Luta pela Paz (LPP) uses sport as a tool to respond to the urgent need to improve access to mental health support for youth in the Maré favela in Rio. Youth from Maré face high levels of poverty, inequality and discrimination, and extremely high levels of armed violence: a 2021 study revealed 62% of Maré residents always or often feared being shot. Despite this, only 2% of national health budget is spent on mental health and youth from favelas are least likely to access what support exists. LPP uses boxing and martial arts to improve young people's mental well-being, and as an entry point to provide destigmatising workshops and tailored psychological support through Care Diaries, a methodology using a social-media inspired activity book to support youth to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Move and Groove is an innovative intergenerational project combining the worlds of music and sport to deliver health and wellbeing outcomes for young and older generations. Working with 10 UK schools and care homes, Youth Sport Trust and Intergenerational Music Making trained schoolteachers and care staff to lead intergenerational physical and music activities in care homes bringing joy to old and young alike. Using sports equipment, musical instruments and session delivery guides, Children from 4-16 years old joined in, encouraged and sometimes led weekly fun activities for their new older friends over 6-weeks. The impact on the older people (mean age, 83 years) was clear. Self-reported positive mood increased while negative mood, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and stress decreased.
Schools in Motion (SIM) is a programme that supports schools in integrating physical activities into every school day, including active travel to and from school, as well as movement during and in between lessons, both in and outdoors. It helps movement gain a greater foothold in school culture. Already 203 schools in Estonia have joined to SIM (35% of general schools), varied in location and size (from 17 to 1600 pupils, in the countryside, small and large towns), including schools for children with different native language and with special education needs.
As former professional judoka and longtime member of the Croatian Judo National Team Marina Drašković is breaking down participation barriers in judo and is creating new standards of sports inclusion not just in Croatia, but across the whole of Europe. In 2012 she founded the Judo Club for People with Disabilities Fuji, bringing together children and young people with cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, motor difficulties, autism spectrum disorders and others. Youth with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups in society. By becoming head of the Adapted Judo programme within the European Judo Union (EJU), Marina is climbing new heights and laying the foundation for the development of adaptive Judo all over Europe.
Shortlisted Applicants
Category 1: Physical activity and mental health | |
Intelligent Health | UK |
Luta pela Paz | Brazil |
Yoga and Sport with Refugees | Greece |
Category 2: Physical activity and active ageing | |
German Gymnastics Federation | Germany |
Youth Sport Trust | UK |
Lunga Vita Attiva Aps | Italy |
Category 3: Health-promoting schools | |
University of Tartu’s Move Lab | Estonia |
University of Bradford | UK |
Mathare Girl Power Project | Kenya |
Category 4: Role model in Health for socially disadvantaged groups (citizens' choice) | |
Aneta Grabmüller Soldati | Czech Republic |
Layana Souza | Brazil |
Marina Draskovic | Croatia |
Eligible Applicants
Category 1: Physical activity and mental health | |
Associació Esportiva Nou Barris & Fundació UBAE | Spain |
SRH University of Applied Health Sciences | Germany |
V4SPORT Foundation | Poland |
UISP APS | Italy |
PACS | Sweden |
Intelligent Health | UK |
Slovak Nordic Walking Association. Member of the International Council of Nordic Walking and World Modern Nordic Walking Academy | Slovakia |
Netball America | US |
The Bravehearts Ladies | Nigeria |
Futbol Mas Kenya Organization | Kenya |
love.fútbol | US |
PlayMore! | Italy |
Palestinian Sports Culture Federation | Palestinia |
House of Hilkiah Foundation | Nigeria |
Luta pela Paz | Brazil |
Judo Club for People with Disabilities Fuji | Croatia |
Doc Wayne Youth Services | US |
Yoga and Sport with Refugees | Greece |
Youth Association for Development | Pakistan |
Youth Sport Trust | UK |
Category 2: Physical activity and active ageing | |
German Gymnastics Federation | Germany |
Football Cooperative | Ireland |
Slovak Nordic Walking Association. Member of the International Council of Nordic Walking and World Modern Nordic Walking Academy. | Slovakia |
Hungarian Leisure Sport Association | Hungary |
ITTF Foundation | Germany |
Youth Sport Trust | UK |
Azur Sport Santé | France |
Serviço Social do Comércio - SESC | Brazil |
Gymnastrada-team 1987 DK | Denmark |
Lunga Vita Attiva Aps | Italy |
Category 3: Health-promoting schools | |
UFOLEP | France |
School-Kindergarten Complex No. 21 | Poland |
University of Tartu’s Move Lab | Estonia |
International Diabetes Federation | Belgium |
University of Extremadura | Spain |
Palestine: Sports for Life | Palestinia |
University of Bradford | UK |
School Sport Club Krste Misirkov Kumanovo | North Macedonia |
Mathare Girl Power Project | Kenya |
Active School Flag (Ireland) | Ireland |
IES PALAS ATENEA HIGHSCHOOL | Spain |
Youth Sport Trust | UK |
Department of Youth and Sport | Bhutan |
Kętrzyn Town Hall | Poland |
IES CARPE DIEM | Spain |
Category 4: Role model in Health for socially disadvantaged groups (citizens' choice) | |
Aneta Grabmüller Soldati | Czech Republic |
Layana Souza | Brazil |
Lucia Okolicanyova | Slovakia |
Prof. Franjo Lovrić | Bosnia and Herzegovina |
Lutfi Farrah | East Jerusalem |
Nagin Ravand | Denmark |
Nalwadda chocho immaculate | Uganda |
Po Chun Liu | Taiwan |
Marina Draskovic | Croatia |
Maciej Jakubaszek | Poland |
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