Around 25 children with disabilities have enjoyed a unique experience at sea, organised by the Cruyff Foundation and the Barça Foundation, as the project’s main partner.
Last Sunday, a new Cruyff Impulsa water sports event took place at the La Ballena Alegre Sailing Club. Around 25 children with disabilities were able to enjoy a unique, inclusive and transformative experience in close contact with the sea.
The project, which has the Barça Foundation as its main partner and with the collaboration of the La Ballena Alegre Sailing Club and SUPerando, focused its efforts on ensuring adapted sports activities. Thus, the activities were tailored to the specific abilities and needs of all participants.
Through activities such as sailing and stand-up paddleboarding, the event once again showcased the immense power of sport as a means of promoting wellbeing, enjoyment and inclusion, helping to break down physical, cognitive, emotional and social barriers amongst youngsters.
As a new addition, the event went beyond sports, expanding its social impact to include the sustainability of the marine ecosystem. Participants took part in an environmental workshop titled ‘Understanding the sea to preserve it’ This initiative was made possible thanks to the collaboration of the Girona Provincial Council and Empordà Mar, teaching children the importance of protecting and caring for our seas.
Cruyff Impulsa
The Cruyff Impulsa project, led by the Cruyff Foundation with the Barça Foundation as its main partner, is a social transformation initiative in Catalonia that seeks to guarantee the right to sport and improve the quality of life of vulnerable children and young people, with a particular focus on those with physical or mental disabilities.
Through a comprehensive approach combining inclusive sporting activities, specialised training programmes for coaches and youngsters and social awareness campaigns, the project aims to reach 4,000 beneficiaries annually across 25 municipalities. The goal is to remove the barriers to accessibility and training that prevent children facing exclusion or with functional diversity from enjoying the physical and emotional benefits of physical exercise on an equal basis.