'Desporto no Bairro' (Sport in the Neighbourhood) will offer 14 grants and wants to involve more children
Article
The fifth edition of 'Desporto no Bairro' launches with two new features that reflect the importance the initiative has achieved since it was created. This year, the municipality will be awarding 14 sports grants to children and young people from the neighbourhoods covered, and they will last longer. Anyone who wants to join 'will be welcome', invited the Councillor for Youth and Sport, Catarina Araújo.
With the sea as a backdrop, dozens of children and young people took part in the start of the fifth edition of 'Desporto no Bairro', which took place at the Castelo do Queijo Street Basket court this year.
After a year in which around 900 participants showed off their skills in breaking, street basketball, skateboarding and surfing, the number of interested youths is expected to grow, in line with the news that has been released.
'Fourteen young people will be entitled to a sports grant and will be able to practice their sport on an all-expenses-paid basis for a year. Their enrolment fees will be fully covered by the municipality, but they will also be provided with all the material they need to practise their sport', explained Catarina Araújo.
The initiative, aimed at children and young people between the ages of 6 and 22, will be extended to seven months in 2024, with the aim of creating a wider window of opportunity for all those who want to practise one of the four sports included in the initiative.
We've had good news about the importance of sport in these children's lives, particularly in terms of behaviour and success at school'
'We want this programme to be a driving force, inspiring and empowering to change the lives of these young people and children', said the Councillor for Youth and Sport.
At the end of 'Desporto no Bairro', two grants for breaking, two for skateboarding, four for surfing and six for street basketball will be awarded to the 14 selected grant holders, so that they can continue to practise their Olympic sport of choice at no cost.
With her eyes fixed on the talent of the children and young people present on the first day of the fifth edition, the councillor was proud of the effects that the initiative has had on the participants year after year, emphasising the importance of sport in the development and training of young people.
'We've had good news about the importance of sport in these children's lives, particularly in terms of behaviour and success at school', she said.
'More than the sporting component, which would be relevant in itself, this programme helps to build dreams, showing that sport is important in consolidating other values, such as respect, trust and valuing oneself', stressed Catarina Araújo, revealing that this year 'the investment goes beyond the 150,000 euros we had already reached in the previous edition'.
The municipal programme, which through sport seeks to combat risky behaviour, promote social integration and school success, covers 18 geographical areas and eight intervention centres in its fifth edition: Lagarteiro/Cerco; Pasteleira/Pinheiro Torres; Fonte da Moura/Aldoar; Viso/Ramalde do Meio; Francos/Central de Francos; Contumil/Pio XII; Agra do Amial/S. Tomé; Miragaia/Sé/Fontainhas.
'Desporto no Bairro', which is coordinated by MXM Art Center (breaking) and supported by Ágora, has several partner organisations, such as União Académica António Aroso, Académico Futebol Clube and Sporting Clube Vasco da Gama (street basketball), Flower Power Surf School and Surf Training School (surfing) and Associação de Skate do Porto (skateboarding).