Inclusion Through Handball
ITHAND
Project aims to promote the integration of immigrants into European societies through sports, using handball as a unifying tool. The project is based on the belief that sports can foster inclusion, diversity, and social equality, particularly in the current European context, where the impact of immigration on local cultures and the rights of immigrants are highly debated topics. By encouraging immigrants to participate in sports, ITHAND seeks to enhance their physical health, well-being, and social connections through cross-cultural collaboration and interaction.
Recognizing the challenges immigrants face, such as language barriers, cultural differences, and discrimination, the project aims to bridge these gaps. It acknowledges that local sports trainers and athletes may struggle to engage with individuals from different cultural backgrounds, and aims to address this hesitancy. By focusing on handball, a sport with strong community engagement, the project seeks to create a more inclusive and diverse sports environment across Europe.
Start date: TBN End date: TBN
Proposal number: 101184602
EU Grant: 60,000.00 EUR
Program: ERASMUS+
Key Actions: ERASMUS Lump Sum Grant
Action Type: ERASMUS-LS
Project Coordinator:
- ASD ACCADEMIA PALLAMANO CONVERSANO 2014 Italy
PROJECT PARTNERS:
- NGO NEST BERLIN EV, Germany
- Gülümse Spor Kulübü, Türkiye
- Caribbean Education and Culture Foundation, Sint Maarten
Project Topics:
- Immigration and handball/sport
- Social Integration and positive values in sport
- Integrity and positive values in sport
- Active Youth Promotion
Target Groups:
- Immigrants who are interested in sports, particularly handball.
- Local trainers, handball clubs, education institutions, and sports organizations promote diversity and inclusion.
- Video makers, photographers, and press supporting documentation.
- Partner organizations, their staff, and stakeholders.
- EU and national policymakers.
- The general public interested in sports, diversity, and inclusion.
Project’s Objectives
- To facilitate the inclusion of immigrants into local communities and sports clubs through handball.
- 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, and the development of autonomy and inclusion.
Approach/Methodologies
ITHAND project aims to promote inclusion through handball for immigrants directly aligns with the horizontal priority of the EU programme: “Inclusion and Diversity” in the field of sport. By addressing cultural differences, social barriers, and discrimination, it seeks to integrate immigrants into the local community and promote a more welcoming atmosphere within the sports community. In particular, the project supports efforts to combat intolerance, racism, and prejudices in sports. Through handball, it offers a setting where immigrants and coaches may interact socially, have physical activity, and remove prejudices. The project aims to reduce negative impacts on practices in sports and larger societal dynamics by fostering equality and inclusion.
The project will organize specific events, including training, meetings, a Raising Awareness Event, and friendly matches, aiming to solve these challenges and promote inclusivity:
- To create common handball language and cultural integration within handball activities to enhance communication and cultural understanding among immigrant participants.
- In order to promote a sense of community cohesiveness and belonging among immigrants and the local population, handball activities are being planned.
- To improve immigrant access to handball facilities and equipment, making sure that obstacles related to money or logistics don’t stop them from playing.
- To raise awareness and bring attention to the difficulties experienced by immigrants by launching focused anti-discrimination initiatives in the handball community.
- To provide training for handball trainers and coaches on inclusive practices, ensuring that they have the skills to support and integrate immigrant participants effectively.
- To establish a robust monitoring and evaluation system to assess the impact of the project on the social inclusion of immigrants, collecting data on participation rates, satisfaction, and changes in attitudes.