Polha Varese - Associazione Polisportiva Dilettantistica per Disabili

Polha Varese is a multi sport un-professional volunteering organization, founded in Varese in 1982 by some disable people willing to practice sports as their friends of the same age The association aim is to strengthen the ability of people, instead of their impairment, and to foster the sport attitude and the value of sport in life. It is a nonpolitical and no-profit organisation, and it has been funded to promote, to develop and to coordinate sports, recreational, cultural and social-health initiatives for disabled people. These actions aim to improve the psycho-physical, social and cultural education as alternative of traditional rehabilitation forms. The sports practiced are boccia, kayak, swimming, hand bike, sledge hockey, table tennis, sitting volley. Athletes train either to compete (someone even in major Paralympics competitions) or just for fun and to stay healthy. The association provides the full equipment for sports free of charge for its members, in order to guarantee the accessibility to sport activity to everyone. Our activities are entirely funded by fundraising and contributions. In 2019 the association has 240 members ( disable people practicing one sport discipline): 30 competitors, 120 amateur athletes , 50 coaches, 52 volunteers supporting athletes, 2 doctors, 2 sport masseurs. Through physical activity Polha wants to reach general objectives: equal opportunity and inclusion, socialization and fun, increase health and conditioning-coordinating abilities of athletes, increased self esteem, involvement of young volunteers with disability as self-educational process. Polha headquarter is a two floor space in the city of Varese and is the core center of organization's activities. The well equipped gym (dedicated to disabled athletes) and other spaces given for free usage by local government - permit to train inside but even more some sports are performed in dedicated sports facilities in Varese: hand bike in the cycling/soccer stadium, swimming in many swimming pools, sledge-hockey in the ice rink. Activities of the association are scheduled all week long, usually from 13.30 untill 22.30. Activity in schools take place during the morning. Competitions are on Sundays. Polha has a competition team for each sport and its users compete almost every week during season in national and international events; sometimes teams sustain long distance transfers in Italy and in Europe. The project environment is challenging but also safe and giving great satisfaction: volunteers will have the chance to participate to a concrete solidarity experience in the field of disability and play an important role in facilitating the inclusion of people that need to be supported to copy with their sports challenge. Volunteers will learn how important it is to work in groups and support to the achievements of a sport competition and how sport can really contribute to the well-being and self esteem of a person. Furthermore the volunteer will have the possibility to develop personal, social, civic and cultural competences. Volunteers are engaged in supporting disable athletes to do their training in different sports activities such as hand-bike, sledge hockey, table tennis, sitting volley, boccia, swimming activity or kayak in sport gym, stadium, swimming pool or on the lake during summer. Volunteers are requested to help in the organisation of these activities in order to support disable people with their equipment and sport devices, this required also a physical and manual work. Volunteers are also requested in supporting disable in what they cannot autonomously do when are alone, such as helping them in eating, in moving to a place to another, to drive them to a place for example.