SPIN - Sport Inclusion Network

𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡. ❤

Back in April, we came together in Lisbon for the closing conference of the SPIN Youth project.

After two and a half years of exploring youth participation, inclusion and the barriers young people can face in sport, the conference was a moment to reflect on the journey, share experiences and look ahead.

The project may be completed, but the 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 it started continue.

Because meaningful youth participation is not just about giving young people a place in sport. It is about making space for their voices, ideas and decisions.

Swipe through for a few moments from Lisbon and a look back at the SPIN Youth journey.

The project ended. The work continues.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭.

Youth participation means creating real opportunities for young people to influence how sport is organised, developed and experienced.

It means moving from doing things 𝐟𝐨𝐫 young people to doing things 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 them and creating space for them to shape, organise and make decisions.

Because meaningful participation is 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐚 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 activity. It is a way of working that requires commitment, trust and space for young voices.

When young people are given that 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞, sport becomes more inclusive, more responsive and better prepared for the future.

𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬. ❤️







IZI - Igrajmo Zajedno Inicijativa
FAIreland
Liikkukaa!
Uisp Nazionale
Huis voor Beweging
Sindicato dos Jogadores

👀

𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞. ❤️

From 11 to 13 September, Žabljak became a meeting place for young female football players from 𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐨, 𝐁𝐨𝐬𝐧𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐳𝐞𝐠𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐚 at the first 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐅𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥 held in Montenegro.

Seven teams. Three countries. Three days of football, learning, outdoor activities, new connections and friendships.

The girls trained and played in mixed teams, took part in workshops, explored Durmitor and shared experiences with teammates they had only just met. Because the Girls Football Festival is about 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 than football.

It is about 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 to feel welcome, build confidence, meet others and experience sport as a place where different backgrounds can come together.

And this is also what a network can look like in practice.

The festival was organised by 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤, as part of the Football Zajedno project, coordinated by the Initiative at VIDC, with IZI - Igrajmo Zajedno Inicijativa as the main implementing partner, in cooperation with the Fudbalski savez Crne Gore - Football Association of Montenegro.

𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬. 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞.

That is sport inclusion in action. ❤️

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭?

As part of the now completed 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭, we explored this question with young people across 𝟖 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 through action research.

The findings showed that participation can be shaped by many different barriers, from financial and logistical challenges to language, cultural, social and structural barriers.

But identifying barriers is only the first step.

Creating more inclusive sport means understanding what stands in the way and 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧. 🤝

Swipe through to discover 𝟓 𝐤𝐞𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞 and some of the changes that can help create more inclusive sporting environments.

𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬.

𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭. ❤️

𝐖𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐃. 🤝🌍

In June, the 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝟒 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 partners came together in 𝐏𝐚𝐨𝐮, 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐞, for our first project meeting.

Eight organisations. Six countries. One shared goal: using sport to bring young people together and build stronger, more connected communities.

This was the first step in a three year journey of collaboration, learning and action through sport.

And we’re just getting started.

➡️ 𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩: 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞.

Stay with us as the journey unfolds. 👀

Disclaimer

𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳(𝘴) 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 (𝘌𝘈𝘊𝘌𝘈). 𝘕𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘈𝘊𝘌𝘈 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.







VIDC / fairplay Initiative
Donegal Sports Partnership
FAIreland
NVO Atina
IZI - Igrajmo Zajedno Inicijativa
Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας
Fundacja dla Wolności

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲. ❤️

It’s about creating spaces where people feel 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞, 𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐝.

Because sport should be a place where everyone can take part, be themselves and know they 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠.

Different people.
Same passion.
Great possibilities.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲?

𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐆𝐄𝐒. 🤝

What happens when eight organisations from 𝐬𝐢𝐱 countries come together with one shared goal?

𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝟒 𝐏𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞 is a new Erasmus+ Sport project using sport as a tool for social cohesion, reconciliation and inclusion among young people affected by conflicts.

Over the next three years, partners from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, Ireland, Serbia and Poland will work together to create opportunities for young people to meet, exchange experiences, build connections and take part in sport across communities.

The project partners are:

VIDC / fairplay Initiative
Donegal Sports Partnership
FAIreland
NVO Atina
IZI - Igrajmo Zajedno Inicijativa
Πανεπιστήμιο Θεσσαλίας
Fundacja dla Wolności
SPIN - Sport Inclusion Network

From creating an evidence base, training activities and cross community encounters to a Girls’ Football Festival in Vienna, the project will create spaces where young people can connect, learn from one another and experience the power of sport to bring people together.

Different countries.
Different experiences.
One shared belief in the power of sport to build bridges.

Discover the project and follow the journey. 🌍

Disclaimer

𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳(𝘴) 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 (𝘌𝘈𝘊𝘌𝘈). 𝘕𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘈𝘊𝘌𝘈 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.

𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞. ❤️

For SPIN, inclusion through sport means 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 where people can participate, connect and feel that they belong.

We believe 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 bring different people and communities together, create opportunities and build stronger, more inclusive societies.

That’s what we’re here for.

𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐋 𝐀𝐍𝐘𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄. 🌍

For 18 months, SPIN worked together with partners in the Sahrawi refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria, to make sport and physical education more inclusive for children and young people.

From a 5 day multiplier training near Tindouf to local trainings across all five camps, more than 70 trainers and teachers took part in learning and putting inclusive methods into practice.

Along the way, we:

▫️Trained educators in inclusive sport methods
▫️Delivered local trainings across all 5️⃣ camps
▫️Involved hundreds of children and young people in sport based activities
▫️Provided new and age appropriate sports equipment
▫️Developed a training manual in English and Arabic

For SPIN, this project was also a first in two important ways.

🥇 Our first time working directly in a refugee camp context.
🥇 Our first project as a registered organisation on the African continent.

Most importantly, this journey was about people. About sharing knowledge, building trust and discovering how sport can create connection, belonging and community even in challenging contexts.

The project has now come to a close.
But the partnership isn’t. 🤝

A heartfelt thank you to our partners, trainers, teachers and everyone who helped make this journey possible. ❤️

Take a look back at the journey ➡️







Uisp Nazionale
Ufficio Progetti Uisp Nazionale
Tiziano Pesce - presidente nazionale UISP Aps
Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Kunst, Kultur, Medien und Sport

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍. 👋

Sport should feel like 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 to everyone.

SPIN - Sport Inclusion Network, brings organisations and people together to make sport more inclusive, accessible and welcoming.

What started in 2010 with 7️⃣ organisations has grown into an international network working across Europe and the Global South. Today, 19+ member organisations are part of that journey. 🌍

We connect.
We build.
We create.
We advocate.

And this is just the beginning.

Swipe to discover who we are, where we come from and what we’re working towards.

𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤?

𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐍 𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 → https://sportinclusion.net/