Leadership, inclusion and sport: SAME-SAME, the new European project we are undertaking with the Blanquerna – Ramon Llull University

 

The first action of the programme was a focus group led by the University and developed with all the agents involved.

This 2024, we are joining a new European project. The Occupational Service, which offers support in achieving autonomy and social inclusion to people with intellectual disabilitiesc, is working with Blanquerna – Ramon Llull University, academic entity that leads the project.

The European project SAME-SAME is an innovative initiative whose aim is to enable people with mild intellectual disabilities to lead physical activities and games, thus improving their physical condition linked to health and promoting values of inclusion and diversity.

With a European context in which approximately 1-2% of the adult population suffers from intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD), it is more important than ever to address these issues in order to promote true social inclusion and improve the health of all members of society. Thus, SAME-SAME seeks not only to improve the physical condition of participants, but to promote a fuller integration within society.

The SAME-SAME project, funded by the Erasmus+ Sport programme, is a virtual mentoring programme that will provide participants with the knowledge, skills and confidence to lead physical activities and games, which they practice as users for people with and without IDD. This initiative, which will be developed in several European countries and is based in Portugal, aims to address the priorities of inclusion, diversity and digital education established by the Erasmus+ 2021-2027 programme.

In view of this mission, AMPANS has joined SAME-SAME with a group of young people over 18 years old who are part of the Occupational Service. These participants will have the opportunity to take part in a training programme and supervised internships, aimed at improving their skills and confidence in this field.

The first action has already been developed: a focus group led and conducted by Kathy Villalobos and Guillermo Ruben, representatives of the project through Blanquerna. It was attended by athletes, coaches, coordinators of sports facilities, as well as participants from our organisation, mothers of people with IDD and professionals from the Occupational Service.