Main goal of the project is to enhance social inclusion and motivation to sport and physical activity in different countries of the European Union. A growing body of studies has identified sport and Physical Activities (PA) as key factors to contribute to well-being and health in children and youths with typical and atypical development (Alesi et al., 2014a).
It is becoming increasingly clear that a sedentary lifestyle shows a risk for enlarged rates of psychosocial impairments, onset or aggravation of medical diseases, welfare assistance, use of medical services, all resulting in extremely high economic health costs. Consequently, sport intervention programs are increasingly employed in risky situations to enhance quality of life, health, equal opportunities and social inclusion for participants (minors, women, population with sociocultural disadvantage or special needs).

The project consortium aim indeed is to elaborate on a possible continuation of the ESA cooperation experience targeted on different forms of special needs and/or – taking into account the HEPA expert group recommendation stating that “Physical activity should be promoted from birth and throughout the life course, at all educational levels: early childhood, primary, secondary education, and tertiary level. The pre-school and school environments play a key role in the development of physical education and promotion of physical activity and sport” – targeted to the early childhood age group. What is more, the latter is a topic which needs to be tackled in the wider EU perspective, given the significant gaps existing among EU countries in terms of early childhood sport policies.
From this point of view, in the ESA program the development of outcomes of high quality and transferable to be further applied will be a crucial factor.