How a public policy can see the next generation
Our country has continental dimensions, 8.5 million km², and even though we declare ourselves to be a nation whose identity is marked by a historical, cultural and ethnic one, our realities contrast within a short distance, and at the same time the devaluation of the concept of the word community becomes palpable. Ensuring that everyone has access to the same opportunities is a Herculean challenge, whether in education, health, security, job opportunities or whatever social right is guaranteed in the Constitution, there are always discrepant scenarios.
If we consider issues of class, gender, age, incapacitating situations and the deprivation of opportunities, we notice that the barriers appear to be insurmountable, we lack tools; public policies; humanized initiatives that value the capacities and abilities of each individual, repressing the socioeconomic abyss established by capitalism years ago, as well as social inequality in all the nomenclatures that belong to it
What is social inclusion?
Inclusion is the act of integrating, accepting and sharing, in other words, adding people to groups and nuclei that they were not part of before. It is a process that seeks to guarantee equality for all members of a community.
Our understanding and acceptance of differences, having the privilege of living together in different nuclei, embracing the particularities of each individual, conveying a sense of belonging; this could be defined as inclusion; it is more than a concept or a right guaranteed by law, it is humanizing, protecting, growing the confidence of a vulnerable being, it is making a citizen out of a vulnerable being.
which used to be marginal.
This integration should be the goal of democratic societies, to have a cohesive community that respects diversity, with opportunities for all. However, this utopia may still be a long way off, and this is not a political article, the idea is to shed light on one of the tools that can be used as the start of a long journey in search of this ideal condition, sport.
Sport as an end, but working as a means.
Through sports, we learn respect, we understand what the collective is, we increase our self-esteem, we start to trust ourselves, we learn discipline and to take care of our environment. The goal of a child who plays soccer is to score a goal, it’s the highest moment of the game, the apex, but they automatically understand that they won’t be able to achieve that goal unless their teammates help them, and that they help their teammates, regardless of size, gender, creed or race, they are a team, a group of people with different skills, working towards a common goal.
Sport has the power to captivate, to motivate, if the right direction is taken, a simple ballet class can have a lasting effect on an entire community, the aesthetic sense needed for that practice, the neatly tied and combed hair, the posture, the lightness needed to perform movements that require absurd strength, girls and boys who are making an effort, but more than that, they are learning the importance of taking care of themselves, and this triggers a domino effect: you can’t get to that class with all the necessary alignment if your backpack and the objects inside it aren’t in order, and you won’t get that order in a messy room, that room can’t be the only tidy room in the house, and so a virtuous circle of actions is created, leading to the growth and maturing of human beings who are better prepared for the next steps.
There is a lack of programs and proposals capable of awakening pride in those who, in some way, contributed to building what we are today
When we talk about inclusion through sport, our first image is our little ones, but if we think about population longevity, we are faced with the problems of the elderly, I am referring to the seclusion that sets in when they retire without prior planning, resulting in a lack of projects and objectives, leading to recurring mental health issues, generating psychosomatic consequences, making those who can still be productive sick. There is a lack of programs and proposals capable of awakening a sense of pride in those who, in some way, contributed to building what we are today, offering interaction with different individuals, from different backgrounds, resulting in the habit of moving around, taking care of one’s health, being outdoors, which rescues self-esteem and well-being. A walk, a stretch, a game of chess in the square – these can add years to the life of someone who has worked all their life and perhaps, years ago, didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy the simple things in life.
Sport is an element of transformation that can and should be used as a platform to promote inclusion. The values we learn within sports are taken into our lives. Obviously, it’s not all flowers. We have a number of challenges when it comes to this issue, sometimes there’s a lack of infrastructure, there’s a lack of trained professionals, there’s a lack of a broad understanding of the ramifications that involvement with sport can bring, there’s a lack of awareness campaigns, but despite all the shortcomings I’ve listed, in our country we have unparalleled human material, we are a talented people, a people who persevere, so why not structure this?
The idea is not to reinvent the wheel, but to turn it with the parts that already exist
We have a plethora of public sports facilities in a state of deterioration and disrepair that could be put to better use, we have thousands of physical education professionals who would benefit from having these areas to use, and in return they could take on the maintenance of the spaces, as well as allocating hours to social service projects, groups and the like, free of charge, no longer having the financial barrier to practicing sport.
The idea isn’t to reinvent the wheel, it’s to make it turn with the pieces that already exist, we have the public, we have the incentive laws, we have the spaces, we have professionals, so all that’s left is to make the gears turn with public policies that favor the creation of this relationship.
There are countless reasons for bringing sports closer to other social inclusion projects. It is also necessary to bring sport closer to the education system. This model of using sport as a tool for education, inclusion, health, longevity, mental health, well-being, is already used around the world, in the most developed countries, and it thrives, it thrives because it works. The results are measurable, a new horizon is created for those involved, perspective is gained, which is becoming an increasingly scarce commodity, precisely in the areas that need it most.
Every child has seen themselves on the podium one day, receiving trophies, being acclaimed, once we keep that dream alive, that we use that motivation to teach values throughout this process, dreams can change, but that desire to feel fulfillment doesn’t, that childlike vision that everything is possible remains, and in the cynical world we live in, we already have too many elements saying that it’s not possible, but what sport teaches is that we should listen to that inner voice, and not the rest of the world. After all, we were all once children, we all still have that child inside us, no matter what age, gender, creed, no matter what disability, no matter what our bank balance, that child still lives, and is probably still the bearer of our fondest memories and dreams. As Pythagoras wisely said: “Educate the children so that we don’t have to punish the adults”.