Between 6 – 7 September, the consortium overseeing the European Union’s Erasmus+ funded a meeting for the Special Olympics Operation Safeguard project to meet in Tallinn, Estonia.
This gathering marked a pivotal moment as the project reached its halfway point, demanding a thorough evaluation of its impact on the participant Special Olympics Programmes, including Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Ireland and Slovakia.
Several critical topics were discussed, such as:
- Defining the scope of safeguarding and what it should cover
- Effective deployment of safeguarding policies and resources
- Dissemination of key findings
- Prioritizing response in safeguarding policies
Special Olympics Estonia National Director Tiina Möll said, “We were very happy to host colleagues from all over Europe in Tallinn, Estonia. Discussions were fruitful, productive, new ideas came out.
“It was interesting to hear what other colleagues have done during the project. Some ideas are ready to use already now. I think our meeting went very well and it was an extremely useful time to discuss safeguarding topics with all.”
Throughout the Tallinn meeting, lively and insightful discussions revolved around these crucial topics, shedding light on various perspectives regarding the approach Special Olympics should adopt when it comes to safeguarding.
The progress achieved has been nothing short of remarkable as the consortium continues on the path to delivering safeguarding policies and resources of utmost quality. Also present at the meeting were expert partners from the Centre for Sports and Human Rights (CSHR), who continue to support and advise the National Programmes during this project. CSHR are renowned for their international expertise in developing safeguarding policies and resources.
As the project nears its completion in May 2024, the goal is to empower other Special Olympics Europe Eurasia (SOEE) Programmes to embrace and adapt the key recommendations stemming from this project to implement robust safeguarding policies, fostering a safer environment for all.
