More than sport

"<< Background >>We applied for this project because we had realized that organisations we collaborate with, are using sports as a tool for inclusion and personal growth, but they didn't know exactly how to leverage it to improve social skills and empower youngsters with fewer opportunities. In our work we have seen how sports could help their work. This project was our chance to create a program that would show organizations how to use sports effectively. Our surveys had found that while people knew sports were powerful, they didn't know how to use them well. We wanted to fix that by working together and giving organizations the right tools. We addressed the need for structured programs by combining Amazonas' experience in using sports for social skills with Empoderar's expertise in psychosocial programs. Our research found a desire among local organizations to learn how to use sports as empowerment tools for disadvantaged youth. Previous evaluations showed sports' effectiveness in personal development. With over 88.1% of respondents reporting improved quality of life, our structured program empowered organizations to reach more youth with fewer opportunities.<< Objectives >>By implementing this project we created structured program for organisations working with youngsters with fewer opportunities in order to encourage their personal development and sustainable social transformation.Other specific objectives we have achieved are: 1. Systematic methodology for engaging young migrants and youth from economically disadvantaged backgrounds through sports and physical activities is developed.2 Widely available programme for empowering young migrants and youngsters with poor socio - economicalbackground troughs sport and physical activity is created.With implementation of this objectives, we provided practical frameworks and resources that organizations can now utilize to effectively support and empower youth with fewer opportunities, and ultimately contributing to their holistic development and integration into society by using sport.<< Implementation >>In our project we have implemented following activities:1. Kick off meeting which was consisted of preparation of project in general, partner agreements.2. Creation of workshops consisted work on theoretical framework and workshops content.3. Partner meetings on which we were discussing all stages of project.4. Testing workshops with youngsters with fewer opportunities in both partners organisations in which 57 youngsters in both organisations participated.5. Manual creation consisted creation of content, translation to Croatian, English and Portuguese and dissemination of one, by both of partners. 55 organisations were directly informed about the manual and project.6. Training for trainers was held in Croatia and organised by Amazonas that empowered 23 youth workers to use created programme by this project.7. Project management that was consisted through all the project and was agreed on first kick-off meeting between organisations on agreed document - delivery on time, budget planning and distribution and dissemination and evaluation activities of project. << Results >>The outcomes of our project include:1. Systematized programme ""More than sport"" in a form of manual which is widely available to organizations working with youth with fewer opportunities is created. On Amazonas and Empoderar's websites it is available on English, Croatian and Portuguese and free to download.2. Manual as a core of programme consist 10 lessons with workshops which aim is to empower youngsters with fewer opportunities using sport and physical activity as a tool. The evaluation impact has shown the increase on the perception of development of the skills and positive impact on their self-esteem.3. 5 youth workers from partner organization Empoderar and 18 youth workers from Croatian organizations that do not participate directly in the project, but collaborate with Amazonas, are educated how to use materials created by project in activity training for trainers. 4. 55 organizations in Portugal and Croatia participating in project are directly informed about project results and they received manual created by project. They were in informed in five dissemination activities, one live in Portugal and one online event, and in Croatia one live event (conference) and two online events for Croatian organisations"