PLAY TENNIS AS ONE

The PLAY TENNIS AS ONE project is addressing Inclusion and diversity priority of the Erasmus+ Programme and is dedicated to the social inclusion for disadvantaged children in remote communities by using tennis trainings, supported by specially developed and innovative community engagement programs. Aim - strengthening youth motivation for sport and healthy lifestyle by including children with fewer opportunities, along with peers from other social groups, and teaching them European values through Sport. Partnering organizations are three tennis clubs from Austria, Bulgaria and Germany, all newcomers to the Erasmus+ program, however with extensive expertise in sport trainings and children development through sport. At the “heart” of AS ONE is the partners’ belief that building strong, united, resilient, future-proof societies is possible via combining on one side the systematic multi-disciplinary preparation of teachers & social workers as Change Agents of tomorrow, and on the other – setting the ground for transforming tennis from a typically elitist sport into more inclusive one for the diverse communities. Results: One FINDING A VOICE program for 15 trainers, which will prepare Coaches and Sport mentors to better guide and emotionally support the participating children. Three MIXED TENNIS YOUTH GROUPS created, consisting of non-socially disadvantaged children and such from rural areas at risk of social exclusion. The participation of the later will be FREE of any cost. Three SPORT DEMONSTRATIONS will attract 90 disadvantaged children and adolescents to introduce them to tennis via top-notch “duet” of Mentorship and Sports coaching. MENTORSHIP PROGRAM will be carried out after selecting Influential athletes as sport mentors in a 3-months program for all 90 underprivileged children, finishing with YOUNG HEROS STORY TELLING activities. Thus, AS ONE will have an intergenerational dimension to be seen in the built connection between children and trusted adults.