|  | ICSSPE News | No.58 January 2010 |
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Successful “Sport in Post-Disaster Intervention” Seminar |
ICSSPE successfully held the third Seminar on Sport in Post-Disaster Intervention from 2 -8 November, 2009 in Rheinsberg, Germany. During the opening address, ICSSPE President Margaret Talbot stressed the importance of this unique meeting of experts from different fields to train field workers, students and sport professionals in how to implement psychosocial sport programmes in the early stages of disaster relief. Over the six days of training, participants from 22 countries learned, through a mixture of theoretical and practical sessions, how to implement appropriate sporting activities using the resources available following man-made or natural disasters. Speakers and participants shared their experiences in using sport in disaster relief in different projects and found that one of the key elements of good practice in sport in reconstruction is to establish good relationships with local authorities as well as religious and community leaders. During a session on teaching and learning in crisis areas, it was also highlighted that in the post-disaster context, coaches need to incorporate a heightened sense and understanding of contextual factors and accept that a “one size fits all” approach may not be effective. Nana Wiedemann, Head of the Centre for Psychosocial Support of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) emphasised that it would also be very important for relief workers to integrate sport into their work. With the aim of improving psychosocial well-being of beneficiaries and relief workers through greater focus on sports and physical activities, ICSSPE has partnered with the IFRC Psychosocial Centre. During the opening of the seminar, a Partnership Agreement was signed which includes cooperation between the IFRC and ICSSPE in the fields of knowledge sharing, capacity development, advocacy and awareness raising. One of the planned outcomes is the development of a handbook on how to deploy sports and physical education in disaster and recovery operations. For further information please contact: International Council of Sport Science and Physical Education (ICSSPE/CIEPSS) Email: icsspe@icsspe.org www.icsspe.org http://www.icsspe.org