Move, Play and Belong: Inclusive Family Sports

ongoing

The Move, Play & Belong: Inclusive Family Sports (MBP) project fosters inclusive sports participation for socially at-risk families, addressing financial, cultural, and structural barriers that limit access to physical activity. Coordinated by the Latvian Sports Federations Council, MBP develops the Move, Play & Belong Framework, a scalable model engaging families in structured sports programs, daily movement, and health education. The project integrates research-driven insights, community engagement, and digital innovation to create sustainable solutions promoting health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) and intergenerational sports. Comprehensive research across partner countries will identify best practices, participation barriers, and inclusion strategies. The Active Futures Guidebook will provide organizations with structured methodologies for family-centered sports, while the Family Move & Play Toolkit will offer digital resources, activity guides, and strategies to help families integrate physical activity into daily life. The framework will undergo pilot testing at the BeActive Family Beach Games in Riga, where at least 50% of participants will be from socially at-risk backgrounds, ensuring real-world validation and adaptation. Strategic collaboration with municipalities, policymakers, and European sports networks will drive framework adoption, embedding it within local and national sports policies. Dissemination efforts will extend through European Week of Sport coordinators, sports federations, and grassroots organizations, ensuring widespread implementation. By eliminating participation barriers, fostering community-based physical activity, and advancing social inclusion, it contributes to EU priorities on equality, active citizenship, and well-being, making sports a right, not a privilege for families across Europe. The project ensures long term impact through advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and digital outreach, creating lasting change in families.