communities and sports clubs through handball. By actively involving immigrants in handball activities, the project aims to foster a sense of belonging, promote social integration, and contribute to the overall well-being of participants.
To provide skills and knowledge to sports clubs and trainers/coaches to make their activities more inclusive.
To empower immigrants through the acquisition of handball, the development of autonomy and inclusion.
Project RESULTS:
Training Format:
A structured training format consisting of 4 modules:
Cultural awareness and sensitivity.
Language inclusion strategies.
Coaching techniques tailored for diversity.
Community building and engagement.
Inclusive Handbook:
A handbook based on collected data, best practices, and project results, available in printed and online formats, translated into the partner countries’ national languages.
“Handball Diversity” Documentary:
A documentary film showcasing the project’s journey and promoting diversity through handball.
Awareness and Multiplier Events:
Training events for coaches and inclusive handball meetings.
Final awareness-raising events, including the Raising Awareness Event in Sint Maarten.
Dissemination Platform:
A website and social media presence to promote project results, featuring content such as articles, posts, and the online handbook.
Inclusivity Indicators:
Data collected through questionnaires, interviews, and feedback to monitor and evaluate the project’s impact.