sTimulating Awareness on disabiLity and coopEratioN via fooTball

ongoing

Individuals with disability face pervasive discrimination, resulting often in social exclusion. It is therefore important to identify strategies allowing full integration. Integration is also relevant to the wider population, consistent with EU values of respect and social equality. TALENT aims to promote social inclusion of individuals with disability through football. Specific aims are: (a) socially including individuals with disability playing football (b) raising awareness of equality of individuals with disability and change social norms toward disability acceptance (c) increasing sport access to individuals with disability The partnership is composed of 4 National Football Federations (FAs), 1 sport disability association, 1 training association, 1 university, UEFA (supporting institution). Such diverse partnership allows to develop a methodology for social inclusion which is scientifically-based and practically effective. We will provide coaches with an educational program to be conducted within male and female teams of individuals with disability (2 per country). Teams will also engage in community actions to enter into active and cooperative contact with individuals without disability in different situations and social contexts. Interactions are based on individuals with disability’s competence and skills, rather than mere sympathy: only by focusing on competence the interaction can take place on equality of status, which is the basis for reciprocal respect. Such methodology will be translated in guidelines that FAs will include in national courses to obtain coaching license. We will also launch a communication campaign with ambassadors of diversity (project participants, football players from national teams) aimed to raise awareness and change social norms toward disability in the EU population. The campaign will take advantage of the media channels of FAs, partners, and UEFA as the supportive institution, ensuring impact across different targets