ABOUT HERON

HERON is a non-profit sports organisation. Through projects, courses and initiatives especially designed for youth, Heron's main objective is the promotion of sport as a tool capable of supporting inclusion, development, education and social cohesion, while maintaining its founding values. We co-design projects and initiatives with schools, foundations, private social organisations, and public administrations.

The Vision of HERON

"Our long-term vision is to transform how sport is perceived and experienced, establishing it as a fundamental tool for community development, education, and social cohesion. The goal is for the sports’ values to be recognised as an educational and citizenship right, as a relational tool that transcends status and background and receives collective and transversal attention and investment.

Through our initiatives and programs, we seek to redefine sport as a platform that connects individuals and communities, fosters collective engagement, and promotes inclusivity. We envision a future where sport plays a central role in promoting equality, shared values, and community development."

The Mission of HERON

"Heron's main objective is the promotion of grassroots sport seen as a tool capable of supporting education, development and social inclusion, while maintaining its founding values. The keywords in Heron's approach are fairness, equality, inclusion, trust, honesty, transparency, team spirit, confidentiality, employee care, and sustainability.

Grassroots sport as a social tool to support and promote community development, social cohesion and youth participation is one of Heron’s main priorities. The organisation is currently running a wide range of courses and activities, designed for children, youth and adults:

• After-school projects, summer camps and weekly residential camps for children and teenagers, with multi-sport activities and a wide range of educational experiences
• Secondary schools’ projects, using sport to explore stereotypes/prejudices and prevent, recognize and fight discrimination, racism and intolerance
• Sports courses to promote the inclusion of young people and adults with disabilities
• Sports activities organized outdoors and in non-formal settings such as parks/playgrounds, with the aim of promoting social cohesion and youth participation (mainly involving beneficiaries from disadvantaged communities and with migratory background, aged between 13 and 30)
• Sport courses involving refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied minors and refugee /migrant women and girls
• Training courses and meetings dedicated to families, young athletes and staff"