The project began on January 1 and it will last for 30 months. Project leader is the Regional Society of Culture and Sports of the Government of Cantabria (SRECD) in Spain, and in partnership with the City Council of Ribamontán al Mar (Spain), Surf Clube de Viana (Portugal), Trás-Os-University. Montes & Alto Douro (Portugal), the Association Nationale Handi Surf (France), Liquid Therapy Foundation (Ireland) and the Deustcher Wellenreitverband EV (Germany).
European Project:
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS IN ADAPTED SURFING ~ INCLUSEA
Project Reference: 622736-EPP-1-2020-1-ES-SPO-SCP
Start: 01-01-2021 – End: 30-06-2023
EU Grant: 364460 EUR
Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action: Sport
Action Type: Collaborative Partnerships
Promote more social inclusion and equal opportunities in sports. E.g. Give municipalities guidance on how to ensure an inclusive environment.
Improve the accessibility of sports practice in coastal blue spaces for competitive, recreational and/or therapeutic purposes.
Provide well-structured guidance to teachers and coaches to successfully engage people who currently face numerous difficulties accessing aquatic sports.
Promote and enhance the health and wellbeing benefits that surfing provides participants
Evidence and evaluate best practices and teaching methods to help participants achieve the learning and skills necessary to enjoy surfing at all levels with guarantees of safety, promotion, and sustainability.
The Regional Society of Education, Culture and Sports is a public entity in charge of carrying out the technical and economic tasks necessary for the development of cultural and sports programs in Cantabria. Its mission is to develop the actions in these fields assigned to it by the Regional Ministry of Universities, Equality, Culture and Sports.
Its work combines political research, applied research and information services of relevance to political leaders, foundations, sports associations, cultural companies, media professionals and artistic organizations. Its team is multidisciplinary and has more than a decade of experience in developing projects that support its work as a coordinator. Specifically, the SRECD carries out the following tasks :
Ribamontán al Mar is a municipality located east of the Bay of Santander. Its special geographical characteristics, with one of the largest sandy areas of Cantabria, have turned this municipality into an important tourist pole, especially suitable for surfing. Therefore, Ribamontán al Mar was declared the first natural reserve of surfing in Spain and second in Europe, in recognition of the environmental, sporting and socioeconomic nature of its beaches and breakers. Specifically, Ribamontán al Mar has the beaches of Somo, Loredo, Los Tranquilos, Galizano and Langre as well as some rocky slopes such as the Island of Santa Marina. The City Council of Ribamontan al Mar has extensive experience in European projects. In recent years, it has participated, together with the Government of Cantabria, in different LIFE projects (Green Ring of Santander Bay, Conservation of Biodiversity in the Miera River) for the improvement and conservation of the natural environment, the elimination of invasive plants and the conservation of the dunes. It has also been a partner in a COSME (Surfing Europe) project aimed at defining and promoting a sustainable transnational surf tourism product. It is also attached to the "Manifesto for the protection of the waves", a public declaration supported by various national and European bodies on the value and need for conservation of the surf breaks as a natural heritage and a sports, socioeconomic and cultural resource. It maintains a high level of activity in other sports, as well as recreational and cultural areas. To achieve the above, there is a close collaboration between the local corporation, the civil associations and the sport federations, as well as the private sector.
The City Council, for its surfing activities, has the support of the Cantabrian Surfing Federation, an entity with which it has a collaboration agreement.The Cantabrian Surfing Federation is a non for profit association whose purpose is the promotion, development and organization of Surfing. This Federation is part of a national Surf Network (the Spanish Surfing Federation - FES). Together with the Cantabrian Surfing Federation (FCS), the City Council ensures the dissemination, promotion and development of all the modalities integrated in the sport of surfing (skimboard, bodysurf, bodyboard, kneeboard, surf, longboard and stand up paddle). It develops an inclusive surf program that is based on allowing the inclusion of any person in each of the aforementioned sports modalities. Parallel to the technification program (advanced level meetings with athletes for their technical improvement and for the preparation for national and international events), the FCS and Ribamontán al Mar City Council, develop different days to show our sport among all kinds of disabilities (both physical, sensory, organic and intellectuals), in collaboration with different foundations or groups in the region (Enjoy the Sea, Once, La Escueluca de Torrelavega among others). Every year, both entities invite local and regional associations focused on disabled people and organize in Somo Surf Center (Ribamontán al Mar) specific championships.
Surf Clube de Viana (SCV), founded in 1989, in Viana do Castelo, Portugal, is a non-profit association that aims to develop recreational, cultural, sporting activities, encompassing the regular practice of surfing, actively acting in the training of young and adult athletes, with the commitment of high performance training, alongside with the promotion of health, well-being, inclusiveness and respect for the environment. SCV has a completely accessible training centre and offers surfing for everyone, from the initiation and formation level until the highest levels of competition, including surfing for people with disabilities and social risk.
SCV is founder member of ENOS (European Network of Outdoor Sports), Portuguese Surfing Federation and represent the city of Viana do Castelo at World Surf Cities Network (WSCN). The SCV adds value to the project since it holds extensive experience in the active development of outdoor sports, with the focus on surfing, for people with disabilities. It has the capacity for promoting adaptive sports in society to increase participation and to disseminate the results of the work developed on an institutional level.
The University of Trás-os-Montes & Alto Douro (UTAD) focuses on the creation, communication & transmission of culture, knowledge, science & technology, through study, teaching, research & experimental development. UTAD has 5 Schools (Agricultural & Veterinary Sciences, Human & Social Sciences, Sciences & Technology, Life & Environmental Sciences & Nursing), with approx. 8000 students, 39 1st cycle courses & 72 2nd & 3rd cycle courses. UTAD has organisational & managerial human & physical resources that guarantee accountability and financial transparency, support project applications (Projects Support Office), knowledge transfer & internationalization of science & technology (Communication & Image Office & Training Office). UTADs Intellectual Property Rights Office handles agreements between UTAD & stakeholders to minimise possible conflicts. These offices have an active role in the development of strategic projects & support activities developed by UTADs R&D Units. The main tasks in the project will be conducted by the Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB) and the the Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health and Human Development (CIDESD).
The Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environment and Biological Sciences (CITAB) is a R&D Unit that resulted from the merger of 3 Units in 2007 to bring together a closely interacting multidisciplinary team, organized in 3 Working Groups, in the areas of agri-food, forestry and environment and as a novelty a group of technological engineers to push forward innovative applied solutions in those areas. This marked a clear innovative step forward compared to the rest of the national scientific community in this area.
The Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health and Human Development (CIDESD) is a cross-institutional technical and scientifically multi-disciplinary unity of applied research hosted in the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD). The Unit is a large national and international network. Nowadays CIDESD has bilateral agreements with 8 National Institutions (from the consortium) and another 8 High-Education Institutions (cooperation agreement); 36 European institutions, and with many universities in Brazil in addition to being members of networks with contacts to academic institutions in North-America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Africa. The goals of CIDESD are articulated in three major domains: a) Research. The research projects and activities of the CIDESD are organised under the scope and objectives of the unit and are articulated in three programs: CreativeLab, STRONG and GERON; b) Community Intervention. Providing services to community and developing effective intervention strategies leading the intervention process, specifically: sports performance, such as sports for age group athletes; sports for high level athletes; sports for handicapped athletes; integration of sports in schools; sports as a mean of social integration and resolution of social problems; physical activity and sports programs related to health promotion and health care (palliative care); c) Continuous education. CIDESD members are deeply involved in: 1) educational activities (bachelor, master and PhD programs). At the moment we have fourteen bachelors; nineteen Master Courses and one PhD course functioning in strict agreement among all the consorted Institutions; 2) continuous formation programs to enhance the knowledge, skills and effective methods available for sport sciences, health, schools and leisure professionals; 3) technical and professional education in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental Institutions for the technical and ethical informative enhancement.
Handi Surf is an NGO created in 2012. Its aim is the development of the practice of surfing for all people with disabilities throughout France and beyond. Its will is to promote their social inclusion and their access to autonomy and health, through surfing. Handi Surf trains surf teachers (about 500 surf teachers are already trained in France). It also organises several events during the year to raise awareness. Through its actions, Handi Surf wants to encourage a change in society's vision of disability.
Handi Surf works with the French Surfing Federation, the PEP Federation (France) which acts for the right and access for all to education, culture, health, leisure and social life and APAJH Federation (France) specialized in disabled area. Handi Surf has several godparents including the professional surfer Pauline Ado, the journalist Laury Thilleman, the cooker Juan Arbelaez and the skeeper François Gabard and about thirty regular volunteers, apart from those of the structures it has labelled (106 today).
Liquid Therapy provides Surf and Ocean Therapy for individuals with Physical, Mental, Emotional, Behavioural and intellectual challenges. Water, Surf and Play therapy enable each individual to reach their potential. Liquid Therapy delivers a range of programs that enable inclusion in Surf and Ocean based activities. Their programs range from introduction to inclusion and integration into mainstream services. Founded in 2011 Liquid Therapy started working with 2 families through 1 volunteer. Today they have an active body of over 100 volunteers who deliver 11 different programs to anyone who cannot or who struggles to participate in mainstream services.
Their staff have been delivering Surf Therapy since 2005. They are qualified surf instructors and our program director is also the Inclusion Officer for Irish Surfing (The governing body for surfing in Ireland.) The team has developed 11 different programs that are delivered throughout the season. A season would typically see over 1,000 sessions delivered to 300 participants. Liquid Therapy has delivered programs internationally including Hong Kong and South Africa. Our key staff are responsible for: Research; Training; Program development; Organisation and delivery; team and volunteer management; Policy, procedures and compliance.
The German Surf Federation DWV, located in Cologne/ Germany and founded in 1991, functions as a national association for surf clubs and individual members. Since 1st of January 2017 DWV as the non-governmental umbrella organization of German surfing is a recognized member of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) as Sport Summit Association. On a national level the DWV has been member in the German Sportteacher Association (DSLV) for years. On a European level it is part of the European Surfing Federation (ESF). Additionally, it is member of the International Surfing Association (ISA). At the moment there are seven surf clubs which are part of the German Surf Federation: Surfers Connection Berlin e.V., Surf Club Sylt, No Shore Surfclub, layday e.V., VDWL, GSUPA and Surfing Wolfrathshausen.
The number of individual members, in this role supporting members, counts 528. The fold committee Adaptive Surfing and its task areas are organised by Johannes Laing, Marie Schacht and Frederike Schulz since 2018. This committee is a relatively new subject area for the German Surfing Federation. It works unsalaried on a volunteer basis. Since Adaptive Surfing is not yet know in Germany the task areas of the committee are primarily to support the promotion and distribution of Adaptive Surfing in Germany. Further tasks are to develop a German national Adaptive Surf team and to organise and coordinate the participation of national team members in international competitions. There have been three events of the World Adaptive Surfing Championships with German competitors. So far, we have three members in our national team competing in the AmpSurf ISA World Para Surfing Championship 2020.