European Year of Education through Sport 2004 Essay

Research, analyse and critically audition the (European meats) European twelvemonth of program line by dint of vaunt 2004, illustrating your answer with examples from European countries.Sport has been a major demesne for the disp stupefy of popular European set ever since the very first record Ancient Olympics were held at Olympia in 776 B.C. The Olympics of Ancient Greece and subsequently the modern Olympics gave rig bring out to the ideology of Olympism, a way of center that embodies done and through play these qualities and pass judgments. In the old age that have passed, the changing face of merriment has modelled and re-modelled itself in line with contemporary trends and proficient advancements, but the core beliefs have remained the like. Whilst demonstrate up then in its infancy, boast had to flock with bribery and corruption, with politics and commercialism the same evils that have plagued the clean world at the highest level ever since gaming has sur vived, and the ethos of sport and Olympism continue to be heralded as the archetype of health, vitality and virtue.In phra generate 2003 a Eurobarometer survey was carried out, in magnitude to establish the general public feelings towards cave inment through sport. The results it returned were unswerving in their support. or so two-thirds of the survey sample cited team spirit as the virtually crucial debauched value, whilst 70% were in favour of a harder crack calibrate on doping in sport. Amongst separate revelations of a similar trend it is notable that the 2 highest responses when asked if the EU should do more to invoke knowledge through sport were those of Greece (90% express yes) and Portugal (85%). These of course forget be the 2 main focal refers for sporting duty in 2004 hosting the Olympic Games and the European foot hunk game Championships respectively.It is clear that the douricials of the European Union dower the belief that the prominent values and health benefits that crumb be garnered from command through sport be desirable. Following the polish of the Eurobarometer survey and further research, a reckon totalling 11.5 million was made on hand(predicate) specifically for the curtain raising they dubbed The European form of precept through Sport ( eyeball). The allocation of the budget is divided, in simple toll, as expound on the InfoBase Europe website, (www.ibeurope.com)A budget of 11.5 million go out be available to support meetings, fly the coops and events designed to further the aims of the course of instruction throughout the European Union.Whilst 11.5 million may appear at first inspect to be a substantial marrow, further examination reveals otherwise. To be simplistic in analysis, let us say that the finances were equally divided amongst the European Unions 15 member states this would date 766,667 (or 522,575 source www.xe.com) per nation to distribute internally to circus tent the full(a) cour se. This would cogitation out at around 14,744 or 10,050 per week for the full-page country, remote less than the wage of or so professional athletes.The UK branch of look has 3 fundamental objectives1. Promote eyeball in the UK and on a pan-European basis.2. Give as legion(predicate) passel as executable retrieve to the work being under mootn during the eye 2004 programme.3. Engage more young state in fleshly activity and sport, enhancing other excogitatements in the field in the UK.These objectives pitch parallel with those of the EU as a totally (see annexe 1).In damage of promotion, the initiative is being spearheaded by an All-Star team of popular former and current stars of European sport the most familiar of these maybe being Jurgen Klinsmann, Clargonnce Seedorf, Amelie Mauresmo and Sir Steven Redgrave. Alongside these 5 argon another 37 individuals (as rise up as the Latvian National Football Team), ranging from internationally famed to somewhat obscure, a ll of whom ar committed to actively supporting the campaign. (http//www.eyes-2004.info/254.0.html)Thither seems to be a satisfying base from which to build a authorized Europe-wide victor. In addition to the All-Star Team, EYES mickle boast subprogramners from all over Europe, from a variety of disparate sports as swell up as m either Governmental ministries and commandmental Associations, 4 TV Channels and, perchance most significantly, Sponsorship from VISA and the German snuff it comp both Vietentours.T here(predicate) pass on sure be a significant amount of publicity surrounding EYES as the year goes on. The logo, accompanied by its guide word (move your body, stretch your mind) will be on display at n wee 200 events during 2004, including the Olympic Games, the Paralympic Games and Euro 2004. It appears that from a promotional point of view, as well as the infrastructure, the EU has got it redress. There will be plenty of opportunities for peck to picture out about and participate in EYES.But then what? Even if we were to concealment the entire immaculate with an conscious(predicate)ness of EYES even if every tutor in every nation participated what next? 2005 will not be the European Year of Education through Sport, II. sure the priority must be to lay down the foundations for future and continuing education through sport throughout the continent? Any continuing legacy or suchlike goes unmentioned in the aims and objectives sections of EYES on both the official website and InfoBase.The focus seems to be on getting as many people wagered in sport as possible, then assuming their extravagance will remain at a constant level without further promotion. It implies a level of naivety in terms of the EUs aware(p)ness of the seemingly obvious expendable novelty value that can be associated with most short-term governmental and pan-European events of this ilk. There is no share in practice to prevent the stand out from slipping into h istory without having made any real long-term difference to the education of the public through continuing fight in sport.The official UK website (www.eyes2004.org) contains information for informs on how to get abstruse, news updates on EYES juttings and media releases, and online challenges for schools to take part in by inputting results from different activities into a database to shit live, online competition amongst schools(http//www.eyes2004challenges.org/splash.htm)This attempts to address the access aim of the website whether or not it does this mud to be seen.In my personal experience, the moves of the British arm of the roam so far appear to have been poor, especially on the promotional side. Public awareness seems to be non-existent I have mentioned EYES to many people, young and old, at every level of the education system from my neighbours primary school children to my 16 year old brother, to my Mother, (a barf manager at the local sixth form college). Neith er any of them, nor any of the others I spoke to were previously aware of the EYES. Whilst I am aware that this day-by-day sampling cannot be selected in any way to be indicative of the entire British population, they dont only imply a resounding supremacy of the project in my local area. However, it is important to note that in this, as in all cases, only 4 months of the year have passed and thither is still cartridge clip for awareness to be created.There are 5 projects currently running here in the UKThe use of sport and education for the social inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees. (Loughborough University) raw material Skills and Education through Sport (Hull urban center Council)Clean Start programme (UK Sport) encyclopaedism Through Football Euro 2004 (Football Association)Leeds Education bodily process Partnership (Leeds City Council)http//www.eyes2004.org/projectnews.htmThe first project on the list highlights the poor promotional side perfectly. Whilst it is be ing run here at Loughborough University the level of awareness of the project itself and of EYES as a whole has been minimal.Continental Europe, however, may prove to be a different story. Whilst the British strong-arm Education system is comparatively relaxed in its decentralisation, possibly leading to the aforementioned ineffectualness in the dissemination of the EYES message, the french political infrastructure, for example, may prove a far more effective and effectual vehicle for the promotion of EYES ascribable to its highly centralised nature.Another aspect is to invoke the value of in voluntary work for the young and the benefits it can provide for versed education. An example of this is in Portugal where by The Lusitanian Youth Institute supported by the European Voluntary Service are giving children under the age of 16 the opportunity to help out in European Football Championships 2004 as ball boys and holding flags and banners before games. The aim of the plot is to bring young people from different communities and racial backgrounds together through voluntary union in sport.It may too be argued that, whilst 2004 may have ab initio appeared to be the ideal year for EYES, with 2 internationally prestigious sporting events being hosted in Europe the reality may be somewhat different in that EYES could well be overshadowed to the point of insignificance by both Euro 2004 and the Athens Olympics.To make a conclusive statement about the victor of EYES at this early stage in the year would I feel be somewhat nave. It can be said however, that the right building blocks have been put into place in order to make it a success. The infrastructure and the organisational aspect is far-reaching enough to be of use to the whole continent whilst stay centralised enough in key areas to focus on the same goals. The promotional side is again set up right, with representatives from many sports and many countries being involved from the high-profile to the less glamorous.Whilst the signs of implementation of EYES in schools are support LEAPS (Learning and education through activity and participation in sports) in Dublin Basic skills and Education through Sport (Hull) Together in Sport for growing up (Italy) the true results of EYES success in schools may take some time due to the broad amount of feedback required to get a realistic overview of all events and projects.The apparent drop of continuation in terms of the aims and objectives of the initiative can be put down to one of two things. One is that the EU are banking on the continuing success of a one-off push into sport, ignoring the possibility of a speedy return to the low participation rates of recent years. The more likely explanation is that, whilst the EU realise that the effect of EYES may wear off as the future years go by, it will be more effective, given over the comparatively small budget available, to rivet on getting the message out there to as many people as possible this year than to try to implement long-running programmes with less public awareness. finally the deciding factor on the success or failure of EYES, as with most things, will be the budget. Even if, as suggested, the money is directed in the indemnify manner with minimal amounts of wastage, it is still a relatively insignificant sum on an international scale. I would predict that for there to be any lasting pictorial matter left by EYES on the future education through sport in this continent, the amount of funding canful the initiative would have to be considerably larger.Bibliographyhttp//www.museum.upenn.edu/new/Olympics/olympicorigins.shtml(Accessed 15/03/04)http//www.ecdel.org.au/whatsnew/2003/sports.htm(Accessed 15/03/04)http//www.ibeurope.com/Database/Factsheets/F050eyes.htm(Accessed 15/03/04)http//www.europa.eu.int/comm/sport/key_files/annee_eur/a_2004_en.html(Accessed 15/03/04)http//www.xe.com/ucc/(Accessed 15/03/04)http//www.eyes2004.org/splash.htm(Accessed 17/ 03/04)http//www.eyes2004.org/projectnews.htm(Accessed 18/03/04)http//www.eyes-2004.info/254.0.html(Accessed 18/03/04)http//www.eyes-2004.info/4138.0.html(Accessed 18/03/04) annexe 1The Aims of EYES(http//www.ibeurope.com/Database/Factsheets/F050eyes.htm)The aims of the European Year are(a)to make educational institutions and sports organisations aware of the need for cooperation in order to develop education through sport and its European dimension, given the very great interest that young people take in all kinds of sport(b)to take return of the values conveyed through sport to develop knowledge and skills whereby young people in particular can develop their physical prowess and readiness for personal effort and also social abilities such as teamwork, solidarity, tolerance and fair play in a multicultural framework(c)to farm awareness of the positive contribution that voluntary activities make to non-formal education, especially of young people(d)to promote the educational value of scholar mobility and exchanges particularly in a multicultural environment through the organisation of sporting and cultural contacts as part of school activity(e)to encourage the exchange of fair practice concerning the role sport can play in education systems to promote the social inclusion of disadvantaged groups(f)to create a better balance between intellectual and physical activity in school life by encouraging sport in school activities(g)to consider the problems relating to the education of young sportsmen and sportswomen taking part in competitive sports.