In San Bovio, a neighbourhood of Peschiera Borromeo, young people have long lacked a real point of reference and a genuine gathering place suited to bringing the community together. Socialisation and inclusion opportunities in this area are scarce, and young people with disabilities in particular often have nowhere structured to turn.
Giving the local sports centre a new, more welcoming shape, one with the facilities and spaces needed to actually host this kind of community life, is what makes a real difference here rather than leaving good intentions on paper.
The project
The project renovates the San Bovio sports centre, upgrading its structure, facilities and services to make it a genuinely welcoming, comfortable space for the whole community. At its centre is a training programme in football for young people with disabilities, of any age, offering structured sessions, training, meetings and matches.
Football becomes the shared ground for integration and connection, alongside a wider focus on sporting ethics and culture that runs through the programme. Participants are also prepared to take part in further inclusion and community events, planned as the project develops, extending the project's reach beyond football itself.
Who the project is for
The project is aimed at children and young people with disabilities in Peschiera Borromeo and the San Bovio area, alongside their families, within a club community of 157 members (127 athletes and 30 collaborators).
Its impact reaches further, to local institutions and to the wider neighbourhood, whose quality of life the project aims to improve, with particular attention to young people with disabilities.
Project name: IL CALCIO È CULTURA SOCIALE
Proposing organisation: ASD FUTURA CALCIO PESCHIERA BORROMEO
Area of intervention: Inclusion & Social Development
Country: Italy