What is that you do, ?pela?

”I love being a social innovator within the context of sports and well-being.”

It's been a while since I wrote my last LinkedIn article, but I'd like to dive back into it today ?? People frequently ask me about #SocialInnovation and my role within it.

So, here it is: Social innovation involves developing new ideas, strategies, and approaches to address social challenges and improve well-being. In the realm of #SportforDevelopment, social innovation manifests in various forms, all aimed at leveraging the power of sports to create positive social change.

Some examples:

• Youth Empowerment Programs: I'm passionate about employing the Education through Sport (ETS) Approach, a learning process that utilizes sport and physical activity as a vehicle to implement real-life lessons.
• Women Empowerment Programs: Advocating for the empowerment of women through judo has been a recurrent theme in my work. For instance, my girls, ????????Ana and Eva's visit to Kodokan symbolizes a significant milestone in our efforts.
• Health Promotion Programs: Social innovation in sports extends to promoting health and well-being, particularly in areas with limited access to healthcare resources. Initiatives like ”Judo for older practitioners” or ”Intergenerational judo” contribute to a healthy and physically active society and foster a positive attitude towards a healthy ageing.
• Community Development through Sports: Judo can catalyze community development, fostering social cohesion and civic engagement.
• Inclusive Judo Activities: Recently, I shared a story about a blind 7-year-old boy who attends the regular judo class at Judo Golovec and progresses alongside the whole group immensely.
• Redefinition and Transfer of Values: In a strongly devalued global society, the redefinition of values through judo—such as Courage, Respect, Modesty, Friendship, Honour, Honesty, Self-control, and Courtesy—means nurturing sustainable development and fostering a more cohesive society.
• Injury Prevention: Falling remains the most common cause of injury in statistics. The Ukemi lessons, a safe falling learning program, equip individuals with lifelong skills for safe falling techniques.

As we navigate the landscape of social innovation in sports and well-being, I invite you to ponder: ”What small step can your organization take today to contribute to positive social change through sports in your community?”

Share your thoughts and ideas below. I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Have a good one!

#SportForGood #SocialsuStainability #YouthEmpowerment #WomenEmpowerment #CommunityDevelopment #InclusiveSports #ValuesInSports #InjuryPrevention #SocialChange #WellBeing #Judo