Basket Bridges – Migrant integration through basketball

ERASMUS-SPORT-2024-SSCP-101183647

OKK Junior (Serbia)

The Inthinknity Foundation (Poland) FEDERACIÓN GALLEGA DE BALONCESTO (Spain) Sorgun Gençlik Derneği (Turkey) The Social Innovation and Cohesion Institute (Greece)

Basket Bridges – Migrant Integration through Basketball is an international Erasmus+ Sport project that uses basketball as a practical tool for social inclusion, intercultural dialogue and the integration of migrants into local communities. The project is implemented through cooperation between organisations from Serbia, Greece, Poland, Türkiye and Spain, combining the experience of sports organisations, NGOs, educators and organisations working with migrant communities.

The project is based on the idea that sport can create a safe and inclusive space in which people from different cultural and social backgrounds can meet, cooperate and build relationships. Basketball is used not only as a form of physical activity, but also as a means of developing teamwork, communication, leadership, independence, mutual respect and a sense of belonging. The project therefore connects sport with non-formal education, community work and activities promoting European values such as equality, non-discrimination, tolerance and respect for diversity.

An important element of Basket Bridges is strengthening the capacity of organisations and professionals working directly with migrants. The project combines research and mapping of migrant communities with the development of practical educational resources, training for workers in migrant centres, workshops for migrants and local basketball activities. The experience gained during these activities will be documented and transformed into materials that can be used by other organisations wishing to implement similar initiatives in the future.

The project also places strong emphasis on cooperation between migrants and local residents. Friendly games, training sessions, mentoring activities and community events are designed to bring people together, reduce social distance and stereotypes, and create opportunities for positive contact between people who might otherwise have few opportunities to meet. In this way, basketball becomes a bridge between individuals, communities and cultures.

Funding programme: Erasmus+
Field: Sport
Call: Erasmus+ Sport 2024 – ERASMUS-SPORT-2024-LS
Funding body: European Union
Project: Basket Bridges – Migrant Integration through Basketball
Project acronym: BB-MITB

01-12-2024

30-11-2026

The main objective of Basket Bridges – Migrant Integration through Basketball is to support the social integration of migrants through sport, with basketball serving as the central tool for participation, learning, interaction and community building.

The project aims to increase migrants’ access to sport and create inclusive environments in which they can participate together with members of local communities. Through regular interaction and joint activities, the project seeks to strengthen social cohesion, build mutual understanding and encourage positive attitudes towards cultural diversity. Basketball provides a practical setting in which values such as fair play, cooperation, tolerance, equality and respect can be experienced rather than only discussed.

Another important objective is to strengthen the competences of people working with migrants. The project will develop a practical toolkit for migrant inclusion through basketball and use it as the basis for training workers from migrant centres. Participants will learn how to involve migrants effectively in sports activities, organise inclusive basketball sessions and use sport as a tool for empowerment and social participation.

The project also seeks to understand the specific barriers that may prevent migrants from participating in sport. Partners will map migrant communities, analyse their needs and interests, identify available facilities and opportunities, and examine good practices from other initiatives. The information collected will be used to design activities that respond to the real circumstances of participants rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

In the longer term, the project aims to establish approaches that can be continued and replicated beyond the project itself. A comprehensive guide will document methodologies, successful strategies, good practices and lessons learned so that organisations in other communities and countries can adapt the Basket Bridges approach to their own contexts.

The primary target group of the project consists of migrants who experience barriers to social participation and integration in their host communities. Through workshops, basketball training, friendly games, mentoring and community activities, they will receive opportunities to participate actively in sport, meet local residents, develop new skills and become more involved in community life.

Participation in the project is intended to provide migrants with much more than access to physical activity. The activities support the development of teamwork, communication and leadership skills, while creating opportunities for social interaction and building new support networks. The project is designed to strengthen participants’ confidence, sense of belonging and ability to take an active role within their local communities.

A second key target group consists of workers and professionals from migrant centres and organisations supporting migrant communities. They will participate in dedicated training and receive practical resources enabling them to use basketball and other sport-based methods as instruments for inclusion. The project therefore strengthens not only individual participants but also the organisations providing long-term support to migrant communities.

The project also involves young people, members of local communities, sports club members, coaches, volunteers and other people interested in inclusive community activities. Their participation is particularly important because integration cannot be achieved by working only with migrants. It also requires opportunities for members of host communities to meet migrants, cooperate with them and build relationships based on shared experiences.

The application identifies migrants, local community members, youth, workers in migrant centres and club members as the main target groups. Expected benefits include stronger social integration, increased access to basketball activities, greater community cohesion, stronger support networks and improved intercultural understanding.

Support offered through the Basket Bridges project combines education, sport, community participation, capacity building and practical resources. It is designed both for migrants themselves and for people and organisations working with them.

The project begins with mapping and research in participating communities. Partners identify migrant communities and migrant centres, analyse needs and barriers to participation in sport, examine existing facilities and opportunities, and establish cooperation with organisations supporting migrants. This ensures that subsequent activities are based on a better understanding of local needs.

A comprehensive toolkit for migrant inclusion through basketball is developed as a practical resource for professionals and organisations. It contains methodologies, guidance and resources that can help workers organise inclusive basketball activities while promoting health, well-being, participation, equality and respect for diversity.

Workers from migrant centres receive specialised training based on the toolkit. Interactive sessions and workshops equip them with the knowledge and skills required to engage migrants effectively in basketball, organise inclusive activities and use sport to strengthen social involvement and empowerment.

Migrants participate in interactive workshops introducing the opportunities offered by basketball and encouraging their active involvement in local activities. The workshops are designed to be culturally sensitive and to support integration into local communities.

The project then provides practical local basketball activities, including training sessions, preparations, friendly games and mentoring programmes. These activities are intended to improve basketball skills and physical well-being while simultaneously strengthening teamwork, social interaction, cultural exchange, personal development and community participation.

Participants are also invited to share their experiences through interviews conducted before and after sports activities. Their stories help evaluate changes resulting from participation while also giving migrants an opportunity to present their own perspectives, expectations and experiences. These stories are subsequently used in project communication activities to challenge stereotypes and demonstrate the positive role of sport in social inclusion.

Finally, the project creates digital and educational resources, including social media content, a YouTube channel, stories based on interviews, photographs and videos, and a comprehensive guide presenting the project’s methodologies, experiences and good practices. These resources are intended to extend the project’s impact and make its solutions available to other sports organisations, migrant centres, NGOs, educators and communities interested in using sport as a tool for social integration.

60 000,00 euro

60 000,00 euro