WHAT WE DO
ABOUT THE PROJECT
The Meter Matters project will explore the field of social inclusion in and through sports with the aim of a) proposing appropriate criteria for co-funding sports programs involving people with intellectual impairment and other more vulnerable people (due to various circumstances), primarily in mainstream sports organizations and b) proposing a model for co-funding social inclusion in and through sports at the national level.
Based on some research in the field of social inclusion in sports and the successful Erasmus project Promoting Social Inclusion of Persons with Mental Disabilities through Sport, some important facts are already known:
(1) which are the groups of people involved in various inclusive sports programs (people with diverse abilities, people with mental health challenges, former elite athletes, senior athletes – veterans, etc.),
(2) what types of inclusive sports programs exist (rehabilitation, recreational, competitive) and
(3) the different implementation areas of inclusive sports programs (sports, social clubs, health centres, business environments, etc.).
Equal involvement of all people in sports activities is, in terms of national and international guidelines, enshrined in some conventions and strategies in the field of sports, as well as human rights, social security, physical and mental health, architecture, environment and public administration (White Paper on Sport, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 etc.).
In practice, we already recognize the providers of inclusive sports programs. We also find national legislation that supports inclusive participation. In 2018 an interesting research has been conducted and published in EU Publications titled Mapping on access to sport for people with disabilities[1] where we find much useful information for our project among which we can read: … “the complex range of sources and varying governance and management structures across the member states, have made it difficult within the limits of this small-scale research to identify overall funding levels dedicated to sport participation for people with disabilities. The country reviews however suggest that across the EU there is a strong variation in levels of funding allocated to sport participation programs.”
We note that there is a gap between the practice and EU guidelines in terms of sustainable support for socially inclusive sports programs in the form of co-funding by state and local (municipal) resources. We observe considerable opacity in the regulation of the field. Given that there are both, (1) relevant programs and (2) inclusive legislation and policies, we believe that the reason for the missing article is reflected in the undeveloped criteria for measuring social inclusion in sports.
Major sports programs are usually co-funded based on crowds (number of involved athletes) and performance (sports score). In the field of social inclusion in sports, the criteria cannot be the same, as it is a smaller population.
An estimated 1.3 billion people experience significant disability. This represents 16% of the world’s population, or 1 in 6 of us.
The goals of inclusion in sports are not focused on competitive results, but on opening equal opportunities for all, regardless of their psychophysical abilities.
In the Meter Matters program, we will search for criteria for co-funding social inclusion in sports through focus groups (1) with coaches of inclusive sports programs in regular sports clubs and (2) with athletes and their parents or guardians. We will also include interviews with 2 or 3 experts in the field of social inclusion in sports. And finally, we will work with an expert in the field of mathematics and statistics to determine the most appropriate, realistic and, above all, measurable parameters.
All our action steps mean an upgrade or continuation of the here mentioned projects. Based on the proposals for measuring social inclusion in sports, we will also make a model for co-funding socially inclusive sports programs at the national level.
PARTNER INSTITUTIONS
ACTIVITIES
KICK OFF MEETING IN LJUBLJANA
METTER MATTERS PROJECT START IN LJUBLJANA
The Kick-Off Meeting for Erasmus+ project Metter Matters happened on June, 1st 2022 in Ljubljana, hosted by Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, the coordinator of the project. Partners from Slovenia and Portugal were introduced to the project, being active till the end of May 2024. The University of Coimbra, Portugal, APPDA Coimbra – Associacao Portuguesa para as Perturbacoed do Desenvolvimento u Autismo de Coimbra and Special Olympics Slovenia overviewed the project content and structure together with the coordinator as partners from Hungary – University of Physical Education and Special Olympics Hungary were already introduced in the beginning of June.
The Meter Matters project will explore the field of inclusion in sport with the aim of a) proposing appropriate criteria for co-financing sports programs involving people with intellectual impairment in mainstream sports organizations and b) proposing a model for co-financing inclusion in sport at the national level.
Based on some research in the field of inclusion in sport and the successful Erasmus + project “Promoting Social Inclusion of Persons with Mental Disabilities through Sport”, some important facts are already known as:
(1) which are the groups of people involved in various inclusive sports programs (people with diverse abilities, people with mental health challenges, former elite athletes, senior athletes – veterans, etc.),
(2) what types of inclusive sports programs exist (rehabilitation, recreational, competitive) and
(3) the different implementation areas of inclusive sports programs (sports, social clubs, health centers, business environments, etc.).
Equal involvement of all people in sports activities is, in terms of national and international guidelines, enshrined in some conventions and strategies in the field of sports, as well as human rights, social security, physical and mental health, architecture, environment and public administration (White Paper on Sport, United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, European Disability Strategy 2010-2020 etc.).
In practice, we already recognize the providers of inclusive sports programs. We also find national legislation that supports inclusive participation. In 2018 an interesting research has been conducted published in EU Publications with a title Mapping on access to sport for people with disabilities where we find many useful information for our project among which we can read: … “the complex range of sources and varying governance and management structures across the member states, have made it difficult within the limits of this small-scale research to identify overall funding levels dedicated to sport participation for people with disabilities. The country reviews however suggest that across the EU there is a strong variation in levels of funding allocated to sport participation programs.”
We note that there is a gap between the practice and EU guidelines in terms of sustainable support for inclusive sports programs in the form of co-financing by state and local (municipal) resources. We observe considerable opacity in the regulation of the field. Given that there are both, (1) relevant programs and (2) inclusive legislation and policies, we believe that the reason for the missing article is reflected in the undeveloped criteria for measuring inclusion in sport.
Major sports programs are usually co-financed based on crowds (number of involved athletes) and performance (sports score). In the field of inclusion in sports, the criteria cannot be the same, as it is basically a smaller population. There are currently more than 2 billion disabled people in the world, that is 37.5% of the world’s population. The goals of inclusion in sport are not focused on competitive results, but on opening equal opportunities for all, regardless of their psychophysical abilities.
In the Meter Matters program, we will search for criteria for co-financing inclusion in sports through focus groups (1) with coaches of inclusive sports programs in regular sports clubs and (2) with athletes and their parents or guardians. We will also include interviews of 1 or 2 experts in the field of inclusion in sport. And finally, we will work with an expert in the field of mathematics and statistics to determine the most appropriate, realistic and, above all, measurable parameters.
All our action steps mean an upgrade or continuation of the here mentioned projects. Based on the proposals for measuring inclusion in sports, we will also make a model for co-financing inclusive sports programs at the national level.
The next meeting will be in January 2023 in Portugal.
ZOOM MEETINGS
(September 14 th , 2022)
(October 20th, 2022)
(November 24th, 2022)
(December 15th, 2022)
(January 11th, 2023)
(September 14 th , 2022)
The first Zoom meeting on the Meter Matters “Proposal of Criteria & Model for Co-Funding Inclusion in Sport” took place on September 14th, 2022. Main object of this meeting was to clarify of what exists in each country about criteria for co funding inclusion in sport.
For the definition of inclusion, some articles have already been provided and will be analyzed with systematic review of the literature for the research and treatment of the articles available on the topic. Until next meeting all countries must provide writing information about the existing criteria for co funding inclusion in sport in their place. The main object is about the criteria and the global budget.
The final article of WP2 will be published in journals.
Next Zoom meeting will take place on October, 20th 2022 and the first in person meeting will be in Coimbra between February 1st and 3rd, 2023.
(October 20th, 2022)
The second meeting on the Meter Matters “Proposal of Criteria & Model for Co-Funding Inclusion in Sport” took place on October 20th, 2022. Main object of this meeting was to overview how far we have come with the existing criteria for co funding in sport in each country.
The Portuguese partners presented a document with information about National Sport for All Program, the guidelines, goals, recipients, support, etc. and about National Strategy for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities. They found out that for the group of people with disabilities there are not defined criteria and funding is decided together with the National Institute of Rehabilitation.
All partners realized that there is no database collection on criteria for co funding inclusion in sport, and data are scarce across the Europe. There are occasional projects or events financed, but there is no systematization. In Portugal and Hungary the co-financing criteria are well defined and there are strategies and good practices only in the Olympic and Paralympic Committees.
The important book with useful data for the Meter Matters Project will soon be published. It involves different European countries and it is about activities for people with disabilities and national statistics on disability.
In the article the definition of inclusion in sport and then a part with the criteria that exist in each country will be published, but also the differences between inclusion and integration will be explained.
The next Zoom meeting will take place on November 24th 2022.
(November 24th, 2022)
The third Zoom meeting on the Meter Matters “Proposal of Criteria & Model for Co-Funding Inclusion in Sport” took place on November 24th, 2022. Main object of this meeting was organization of the second meeting that will be held in Coimbra in January 2023 and questionnaire proposal for WP3.
The timetable of the meeting in Coimbra was set from January 31st to February 3rd. Meeting will be hosted by UC of Coimbra. Portugal team, leading the WP3 part, presented questionnaire proposal that will be finalized on the meeting in Coimbra.
The short news about our first two meetings was prepared and it’s ready to share by all partners. Portugal team prepared a compilation of online posts of the project, what is an excellent guide for every partner to track publications.
We agreed about the dissemination part of the project that SO Slovenia will prepare the project’s website and SO Hungary will take care of the flyers for participants in focus groups. The document Review article of Inclusion in sport was prepared by Portugal team. A compilation of articles was also made. The important findings were that lack of definition makes difficult to make a good policy, but on the other hand although there is no definition, there are clear methodologies to study the inclusion in sport. The article will be firstly published at university level.
Next Zoom meeting will take place on December 15th, 2022.
(December 15th, 2022)
The fourth Zoom meeting on the Meter Matters “Proposal of Criteria & Model for Co-Funding Inclusion in Sport” took place on December 15th, 2022. Main object of this meeting was presentation of website, flyers, and the interview guides for the WP3.
Orsolya presented the existing co-financing criteria for inclusion in sport in Hungary. Urška presented the website of the project. The flyers will be prepared in English, Hungarian, Portuguese and Slovene for participants of focus groups and all other participants of round tables. The general idea of Meter Matters project will be presented.
Questions for interview were presented by Portugal team. They will test them before the meeting in Coimbra. Questions for three types of focus groups participants will jointly be formulated on the meeting in Coimbra.
Viktorija presented the findings of the reviewed articles on the topic of setting the definition of social inclusion in sport which were made with Alain’s great assistance. The summary of it will be made till the end of December and published on the website of the project.
Next Zoom meeting will take place on January 11th, 2023.
(January 11th, 2023)
The fifth Zoom meeting on the Meter Matters “Proposal of Criteria & Model for Co-Funding Inclusion in Sport” took place on January 11th, 2023. Main object of this meeting was overview of the article and setting up the final agenda for the meeting in Coimbra.
Kinesiologia Slovenica the journal by University of Ljubljana will published and overview article of the topic of the definition of inclusion in sport with berries and possible solutions. Research on the topic of existing criteria in three countries are included in a scientific article.
The agenda of the second in person meeting in Coimbra was slightly changed so that it will be more time devoted to focus groups on the second working day. Invitation letters will be sent to the participants with proposed agenda.
Team agreed on the new project logo, which is now a kickoff for the website preparation. We agreed that time domain would contain the name of the project and the word sport. Hosting and domain would be paid for 5 years ahead.
Next meeting will be in Coimbra from 31st of January until 3rd of February 2023.
SECOND MEETING IN COIMBRA
Second meeting of Meter Matters project took place in Coimbra, Portugal, from the from the 31st of January until 2nd of February 2023. All partners have attended the meeting (12 participants).
The main topics were:
Review article and the definition of social inclusion in sports,
Preparation for interviews and Preparation for workshops/focus groups.
1. Review article and the definition of social inclusion in sports
Together, we have worked on some names in the process of creating the definition and agreed on an abbreviated publication. The shortened version of an article will be published in the journal Kinesiologica Slovenica in April 2023.
2. Preparation for interviews and implementation plan
Each country conducts 2-3 interviews with national experts in inclusion and sports politics. Each country is responsible for analysing content based on developed questions.
3. Preparation for workshops/focus groups and implementation plan
We have upgraded the number of focus groups from planned 2 to 3 groups: (1) club managers/directors, (2) coaches, social workers, psychologists, other technicians and parents /guardians and (3) athletes with intellectual disabilities and development disorders. Number of estimated participants is 60 (in all 3 countries).
4. Dissemination
We have set a project webpage where all the results will be presented. The FB profile is also planned.
Next planed meeting will be in Budapest from the 5th-6th of June 2023.
THIRD MEETING IN BUDAPEST
The third meeting of the Erasmus+ Meter Matters project took place in Budapest, Hungary from June 5 to 6, 2023.
The meeting was attended by all partners, 10 participants from Hungary, Portugal and Slovenia. The work was focused on the processing of data obtained in interviews with decision-makers and in focus groups with athletes, coaches, social workers, parents, volunteers, club leaders and leaders of inclusive sports programs. The next project meeting will be held in Ljubljana in January 2024.
Until then, the publication of two articles and a booklet with proposals for relevant criteria for co-financing programs of social inclusion in sport and a model at the national level, which can be adapted to the situation in EU countries, will be prepared.
