Portfolio of sports, accessible for people with impaired vision
The present portfolio contains methodologies, knowledge and good practices, related to physical activities and sport for people with impaired vision. The analysed sports / physical activities contain already existing, new (e.g. adapted goalball) and renewed physical activities and sports and have been presented in the form of a fundamental tool for teachers and sport trainers, as well families and stakeholders.
The main aim of the portfolio remains the will to allow an open and free upskill of knowledge, methodologies and practices for the ones who are surrounding the people with impaired vision in order to have more tools and be able to empower the target group.
The partners carried out a research that went beyond the immediate consortium from geographical perspective, which included both a desk research and interviews with physical education teachers, sport trainers, stakeholders about existing sports activities that can easily include VIP with no or little adaptations, or that have been created particularly for them, as well as places, possibilities, ideas for practicing various sports.
The Portfolio is paying attention not ony towards those physical activities, which can be practiced in mainstream school, but also activities that take place in special schools, specialized sports associations and clubs, dedicated sports events and others. We did our best to make it as comprehensive as possible so that any trainer/coach, interested to support v.i. students or citizens can find accessible and appropriate solutions, as well as any person with v.i. can find good practices and useful material for increasing his/her knowledge and opportunities, regardless of the physical level, the interests, the ambitions or the level/type of visual impairment.
When presenting a sport or a physical activity, the partners researched not only existing good practices, related to that particular sport or physicail activity, but also the benefits from it both concerning participants with impaired vision and participants with no diagnosed sight conditions, because we believe that the most effective and successful inclusion will be taking place when all stakeholders and involved groups are taken care of and their needs have been taken into consideration. It is important, we think, for a coach or trainer, to understand how he/she can motivate the entire group of students or sports people to join one activity or other in a sustainable and satisfactory way.
Some of the sports presented were elaborated upon by more than one partner from more than one country. These sports / physical activities are therefore presented in a merged way, within a single entry, having at the end explicit information about where this particular sport or physical activity can be played in the countries that chose to analyse this sport.
In the cases where a presented practice within the portflio represents an event that combines more than one sport or physical activity, those are specifically listed. Some of these practices are considerably important and serve as excellent examples of what can be organized for children, young people and adults with impaired vision. E.g. the “camp abilities” practice in Ireland has become a target for replication for the National sports academy in Sofia, Bulgaria, which has similar summer camps, but none of them related in any way to children with disabilities. Recognizing the importance of creating opportunities for children and youth with v.i. to test various options in order to discover the one/s that would keep them motivated and running so to speak, can bring substantial improvements especially in those cities and countries where sports and people with v.i. still experience touble to mix in a sustainable way for a better and healthier life.
All presented sports / physical activities were shared with interested people and stakeholders, who provided their evaluation of the potential benefits they see and the feasibility or applicability of these sports or activities in their settings, be it schools, sports academies, specialized sports clubs or other sports organizations. The evaluations and comments/suggestions are provided in the form of testimonials, which accompany each entry.
The 4MB team wishes you pleasant and fruitful investigation of the portfolio and remains at your disposal if any questions, ideas or proposal arise.