The ‘Angel’ amateur sports association, based in Rome and specializing in artistic gymnastics, promotes athletics as a tool for inclusion and well-being, intentionally opting out of competitions to avoid performance pressure. Professor Paolo Ricci, the association’s president, and Project Manager Dr. Maria Grazia Imbimbo have selected Oslo’s ‘Nordstrand Turnforeningen’ as their partner for an ‘Erasmus+’ project funded by the European Commission. The initiative aims to study Norway’s model of non-competitive youth sports and the phenomenon of athletic dropout, and will include preparatory and study visits to Oslo. A key focus will be on welcoming children and young people with special needs.
The partnership was formed due to the Norwegian club’s notably low sports dropout rate of 22%, compared to 42% in Italy. The project has multiple objectives: to learn new educational methodologies based on joy and inclusion for children aged 4-11, with no races or trophies; to use sport as a means for social inclusion; to offer children motor experiences to process emotions and build relationships; to internationalize the association; to learn new, replicable educational and sports methods; and to raise awareness among families and stakeholders about the importance of sport as a lifestyle and an educational tool.
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