Inclusion can take many forms. In 2008, I started working as a freelance interpreter and translator because I wanted to facilitate communication between people, and therefore, ultimately, inclusion.
It is now 2021 and life has led me to meet Sportfund, a non-profit organisation based in Bologna that recognizes that amateur sports have a primary and irreplaceable educational function, including the integration and protection of young people. This is particularly true when it comes to disadvantaged people. Amateur sports are also a driver of social growth and prosperity.
Translating their website into English is a way for me to amplify their activity and include as many people as possible in their projects. Here are some of them: Sport+, SportAid, Cycling with you and Snow for everyone.
Sport+
The project
Sports and school are the most powerful tools for social inclusion, essential for transmitting the fundamental values for the healthy psycho-physical development of young people. +Sport is a three-year project aimed at introducing children and adolescents to sports activities, involving more than two thousand participants in sports activities with a view to social integration.
Numbers and players involved in the first year of activity:
- 879 participants
- 337 people with disabilities or social hardships
- 62 specialized instructors
- 12 schools
Sports:
- Alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding
- climbing, trekking
- Nordic walking
- football
- psychomotricity and cycling
- horse riding
- volleyball
- free independent play
The project is realized with the support of: Fondazione Prosolidar Onlus, Fondazione Maccaferri, Fondazione Decathlon.
SportAid
The project
In Italy, the condition of social deprivation that burdens children with the weight of social discrimination is alarmingly increasing. The consequent situation of educational discomfort translates into fewer opportunities to “be in the world” in a positive way.
The SPORTAID project proposes sports as a tool to create an educating community, intervening in situations of poverty that deprive children and young people of the opportunity to build a future for themselves and to experience their abilities and aspirations.
As intentionally planned motor activity affects social skills, the project promotes the development of young people through sport and the learning of skills that are transferable to all aspects of life.
The project is realized with the support of: Associazione Re-Use With Love, Comune di Bologna.
Pedalo con te – Cycling with you
The project
“Riding a bicycle” is something we achieve as children and which accompanies us throughout our lives: the presence of a disability should not be a limitation to the practice of this beautiful discipline, which is both sporting and recreational at the same time. Through the use of two-seater “BiBici-BiBikes”, the project allows children and adults with physical or cognitive disabilities, which do not allow autonomy, to participate in cycling activities with their family and friends. The project also allows young people to spend time with their families, while for adults it is an opportunity to do physical activity with friends and discover urban areas and natural environments.
The project is realized with the support of: Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Bologna, Uisp Comitato territoriale di Bologna.
La neve per tutti – Snow for everyone
The project
Sportfund has more than 35 years’ experience in inclusive skiing, thanks to the first two Italian gold medals won at the 1988 Paralympics in Innsbruck.
This experience has long been made available to ski instructors and winter resorts wishing to organise themselves to welcome people with disabilities. “Snow for everyone” is a project devised by the Trentino Ski Instructors’ Association and Sportfund Onlus in collaboration with the Collegio maestri di sci of Trentino. The aim is to make ski resorts more and more accessible and structured, thus increasing the number of skiers with disabilities who attend the slopes and the number of specialised instructors, at the same time promoting events on the snow dedicated to skiers with disabilities and their families.
As part of this project, Sportfund collaborated in the organisation of “La gara per tutti” (Racing for everyone) at Corno alle Scale, organised by Sci Bologna Corno alle Scale, in collaboration with Cefa Onlus and Cras dal Bimbo. A giant slalom of solidarity to promote the participation of athletes with disabilities.
