About the Project

The predefined project “Sustainable social and educational integration by sports activities” within the “Local Development Program, Poverty Reduction and Roma Inclusion” is funded by the EEA and Norwegian Grants (2014 – 2021). It is implemented by the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Bucharest in partnership with Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, for 4 years – 2019 – 2023.
The project budget is 20,781,945 lei

The main objective of the project is to increase the educational inclusion for a number of 2,600 children at risk of social exclusion, by an integrated approach based on sports activities. By the conducted activities, the project aims to reduce the phenomenon of early school leaving, both by increasing the degree of participation in the educational process and by increasing the level of transfer between education cycles – 8th to 9th grade (ISCED 2 – ISCED 3).

It runs at national level, in the 8 development regions, in 32 schools of 24 counties. In addition to child support activities, the aim is to expose 760 educational experts and 800 parents to specific working tools with vulnerable categories of children, thus ensuring their integrated support.

Early school leaving is a complex phenomenon generating short term educational exclusion and medium and long term social and professional exclusion. Sustainable combat of this phenomenon by integrated sports activities is a strategic priority. The project aims to develop specific work methodologies with the categories of vulnerable children, methodologies that, together with the direct results of the project activities will be centralized in a public policy proposal”

The project also aims to strengthen the capacity of tutors in Romania to provide access to an inclusive education pattern addressed to all children, by integrated activities over a period of 4 years as well as raising awareness of public authorities, decision-makers and education professionals regarding to the approaches of an inclusive national education system.

The basic activities of the project include:

Services for target groups of children at risk of educational and social exclusion: assessing their status to make a correct selection of activities that suit them, inclusive sports-based activities, counseling and orientation sessions, non-formal education based on acquiring the skills needed in the integration process, a hot meal, participating in competitions and camps.

Services for specialists: workshops to present methodologies, counseling sessions, non-formal education for developing the specific skills needed in working with children at risk of social exclusion, participating in communication and awareness campaigns, implementing a tour that will include other localities of the regions of the project development, participation in scientific communication sessions

Services for parents: structured communication campaigns, group counseling and workshops to present the tools they can use to support the integration of their children

Studies and researches (in-depth analysis of social exclusion mechanisms for the participating communities: the impact of sport and physical education activity on preventing early school leaving and social integration, the main obstacles in the process of social integration – analysis of the main target group and their parents, the relevance of the integrative activities in the formal education system and how they can be implemented. These analyzes will contribute to draft and implement the project methodologies and will be the central point of the public policy proposal.

Development of specific methodologies: four specific methodologies for social and educational inclusion and for increasing participation in the educational act and improving the transfer rate ISCED 2 – 3, based on sports activities (including the initiation of a public policy regarding this topic);

Bilateral activities with the Norwegian partner: experience exchanges for experts and members of the Public Policy Committee.

The target group:

The main target group consists of children at risk of early school leaving and social exclusion, risk generated either by their economic status or disabilities (of which 520 are Roma and 260 CES (special educational requirements)). This group is nationally distributed in the 8 development regions (and will be selected from the children enrolled in the secondary education ISCED 2). The project is also addressed to specialists who directly work with the main target group and parents.

In detail, the main target group is structured as follows:

• 1,200 children at risk of social exclusion from at least 16 schools selected from the following counties: Bucharest, Giurgiu, Vrancea, Vaslui, Mures, Bistrita Nasaud, Caras Severin, Mehedinti. These children will participate in the permanent integrated activities of the project
• 1,400 children from 8 other counties for itinerant activities

The integration needs of the main target group have been largely identified as a result of the implementation of the previous project, a project with a similar theme:
– the need for an inclusive education pattern that addresses the issues and challenges generated by one of their vulnerabilities
– the need for an increased motivation for participating in the educational process
– the need for interactive activities with a stimulating character, projected on their specific learning profile
– the need to feel an important part of the educational and social community
– the need to be listened to and consulted
– the need to understand and value the importance of education for their future

The project divides these children into two categories due to the logistical and budgetary limitations of the project. The aim is to include as many children as possible in the project activities.

In addition, the target group will be selected in accordance with a procedure settled and applied in the first months of the project. Equal opportunities and transparency will be the basic values of the selection procedure. Each member of the target group will be asked regarding the activities of the project, his / her participation being conditioned also by the parental consent.

Secondary target group

It consists of:
– Experts directly working with the main target group. The experts will include: teachers, school inspectors, other experts with relevant expertise in this field
– Parents selected from the parents of the children in the main target group

The needs of the secondary target group were largely identified as a result of the implementation of previous projects with similar themes. The secondary target group will be selected based on a procedure, during the first months of the project. Equal opportunities and transparency will be the basic values of the selection procedure. Each member of the target group will be consulted regarding the project’s activities, his / her participation being conditioned by his / her own consent.

The Project opening conference:

The event took place on September 9, 2019 and was held in the Marble Hall of the National University of Physical Education and Sports in Bucharest.

The Rector of the National University of Physical Education and Sports of Bucharest, university professor dr. Florin Pelin, the project coordinator, university professor dr. Gabriel Ghitescu (National University of Physical Education and Sports of Bucharest), the representative partners from Norway, university professor Aage Radman (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences), from the Norwegian Embassy, counselor on SEE and Norwegian grants, Mrs. Grete Kristine Ødegaard, representative of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Mr. Florin Misca, president of the Press Association Sportive, Mr. Dumitru Graur and former counselor of the Ministry of National Education regarding minority issues, Mr. Vasile Burtea took the floor in front of 120 guests.