United through Urban Movement in Glasgow
8th October 2021
Learn all about the United through Urban Movement (UUM) Erasmus+ project and what the participants have been getting up to!
This year LEAP Sports have collaborated with European partners as part of the United through Urban movement (UUM) project. UUM is an Erasmus+ funded project which uses 3 urban sports/activities; Parkour, 3x3 basketball and street workout, to encourage mobility, strengthen social inclusion, and promote sport-based education to young people (aged 18-30) coming from backgrounds with fewer opportunities. The project launched in June 2021 and is expected to last for around 12 months with various trips and events planned over the course of the year.
Alongside LEAP, the project partners include; BAIS (Hungary), Hall of Parkour (HOP) (Hungary), Sports Evolution Alliance (Portugal) and Malta Street Sports Association (Malta). Each project partner has selected participants to represent their organisation, allowing them the opportunity to engage with and benefit from the educational, sports and social opportunities provided by the project. The aim of the project is to allow participants to travel and meet people from different backgrounds, learn and improve their education and understanding of urban sport, participate and volunteer at urban sports activities, events and festivals, enhance employability and experience the importance of EU values and Erasmus + sports opportunities.
LEAP were especially invested in recruiting participants from the LGBTQI+ community for the project and successfully recruited Laura and Max to represent them. Laura (26) is a psychology graduate from Glasgow with a professional background in multi-sports, health improvement and currently works for an emotional support charity for children and young people. She has benefited from sports participation and competition throughout her life and believes LGBTQI+ people belong and should be represented in all areas of sport. She is currently a keen runner and competes in the Glasgow netball league. Max (23) is currently in his final year studying Sports Engineering at the University of Strathclyde. In his free time he likes to go on long cycle trips, go to the gym, and has recently started playing rugby. He was excited to join the project to get to try out a range of sports he had never done before and help others to access them too.
[Pictured from left to right, Carolina (Project Officer), Max (volunteer) and Laura (volunteer)]
The project consists of 4 main events which started with the first trip to an urban sports camp in Budapest in August 2021, hosted by Hungarian partners BAIS and HOP. The trip offered participants the opportunity to be active and engage in urban sports try-out sessions of parkour, 3x3 basketball and street workout, led by expert coaches. These sessions encouraged teamwork and allowed participants to acquire new skills, learn about the background and significance of urban sports, as well as improve their motivation, self-esteem and confidence. Participants were also involved in the planning and recording of educational videos. These were designed to introduce the basics of the 3 urban sports including; sport structure, rules and skill-based tutorials that provide a foundation of the core skills and strategies required to learn and develop athletic performance in the respective sports.
"One of my favourite aspects of the trip was getting to visit all the great outdoor, public exercise spaces that Budapest has. We went to a parkour park, basketball courts and a street circuits park that was right beside a skate park. It's great seeing how you can make sporting facilities that anyone and everyone has access to.” (Max, UUM volunteer)
The project places a strong focus on collaboration, team work and unifying people from different cultures and backgrounds through a shared objective. The camp provided various opportunities for participants to socialise and learn from each other, including an intercultural night where participants discussed local initiatives and traditions from their European, home nations;
“It was inspiring to meet with participants from the different partner organisations and hear them speak so passionately about their home nations and the important work they are doing locally to improve sports education, accessibility and participation within their communities.” (Laura, UUM volunteer)
The following events yet to take place over the course of the project include a local urban sports event that will be organised and delivered by participants/partners in their home cities in Autumn of this year. This will be followed by an employability centred workshop in Portugal in March 2022 and finally volunteering and showcasing the project at an urban sports festival in Malta in July 2022 to conclude the project.
LEAP’s upcoming urban sports event, organised by participants Laura and Max, will take place in Glasgow on Saturday 30th October and aims to promote awareness of and interest in local urban sports events and clubs, and encourage LGBQTI participation in these sports. The event will include two main urban sports try-out/taster sessions, Parkour and 3x3 basketball that will be delivered by expert coaches from our local partners Parkour group UKEMI and Lady Rocks Basketball. The event is free to attend and will include morning and afternoon sports sessions. The event is open to LGBTIQ+ young people and allies aged 16-25. No previous experience is required, and all levels of ability are welcome. The event is a safe, inclusive space to have fun, meet new people and learn new skills. Further details of the event and where to sign up can be found below.
Find out more about the event and sign-up here.
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Written by Laura Carslaw, UUM and LEAP Sports Volunteer.
