#MoreThanFootball Action Day: Accessibility
Today we are celebrating Action Day: Accessibility, on which we promote accessible sports for all with equal opportunities regarding their disability. Everyone is welcome to be part of the sports sector, regarding their intellectual or physical disabilities because we are #MoreThanFootball and we want to have a positive impact on our society across Europe.
Don’t forget to tag our social media channels and show us how you are celebrating this special Action Day! #MoreThanFootball
EFDN PROGRAMMES AND PARTNERSHIPS
EFDN consists of a wide range of social programmes with the purpose to include and give accessibility to everyone within the communities and use football as a tool to change their lives, especially those communities in which people with disabilities feel restricted regarding accessibility and mobility. In addition, EFDN works with partners that contribute to making a positive impact on society.
Special Champions League
The EFDN Special Champions League is a new project of EFDN that provides a safe, inclusive, and active environment where young people over 15 years old with an intellectual disability can come together and play football at a level they are all comfortable with. EFDN organizes 2 to 4 European Football Festivals per year that are hosted by different EFDN members throughout the year. The tournaments are non-competitive and a way to promote greater social inclusion and acceptance of disability football within European Football clubs and the wider European population.
Through football, EFDN wants to get more young people with intellectual disabilities physically and socially active in their communities and increase integration and inclusion within society. The EFDN Special Champions League has been shaped in line with the Special Olympics philosophy, and it will provide opportunities for participants to improve their physical health, increase their confidence, meet new people, learn about others, and establish social bonds. The Special Champions League is co-funded by Erasmus+.
The Special Champions League project is currently running in 5 different countries thanks to the hard work of our project partners: Bayer 04, Benfica Foundation, Fundación Alcoraz, Fundación Levante, KAS Eupen, NAC Breda, NEC Nijmegen, and Werder Bremen.
Special Olympics
The Special Olympics support over 5 million athletes, 1 million coaches and volunteers, more than 100,000 competitions each year, and 32 Olympic-type sports through programs in more than 170 countries. The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.
