In a world still recovering from the social and emotional toll of a global pandemic, the importance of connection, health, and belonging has never been clearer. For many, physical activity in nature offers healing. But for millions of people with disabilities, access to inclusive sport remains limited, especially in outdoor or aquatic settings.That’s why projects like RESTART, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme, are not just valuable – they are essential.
RESTART brought inclusive aquatic sports to Portugal, Spain, and Poland, engaging people with disabilities through canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), and rowing. But beyond paddles and boats, RESTART addressed something deeper: the right to participate, to be seen, and to belong.
The Cost of Exclusion
People with disabilities face higher rates of isolation, sedentary behavior, and social exclusion. These barriers aren’t only physical – they are systemic. Lack of adapted equipment, inaccessible facilities, uninformed coaches, and negative social attitudes all contribute to a reality where sport is often out of reach.But sport is not a luxury. It is a fundamental enabler of inclusion, independence, health, and dignity. As the EU Disability Rights Strategy 2021–2030 reminds us: “Persons with disabilities have the right to participate in cultural, recreational and sporting activities on an equal basis with others.”
What Inclusive Sport Can Do
RESTART showed what’s possible when we break down those barriers. Each national pilot wasn’t just a test activity it was a lifeline:
These are not exceptions. They are proof that inclusive sport works – when given space to flourish.
The RESTART Approach: Community and Respect
What made RESTART effective wasn’t just funding or structure. It was the emphasis on:
This holistic, human-centered approach can be replicated in any context – urban or rural, water-based or land-based.
Why Now?
Because after COVID-19, isolation deepened. Because young people with disabilities are still underrepresented in sport. Because inclusion is not something to aspire to – it’s something to demand.RESTART came at the right time to show how sport can reconnect people – not just with movement, but with community, confidence, and hope.
What You Can Do