TITLE: RevSchoolYards – REVITALZE THE SCHOOLYARDS as valuable sporting resources for the community
DATES: 01/07/22 – 30/06/25
IMPORTANT LINKS: Website – Facebook – Instagram
PARTNERS:
1. L’ORMA SSD ARL, Italy – Coordinator
2. NGO NEST BERLIN EV, Germany – Partner
3. DEPORTE PARA LA EDUCACIÓN Y LA SALUD, Spain – Partner
4. PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS (UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY), Greece – Partner
5. FEDERATION DES ASSOCIATIONS DES CAPITALES ET VILLES EUROPEENNES DU SPORT AISBL, Belgium – Partner
6. SOCIAL SPORTS INNOVATION HUB (SISH), Portugal – Partner
DESCRIPTION
“Revitalize the SchoolYards” is an Erasmus+ Sport project that aims to transform underused or neglected schoolyards into valuable, multifunctional community sport spaces through innovative administrative mechanisms and collaborative governance. The project responds to the growing mismatch between the increasing demand for sport and physical activity and the limited, often inadequate, supply of accessible sport facilities — a gap that particularly affects grassroots and informal sport initiatives.
Grounded in the principles of civic engagement, sustainability, and inclusivity, the project develops and tests a strategic framework that enables municipalities, schools, and sport organizations to collaborate in the regeneration and management of schoolyards as community commons. This approach not only expands the quantity and quality of available sport spaces but also fosters a sense of shared responsibility and investment among local stakeholders.
RevSchoolYards promotes the refurbishment and maintenance of outdoor school areas and the creation of new covered, multifunctional zones to support diverse, inclusive, and innovative sport and physical education programs. These spaces are designed to accommodate both curricular and extracurricular activities, combining formal education with life skills development and non-formal, community-based physical activity.
The project empowers communities by establishing local Communities of Practice (CoPs) — networks of citizens, schools, and sport organizations who co-design, implement, and sustain revitalization efforts. An innovative licensing scheme allows sport organizations to invest in upgrading schoolyards in exchange for guaranteed access, creating a replicable, sustainable financing model that benefits all parties.
RevSchoolYards includes research, pilot programs, and the development of an online platform that serves as a communication hub and knowledge repository for municipalities and stakeholders. The platform supports the dissemination of best practices and ensures the continuity and scalability of the project outcomes.
By leveraging the potential of schoolyards and engaging local actors in a collaborative process, RevSchoolYards contributes to increasing participation in sport and physical activity, enhancing the quality of physical education, and promoting common values of civic participation and social cohesion.
Implemented by a diverse European consortium of municipalities, sport organizations, universities, and NGOs from Italy, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Portugal, and Germany, the project demonstrates how public–private partnerships and community engagement can create healthier, more active, and inclusive communities through sport.
