Encouraging Participation in Sports and Health Enhancing Physical Activities with an Inclusive Approach

The “HEPA4ALL” project is designed to inclusively engage disabled and disadvantaged people in long-term measures to support disabled and disadvantaged persons’ social inclusion through encouraging participation in inclusive HEPA activities and volunteering. This project recommends measures on critical issues by recognising the key factors for encouraging inclusive participation in HEPA from the project outset following Hart’s Ladder of Participation, promoting inclusive system-wide cross-sectoral cooperation, and the development of inclusive accessible methodologies for training and communication strategies whilst offering sport policies compatible with sector needs. The project adopts a sophisticated approach for preparing tailor-made strategies on encouraging the participation of persons from different disadvantaged groups by considering the different kinds of barriers preventing them from participating in HEPA. The project aims to define universal standards for the inclusion of disadvantaged persons in HEPA, by compiling successful practices across the EU. The project takes into consideration the positive effects of using accessible and inclusive technology to reach a wider audience. E-learning modules and a HEPA stakeholders database are featured technological outputs of the project which will be designed as EU-wide accessible inclusive communication and educational tools for HEPA field workers and volunteers, especially if they are disadvantaged or disabled. This project brings together an inclusive team from six partner organisations from six different programme countries and different disciplines to create an inclusive multi-disciplinary approach. All partners were assigned to the project works considering their expertise for achieving results compatible with the project objectives. All of the project partners have profound experience in implementing EU projects and this will contribute to the project outcomes reaching a broad audience across the EU.