Location and general information
Categories
Access to Sport - 
Children with disabilities - 
Environmental protection - 
Infrastructure and equipment
Access to Sport - Children with disabilities - Environmental protection - Infrastructure and equipmentContext
Football is Albania’s most popular sport and a source of national pride and community. However, access to spaces for sport and play remains poor, with girls, Roma children and disabled children in particular often excluded from team sport.
Project goals
- Transform school playgrounds in two Albanian cities with high Roma populations into green playgrounds: shaded and welcoming community-centred spaces that are inclusive and climate-responsive
- Provide quality sports pitches and safe places for neighbourhood residents of all ages and backgrounds to exercise, play and learn
- Offer equitable, low-barrier access to sport and nature, fostering health, confidence and community among marginalised young people
Project content
- Organise school selection workshops and introductory sessions with each municipality to align objectives and expectations within the relevant city departments
- Run training sessions and on-site exchanges with expert green playground designers and engagement professionals
- Engage with the community through playground parties, neighbourhood meetings and baseline opinion surveys
- Involve students – particularly girls, Roma children and disabled children – in the design process to ensure the spaces reflect their diverse needs
- Lead the technical design process in close coordination with municipal departments, oversee the construction process and quality control during implementation
- Use environmental measurements, observational surveys and perception surveys to assess outcomes such as reduced surface temperatures, increased shade coverage, increased use outside of school hours and improved inclusion
- Provide hands-on training to municipal maintenance staff and sport and science teachers, who can potentially use the playgrounds for outdoor learning opportunities
Partner
