Event description
Piazza of Beauty.
UniPR Sport Special is an Academy promoted within the University of Parma's Sport Sciences area in partnership with Special Olympics and with the participation of upper-secondary schools. Created for Parma European Youth Capital 2027, it uses sport as a tool for inclusion, health and personal development. Through training and practical activities shared by Special Olympics athletes and teams, Sport Sciences students and secondary-school students, the project prepares future tutors and professionals to support the participation of people with intellectual disabilities and to build positive relationships through sport. Direct experiences of inclusive sport promote respect, cooperation and participation. The broader aim is to help build a more aware community, capable of challenging discrimination and isolation and recognising sport as an opportunity for growth for everyone.
Activities
The Academy takes place over three mornings and brings together university students, secondary-school students and Special Olympics athletes. Each day combines seminars on adapted sport and the organisation of Special Olympics events with practical workshops in mixed teams. Students learn how to support athletes with intellectual disabilities and directly experience roles involving assistance, organisation and facilitation of sporting activities. Team games and sports place particular emphasis on communication, cooperation and full participation. Each morning ends with a shared lunch at the CUS refreshment area and an awards moment. The programme is documented through photography and participant feedback, while its outcomes feed into a joint document with Special Olympics on good practice for training young sport and social professionals working in inclusive settings.