The “Mentor on The Move” project is aimed at locally making physical exercise and sports more accessible and welcoming to migrant women, and other vulnerable groups through capacity building for organisations and professionals working in the field of sports, migration, or inclusion work.
The project will create and test a standardized framework programme for sport-based mentoring, focusing on the promotion of personal development and self-agency of migrant women and other people who are at a risk of exclusion in the society due to poor socio-economic factors such as unemployment, low education, deteriorating health, lack of social networks or lack of language skills.
By acknowledging the multifaceted challenges faced by migrant women, encompassing social isolation, language barriers, and cultural nuances impacting their engagement in physical activities, the “Mentor on The Move” project aims to respond to these challenges directly, underscoring the necessity for tailored, inclusive, and culturally conscious approaches, with the overarching goal of locally enhancing accessibility and inclusivity in physical exercise and sports for migrant women and other vulnerable groups.
The situation of migrant women in Europe, including in countries like Romania, Spain, Greece, and Belgium, reflects a complex interplay of motivations for migration and a range of challenges that vary both across and within these countries. The broader context mirrors the dynamics described for Finland, with family reunification being a significant migration driver, seeking better employment opportunities, education, and fleeing conflict or persecution.
The “Mentor on The Move” project is strategically positioned to enhance accessibility to physical exercise and sports for migrant women, specifically targeting non-vulnerable groups. Through thoughtfully designed non-formal education and capacity-building initiatives, the project seeks to establish a standardized sport-based mentoring model that utilizes sports as a powerful tool for empowerment.
The Project objectives are the following:
- To increase accessibility and inclusivity in physical activities for migrant women by addressing barriers such as language, social isolation, and cultural norms to ensure migrant women can engage comfortably in sports and physical activities.
- To develop a culturally sensitive sport-based mentoring program by creating a mentoring model to promote physical well-being, social integration, and cultural adaptation through sports, focusing on culturally conscious approaches.
- To enhance staff competence in inclusion and diversity by training professionals in sports clubs and organizations in intercultural communication, gender-sensitive coaching, and trauma-informed practices to support migrant women’s needs effectively.
- To enhance self-esteem and social capital by focusing on activities that empower migrant women, building their confidence and sense of belonging in their new communities, with the goal of fostering a supportive social network.
- To create an online resource database by developing a comprehensive online repository of resources, tools, and training modules to support the adoption of sport-based mentoring programs across European organizations and sports clubs.
- To promote health and well-being through physical activity by encouraging migrant women’s participation in health-enhancing physical activities to improve mental health, resilience, and overall quality of life.
The project will be implemented in 6 EU countries (Finland, United Kingdom, Romania, Belgium, Spain and Greece) by 7 experience partners in the project field during 36 months, starting from the 1st November 2024.
Project Partners:
𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘳:
𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘝𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳(𝘴) 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘌𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 (𝘌𝘈𝘊𝘌𝘈). 𝘕𝘦𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘳 𝘌𝘈𝘊𝘌𝘈 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.
