DO-U-SPORT? – Local Authorities with Sports for All

The project “DO-U-SPORT? Local Authorities with Sports for All” aimed to provide, at local level, new strategies to assure that sports are a possible grass root activity for all, free of barriers such as gender, age, culture, economic power or time availability. Departing from small and medium sized communities, it wanted to increase the practice of sports by citizens to benefit their well being, health preservation, learning capacity, and transversal skills. The other side of this challenge was the integration of sports policies and initiatives in a wider vision of territorial/local development and social collective cohesion, to which all activities were directly and clearly related.The mains outcomes and activities implemented by Tábua (PT), Mielec (PL) and Las Torres de Cotillas (ES) municipalities were: Quiz and Workshops for local actors; 4 European Debates and a Final Conference); 12 “Just Try It” activities implemented in each country; “I Do Sport” Badges/Passports delivered to participants (including the contest to participate in the Final Conference) and the paper “Sports for All: Local Strategies and Recommendations”.The Quiz and Workshops were very important to collect information regarding citizens’ expectations and preferences, but also to raise awareness to its importance and develop partnerships with sports actors.The 5 European Debates allowed approaching project themes and activities from different perspectives by involving relevant and heterogeneous public - from sports organizations, schools and academic structures to teachers, trainers and sportspersons or other municipalities. The main conclusions and lessons drawn were about adaptation of logistics (length, venues) to the needs of participants; listening and following suggestions and interests; engaging in international exchanges to widen knowledge on sports and physical activity; disseminating to raise awareness on what is available and facilitate enrolment.The 12 Just Try It activities implemented, followed a common approach that proposed the implementation of sports/physical activity related to local development issues: Tracking/Hiking and nature discovering wild life; Cycling and food; Yoga and self awareness; Traditional games and fair play; Dancing and Interculturality / world awareness; Running / walking and natural and historical heritage; Fishing and global warming; Outdoor fitness equipment and obesity/heart problems; Orienteering and agriculture/forestry activities; Table tennis and personal/transversal skills; Kite / handicrafts and identity; Board games and public spaces preservation.Some changes were made locally in terms of calendar, sports/physical activity chosen and activity names to make them more attractive and participated and adapt to specificities. All activities did, in any case, contributed to reinforce social values, local development and connection with territorial planning, through the promotion of fair-play, team work, self-improvement and confidence, better health, culture preservation and other transversal skills. One of the plus points, which went beyond expectations, was the collaboration and support of several types of organisations, from sports to social and cultural.The activity “I Do Sport” was designed to develop team spirit, fair play and a sense of fidelity, responsibility and continuity in the project. A Passport we delivered to participants to collect Badges upon participation in 12 activities and to give access to the possibility of participating in the Final Conference in Portugal (upon contest to select randomly 2 participants per country among those with the most activities fulfilled - terms and conditions were public).The paper “Sports for All: Local Strategies and Recommendations” is the main written output open to everyone interested in knowing this experience and having guidelines on how to replicate the good practices achieved it in other territories.