Born 2 Run
Start date: Jul 1, 2015,
End date: Apr 1, 2016
PROJECT
FINISHED
Born 2 Run (B2R) is a project / Youth Exchange to promote healthy lifestyles in young people as well as empower young people with the ability to develop sports and recreation in the communities through the development of running tracks and routes as well as other sports activities in Kavadarci, Republic if Macedonia. This will be conducted mostly with 27 participants within a 12 day youth exchange period in the post industrial city of Kavadarci with preparation and follow up activities happening across Europe during the projects entire period.
The aim of the exchange is to gather 27 people including leaders and young people from across Europe to develop what they do in their free time into a healthier lifestyle. These will consist of trail runs, road runs, track runs, short and long runs as well as walks and routes that double up as bike tracks also. The participants will create and essential Runs & Walks map of Kavadarci municipality while searching for, developing and commenting these routes of a 2 week period. The exchange will conclude with Kavadarci's first 10km race as well as a small street festival to promote healthy lifestyles. Alongside the 10km race will be a 5 & 3km race as well as a choice of walks for inclusion of all no matter their ability. This the reason the exchange is in September as it is the best time of year for such an event, Kavadarci is too hot in June, July and August and will be too cold in December.
The exchange will use non-formal and informal educations methods to combat the cultural barriers that may occur during the exchange, promote team work and critical thinking, develop a sense of European citizenship and highlight the need for a healthy lifestyle. The project will aim at develop ways of inclusion in such sports such as inclusion of those with disabilities, from socially vulnerable backgrounds, ethnic minorities and combating gender discrimination.
The project achieves the four pillars of youth work as stated in the Youth Work Curriculum Statement for Wales (2007).
- The project is Educative about healthy living through sporting activities..
- The project is Expressive through creativity and choice.
- The project is Participative as the participants not only volunteer, but choose and 'handrail' the direction of the project.
- The project is empowering the youth workers knowledge and skills in how to control, adapt, use and change sporting activities for young people.
The Youth Work Curriculum Statement for Wales (2007) can be viewed here: http://tiny.cc/8roclw
A vision for a new national youth work strategy for Wales 2013–2018 states that 'Research has demonstrated that youth work practice can improve young people’s school attendance, behaviour motivation, and relationships. Furthermore learning experiences outside the classroom can promote engagement and achievement in school settings'.