Taekwondo for everyone 2 – Preparation

Preparations for the “Taekwondo for everyone 2” project, financed by the European Union, through the Erasmus+ Youth Programme, are going according to plan. Participants are preparing work assignments, presentations of their countries, presentations of the benefits of taekwondo on health and social life, and presentations of the history of taekwondo and of important fighters of their own country.

Taekwondo club Maksimir has organized accommodation and the organization of logistics of the project is in progress. Project partners agreed on the date of the project and chose 23.04. – 30.04.2021. The youth exchange will take place in Zagreb in the open air in Maksimir Park. The young people participating in the project are coming from Romania, Bulgaria, Italy and Croatia. The expected background of the participants is young people with special needs and / or with fewer opportunities, with mental and physical disabilities, economic barriers, social barriers, and geographical barriers.

This project is funded by the European Union and it is part of Erasmus+ programme. Host organization is Taekwondo Klub Maksimir while partners are Istituto dei Sordi di Torino from Italy, Asociatia Babilon Travel from Romania and WalkTogether from Bulgaria.

Reason for doing this project is, first of all, the inclusion of people with disabilities into society, giving them the opportunity to learn the tools and set of skills that will help develop both their physical and social skills. They will do all of that in a safe, supporting and friendly, but new, fun and exciting international environment. With this project we want to direct and support youth to move and exercise for a better alternative option rather than overuse of the internet in their free time and we want to help youth get rid of social isolation which only makes depression worse.

Project ˝Taekwondo for everyone 2’’ objectives are to;

• Empower participants with disabilities and/or fewer opportunities and help them to see themselves as powerful and important members of community;
• Raise awareness among our target audience about the importance of integration of people with special needs into society;
• Improve the level of key competences and skills of participants; ability to pursue and persist in different kinds of learning, to identify available opportunities for their personal growth and well-being and to be able to optimally use given opportunities for their own development;
• Raise awareness about taekwondo as the exercise/martial arts training that improves balance, flexibility, stamina, strength and posture, muscle tone and appearance not only for healthy people, but also for people with disabilities;
• Encourage the participants to interact with other people and to adapt to the changing situation or to co-exist and collaborate with other team members;
• Enhance their cultural awareness and expression, to work effectively in multi-national team, to respect and be aware of cultural differences and work effectively with people from a range of social and cultural backgrounds;
• Enhance their self-esteem by heightening their physical and mental powers, and build confidence by encouraging them to succeed and to take control of their life.