Criteria for choosing the good practice examples
Today one may see that without regard to age people pay more attention to preserving their physical prowess, fitness; some forms of physical exercise are performed in masses, running being perhaps the most popular. In this case the good practice highlights the cohesive force of sports, and the network of organisations of a similar kind built upon it.
Organisation(s), person(s) that the good practice concerns
“Feel Good” Sports Association Székelyudvarhely/Asociata Sportiva “Feel Good” Odorheiu Secuiesc is an organisation in Székelyudvarhely, where there are rather a lot of functional sports associations as compared to the population (36,000), and there is a sports school for students, too. The foremost are associations for football, futsal, handball, floorball, bowling, weightlifting, table tennis and athletics. Feel Good Sports Association is a fully amateur venture, founded by Lóránd Ilyés Sándor, who started recruiting trail runners alongside his hobby, and in 2012 they founded the association with another 5 people. Currently they have 75 active members.
Parties of interest of the good practice
Feel Good Sports Association’s initiatives concern primarily amateur sportspeople (runners), but today in the association there appeared a core that does this hobby in competitions and experience this kind of exercise as a performance sport. In addition, it has attracted members from similar organisations, thus they cooperate well with the Székelyudvarhely branch of the Transylvanian Carpathian Association, who organise mountain tours for nature lovers, Szekler Teker Association, who popularise cycling and cycle
tours, but from this association grew a little group who are regular participants of Spartan Race extreme obstacle races. The membership is colourful with regard to age, occupation and stamina, as children, adults and
the elderly in the region oftentimes run together. Supporters and financers of the association are mostly the members, who donate amounts and regularly apply for sums from the town’s budget.
Objectives and activities of the good practice
The association lays emphasis on the popularisation and practice of forms of exercise done in nature, free time sports, which has numerous positive effects on the individual and the community alike. It takes great care through priority programmes to create and expand the Székelyudvarhely running community.
It helps the popularisation of a healthy lifestyle by organising outdoor movements, sports events in Udvarhelyszék, and thus has a significant role in community building, strengthening family and social ties, providing individuals with a sophisticated way to spend their free time with recreation and be entertained. In 2012 the association revived Tihadár memorial Running, which after 9 years of interruption is again organised each autumn on the Székelyudvarhely Jesus’s Heart Chapel and Szarkakő. In 2013 they organised Hargita Trail Running national trail race for the first time (jointly with KUNN Racing Sports Association), which is now organised every August in the region of Hargitafürdő and Madarasi Hargita. In 2013 in Székelyudvarhely a pioneering and very popular programme entitled “Go out with us!
Community running” was launched, which is organised biweekly with regard to weather conditions in the nearby wooded and hilly areas, mostly with 40-50 participants. The association deems it important to manage and expand its relationships with local and national associations and NGOs to exchange experiences, provide assistance and to realise joint projects. At the same time they highlight the importance and advantages of volunteering. The projects are organised by involving volunteers, and their members are characterised by active voluntary activism in realising local programmes and projects. The association supports their own sportspeople in local, national and international competitions.
Field(s) influenced by the good practice
Cultural learning in the broad sense including sports, and community learning appear mostly in the good practice. An important condition of the practice is the continuous and good cooperation of actors, voluntary activism, and its creation and maintenance.
Regional scope of the good practice
Events organised by Feel Good Sports Association attract primarily people from around Székelyudvarhely, but there are participants from Hargita county, what is more, there are annual competitions (Hargita Trail) which count as national competitions. In addition, some of the people invited by and taking part in the camps organised by the association are from more distant regions, often from Hungary.
Conditions of the good practice (technological, human, financial) The majority of the association’s events are community running programmes, which are carried out biweekly in the neighbourhood. The human, technological and financial conditions are met by the members and participants, that is, what is a small-budget amount is financed by themselves, but bigger costs are covered by tender funds, participation fees and membership fees, as well as volunteering which is an important part of organisational work, therefore, human and technological conditions are often met in this way.
Results of the good practice, short-, medium- and long-term effects The sports association’s “Go out with us! Community running” programme created a healthy running community in Székelyudvarhely, which is dynamically developing, and which is joined by new members. Their sportspeople regularly take part in national and international trail, mountain bike, duathlon and triathlon competitions, in which they often have a first, second or third place. It is remarkable how many people have joined the cause of community running since the start of the association: friendships, relationships have been created and a lot of people (many tens of people) have been involved in similar ventures and volunteering.
Sustainability of the good practice
Small-budget events with need for little organising work, such as community runs, are relatively easy to sustain, and the need for them also keeps them alive. In relation to bigger events that need more organising the priority is to find tender funds, but in my view those few important events that Feel Good Sports Association is committed to have been accurately pinpointed and the process of organising, financing, implementation has been run in appropriately. In order to have sustainability the main organiser’s job could be divided between several smaller organising groups.
Adaptability of the good practice
The good practice is easy to adapt in this case, of which there is an example in the region, which is perhaps explained by the fact that people are sufficiently motivated in a hobby organisation to participate and organise events, also feedback is easy to realise, and brings a sense of success. A important element of popularisation and adaptability is that all events of the association can be followed and evaluated via social networking sites.
II/2. FOCUSSING ON NON-FORMAL LEARNING, FURTHER TRAINING AND OCCUPATION