International training course “Inclusive Sport” – Palermo (Italy)

International Training Course – Let’s MATCH

International Training Course (ITC) took place in Palermo, Italy from 15th to 21st of July 2017. The ITC gathered great number of sport trainers and youth workers from the countries of the MATCH Consortium, such as Italy, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Bosnia and Herzegovina, with an aim to share and discuss practical experiences in the field of social inclusion, specifically aiming towards singling out the best methods, tools and competencies required for the social integration and inclusion of refugee asylum seekers and other socially vulnerable groups, as one of the requirements for the implementation of MATCH project. 

During an intensive seven days, the ITC training participants have got to know each other very well, collaborate and work together, share their different experiences and most importantly develop a common training programme by combining all of their different, yet unique experiences in working with the asylum seekers and socially challenged youth. Each day of the International Training Course consisted of group and team work, ice breaking games, presentations and fruitful discussions, and each day was enriched by different social events, like intercultural bazaar and outdoor activities. One of the most beneficial activities were those specifically organised to present the work with disadvantaged groups in real life situations, therefore the participants were given an opportunity to visit a safe house for women and children in Palermo.

If one is to sum up the results of International Training Course, one would say that a group of diverse people, coming from different parts of Europe, different institutions, backgrounds and contexts have worked together as a team for seven days, thought and learned from each other to reach the following conclusions

• Sport is an exemplary tool for the implementation of social inclusion and is applicable for all groups of socially excluded youth
• In spite of cultural differences, challenges regarding the issue of social exclusion are all very similar 
• Sport as a utilitarian tool is versatile not just for its application in social inclusion but as well for its application in how the social inclusion should be perceived

Upon the conclusion of the International Training Course, all the participants returned to their respective countries, ready to design and organise local training courses having acquired new knowledge and practical experience and to share and transfer all that they have learned to future sport trainers and youth workers.