Sports Inc. Initiative Teaches Inclusive Entrepreneurship for People with Disabilities | Erasmus+

CommitmentPlanet NGO is proud to announce that it is the Lead Partner of the "Sports Inc." initiative, a new program aimed at teaching entrepreneurs, business owners, and managers in the sports and leisure sector, as well as civil society organizations, how to create services and products for people with disabilities or special needs.

The Sports Inc. initiative is urgently needed because people with disabilities make up 25% of the total European population. Despite progress in recent years, they still face considerable barriers to accessing education, employment, recreational activities, and are at greater risk of social exclusion. The Covid-19 pandemic has widened the obstacles and inequalities.

The goal of the Sports Inc. initiative is to develop a learning program that provides (potential) entrepreneurs, business owners, and managers in the sports and leisure sector, as well as civil society organizations, with the knowledge, skills, and competencies to conceive, design, develop, implement, and market a service (or product offering) tailored to the specific needs and circumstances of people with disabilities or special needs, either by recovering their existing business or creating a new (social) enterprise.

The Sports Inc. program will be an e-learning platform for companies and organizations, accessible on the official website (www.sportsinclusive.org). The program has several specific objectives, including identifying industry challenges and context through mapping and research, developing an accessible and validated learning program, and promoting the use of results through comprehensive sharing and promotion activities.

One of the main focuses of Sports Inc. is to help existing and potential (social) entrepreneurs, including those with disabilities and special needs, to understand the needs of their customers and create inclusive and innovative products and services. The program will also help these entrepreneurs align their internal processes and analyze the social impact of their work. Additionally, the program will help adult educators in civil society organizations improve their (social) entrepreneurship skills and support their members in starting their own (social) enterprises.

People with disabilities and special needs are the main beneficiaries of the Sports Inc. program, as they will be the end-users of inclusive sports and leisure activities offered. Civil society organizations that start their own (social) enterprises will also provide work-based learning and employment opportunities for this vulnerable group.

The Sports Inc. initiative will pay special attention to the involvement of participants with disabilities or special needs and ensure equal treatment and inclusion for all. The learning program will be accessible through the use of specific sources, writing style, and translation into international sign language for key parts. Sports Inc. will also work to improve communication and cooperation between educational centers, organizations supporting people with special needs, and those supporting social entrepreneurship through their sharing and promotion activities.

To learn more about the Sports Inc. program, visit the official website at www.sportsinclusive.org. Join CommitmentPlanet and the Sports Inc. initiative in the challenge of making sports and leisure more inclusive and accessible for all.

PARTNERS THAT LEAD TO SUCCESS

Find out more about us and how you can team up with a Youth Association focused on progress, sustainability and social inclusion.

Commitment, that's the key for everything we do. To be committed to something is, putting it simple, to be able to bring the best within ourselves to something. At our association, we are aim to integrate new ideas and to break the chains of stigma, which have been conflicting with progress for centuries.

“Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of crackpot than the stigma of conformity.” - Thomas J. Watson

To understand better what you can do for us, read a bit of what we did and our working methods for an active system.

PODES - Starting Point

It all started in 2008, a team of amazing and progressive Generation X entrepreneurs founded the association PODES ("You can" in Portuguese) with the mission of opening up our nation to the #EuropeanCommunity, focusing on social inclusion, communication and media.

From there, they started applying for a number of different projects, mainly scooping social integration of disable people, individuals awaken from coma, sports as a means for inclusion. They fought obesity, brought new knowledge of the European Union to Portugal and started to develop a network of partners from 15 differentC countries.

CommitmentPlanet was born from the active community of volunteers and partners to this association. The Generation X individuals convinced their children and other active youth members of the community and took them to places.

Yes, our team came from there: we got to fly and see new countries, while making somehow a difference in different topics and areas of social problems or stagnation of policies. Together, and thanks to all international partners that we have got the chance to work with, PODES made a significant difference in the areas of Coma Awakening and developing protocols for Sports as means to social inclusion.

#Insport one, two & three (also known as Insport+)

Thanks to the municipally of Prato (Italy) this project was created, on the purpose of creating a network of associations across Europe committed to foster the social inclusion of people suffering from mental health problems through sport.

We took actions since 2013 and have been at 8 different countries, either on local associations for people with disabilities or at rehabilitation centers for physical disabilities and addiction.

Our greatest pleasure and gratitude to all people involved in this project. The overall conclusion was great and lead Insport to an official project connecting europeans to solidarity and research on the matter of sports. A multitude of events is still occurring every year.

Partner with us!

We're happy to support existing or developing projects, proving our worth as partners, lead partners and data analysts. Let us know how we can support you by writing to commitmentplanet-associacao@europe.com

PROJECT OLD TOWNS, NEW RESULTS

We have met in Lisbon, Portugal, to hold an event regarding the crucial topic of Euroscepticism. This event was held with the support of ISG, Instituto Business and Economic School of Lisbon.

The main aim of this project was encouraging active citizenship at EU level, through actions that light up the advantages of civic and democratic participation. The specific objectives of the project are: Challenge Euroscepticism; Raise awareness regarding EU decision making process; Fostering opportunities for societal and intercultural engagement & Setting up a sustainable cooperation network.

Feel Happy from Discovery

"If you know who you are as a citizen, you must be willing to know your purpose as a EU citizen as well.”

The third meeting of the project was held in June 2019, in Lisbon, capital of Portugal. It was an important step in the project development, which enabled partners to meet, in person, in order to discuss and work on the theme: The Future of Europe, approaching the White Paper on the Future of Europe and discussing the reality and the impacts of each scenario.

Day One

During the first day we held a seminar at ISG, the Business and Economics School, in Lisbon, a well-known higher education institute, mainly for their reach and action towards the rights and the future of students in Europe. This seminar was attended by all international participants, students from various universities and the Portuguese team from CommitmentPlanet.

During three and a half ours, with coffee break, we counted with the presentation of the general project by the project coordinator, Lucian Corubuta, followed by an introduction to this event and the main aspects and objectives by the Portuguese coordinator.

After, the speaker and head of the political team on the European Comission of Portugal, Dr. João Faria gave us a detailed introduction to the White Paper and the specifics of every of the Five Scenarios drawn on the document.

Finally, the director of ISG, Dra. Teresa Damásio came to elaborate her vision towards the implementation of an educative system which allows and improves euro citizenship of students, through a digital network and the awareness of civil responsibility.

Last, but not least, the president of the students committee of the Technology Institute of Lisbon, as well as one of our team members at CommitmentPlanet association, gave us their testimony on civil responsibility and the vision of a global, more digital era, were politics can speak to youth in “the same language”.

Finished the session, all project participants went for a typical Portuguese lunch, followed by a hotel break and a Five Case Scenarios tour, were we presented five choices, more focused on technological areas, landmarks, multicultural trails, history focused tours and together we decided to pursue with traditions and the historical tour, which lead us to Belém.

The day ended with a traditional Portuguese dinner of Bacalhau com Natas and a gather at the hotel.

Day Two

“Tell your story as your country would.”

On the second morning we had a workshop with all project participants, again at ISG in Lisbon. At this meeting we pursued the second item on the event agenda: a SWOT analysis on the Five Case Scenarios described on the White Paper. This started with a presentation and explanation of a SWOT analysis, conducted by our two team members Maria and Ricardo, both Marketing and Managing professionals.

Followed the presentation there was a moment of discussion and reflection in general about the Five Case Scenarios and the words said at the seminar, on the previous day. The participants stopped for coffee break. This was followed by a separation into five teams, one for each scenario, evaluating the perks and prejudices of the internal and external effects of each scenario.

Finally, the rest of the day was designed to understand Lisbon’s history and the development of the historical areas, mainly through the action of creating new places and the perks for incubators and start-ups in Portugal, mainly attracting European Citizens. There was a tour through the area were Fado, our musical genre declared as Cultural Landmark by ONU. After this we held a coordinators meeting.

Lastly, a dinner at a local restaurant owned by a Fado singer and guitar playing artists, whom regarded us with a musical night.

Day Three

On the third day of the event in Lisbon we met at the hotel were the participants stayed and went on a tour in Sintra, a natural landmark near the City of Lisbon with a microclimate of its own. This way time was spent on knowing the reality of the small cities around the capital, their traditions, history and how Portuguese people’s lives developed until this day.

After this we head to the hotel, some participants already had a flight to catch. To the remaining participants was given a free afternoon to go around town. Finally, we met for a restaurant at a typical Portuguese landmark, with Fado and traditional food. At this moment we exchanged gifts and words about the impact and the importance of the project. We reflected and decided on ideas for the upcoming events.

To know more about the project Old Towns, New Results, please go to: https://proiecteeuropenevictoria.ro/old-towns-new-results/