Award for integration through sport

The sponsorship prize is awarded to clubs, independent youth welfare organizations, migrant self-organizations or other institutions as well as committed volunteers. All award winners make an exceptional and sustainable contribution to integration work in Aachen through one-off or long-term activities and projects in the field of sport.

Special consideration is given to

• Innovative and pioneering activities with a model character that have a sustainable and lasting impact on integration work.
• Projects or activities that are supported by cooperation between different institutions and are networked.
• Activities that are characterized by people from different cultural backgrounds working together and improving communication with one another.
• Activities that are characterized by social aspects, such as free or inexpensive offers or a social commitment that goes beyond the sports offer.

The award winners are selected by a jury. It is made up of the councillor for the city's sports department and one representative each from the Integration Council, the Department of Housing, Social Affairs and Integration, the City of Aachen's Sports Department, the StadtSportBund and the Integration through Sport working group.

Three selected applicants will receive attractive cash prizes as well as a high-profile presentation of their project. Other eligible projects will receive recognition prizes. In addition, Intersport Drucks will provide attractive non-cash prizes.

• The Aachener Förderverein Integration durch Sport e. V. won first place in the city's "Integration through Sport" 2023 sponsorship award with its "Mädchen mittendrin - mehr Chancen für Mädchen durch Fußball" project. Since 2010, the project has consisted of girls' soccer clubs, DFB coach training, girls' soccer tournaments and girls' soccer camps and has been established at six elementary school in Aachen with special needs. The sport brings together children and young people from all backgrounds, with and without a migration background.
  
• TV Eintracht 1909 Aachen - Walheim e. V. took second place with the project "Integration of refugees into wrestling and active club life". By playing sport together, prejudices and barriers are broken down, as the only thing that counts is respectful interaction between the athletes. The club attaches great importance to the integration and support of refugees from various cultural backgrounds and involves them in active sports activities and the administrative and organizational business of the club. Outside of sport, the club also supports refugees in dealing with the authorities, finding accommodation and work and all issues that arise when living in a new country.
  
• The association Aix-la-Sports e. V. took third place with its "Swimming training for people with special needs". The association trains people from all over the world and with special needs as part of swimming courses. If participation is possible from a health perspective, people with disabilities are trained within the course framework. If individual support is required, trainers are provided at no extra cost. Many children often experience for the first time in swimming lessons that they belong to a group and are not segregated.
  

Prize money of 1,500 euros was paid out for first place, 1,000 euros for second place and 500 euros for third place. In addition, a recognition prize was awarded to the "Move On" project from "Die Bürgerstiftung Lebensraum Aachen" and was presented with prize money of 250 euros. Two certificates of recognition were also awarded to other projects.

• Joint development and safeguarding of concepts and implementation of sports activities by, with and for migrants
• Creation of synergy effects through improved communication and coordination of parallel structures
• Providing and promoting access to club sport for migrants
• Award of the "Integration through Sport" prize
• Recruit migrants and their organizations as multipliers
• Promotion of training manager activities