How can we ensure our children’s healthy immune system, proper development and overall fitness? According to the World Health Organization, it is enough to devote a minimum of 60 minutes to physical activity every day. However, the changing lifestyles of adults, and thus of children, mean that kids spend less and less time being physically active. To change that, as many as 10,000 children from Lower Silesia along with their parents and teachers, will take part in the MultiSport Active Schools program aimed at developing positive exercise habits.
The World Health Organization considers lack of physical activity to be one of the greatest risks to our health, alongside smoking. In addition, as research shows, in our country more and more children are being excused from physical education classes - in primary schools alone, according to the Supreme Audit Office, more than a dozen percent of pupils are excused from participation, while in secondary schools this number increases to 30 percent. The MultiSport Active Schools program was created in order to counteract this lack of exercise and help children become more physically active, as well as support parents and teachers in increasing the daily amount of exercise and spending leisure time actively.
According to Edyta Krajewska, Principal of Primary School No. 32 in Wrocław, the uniqueness of the Program lies in its interactivity. In the beginning I was surprised by the combination of physical exercises with a story and multimedia devices, but the children love it. A big influence on this positive reception are the instructors who work alongside our physical education teachers. I see that the children have a great rapport with them.
The program, which is being implemented at several dozen schools in Lower Silesia, is introducing a completely new, multimedia version of the standard EuroFit fitness test. We believe this will encourage all children to participate, even those who avoid PE lessons. The test is, first and foremost, great fun, during which pupils get to battle the lazy powers of Bad Evil, the ruler of the Motionless Galaxy. The competition takes place only between the schools participating in the Program. According to Adam Radzki, member of the Management Board at Benefit Systems, the company behind the MultiSport Active Schools program, the paradox of our times is that although we have the resources and opportunities to take care of our health and participate in all kinds of physical activities, more and more children are avoiding exercise. We believe that physical activity affects the quality of life at every stage. Inactivity in childhood can lead to numerous health problems in adult life, such as obesity or diabetes. This is why we decided to focus on primary schools, as this is the time in which lifestyle behaviours develop, and we also want to motivate teachers and parents to encourage children to exercise.
Thirty six schools from the Lower Silesia region are participating in the first edition of the MultiSport Active Schools Program. This means that in the next few months, over 10,000 children will take part in the special multimedia fitness test EuroFit +. Exercise Plans are also an important part of the Program to support the physical activity of children, which will be developed and implemented jointly by parents, teachers and representatives of local governments.
We are implementing the MultiSport Active Schools Program in schools, because that is where children spend most of their time, and that’s why it’s so important that they are conducive to ensuring daily physical activity. In addition, schools are institutions that are trusted by parents, local authorities and entrepreneurs who can support changes in their immediate environment. We are very optimistic about the Exercise Plans, which we developed in the schools in the first phase of the Program, because they will strongly support the active and healthier lifestyles of the children and their families, explains Jakub Kalinowski, President of the V4Sport Foundation, Program operator in Lower Silesia.
The MultiSport Active Schools Program is aimed at encouraging children to become more physically active, thus improving their physical, emotional and intellectual development. It has been observed that in physically active children, the basal brain nucleus, which is responsible for thinking and acting, is more active. In addition, physical activities teach children how to function in a group. The first edition of the Program will last until December 2018. For details please visit www.aktywneszkoly.pl
Additional Information:
MultiSport Active Schools- is a program funded by Benefit Systems and implemented by the V4Sport Foundation from Wrocław. The aim of the Program is to integrate exercise into the school's DNA and re-establish positive exercise habits in children. As part of the MultiSport Active Schools Program, over 10,000 children from primary schools in Lower Silesia will have a unique opportunity to participate in an inter-school tournament, the key aspect of which will be a multimedia fitness test based on the EuroFit Test standard.
Test EuroFit+ - The European Fitness Test EuroFit is a tool designed to measure the level of physical fitness of Europeans. The idea behind the test was to design a test method that, regardless of the location and circumstances, would give a reliable, standardized result that is easy to interpret and compare. EuroFit +, used in the MultiSport Active Schools Program, has been enriched with modern technological solutions. During these fitness exercises pupils complete missions, earn points and, above all, have fun.
Benefit Systems SA - has been operating on the Polish market since 2001. The company is the creator of the MultiSport sports and recreational program, which supports the active and healthy lifestyles of its Users. Sports cards provide access to nearly 4,000 sports and recreational facilities in over 650 cities throughout the country. The MultiSport program has also been successfully implemented in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria. An important area of Benefit Systems' activities is to promote an active lifestyle at each stage of life, which is why the Company implements initiatives supporting the physical activity of children, adults and seniors.
V4Sport Foundation– has been battling the sedentary lifestyle since 2011. Since then it has implemented projects aimed at encouraging Poles to exercise, which has direct influence on the proper development of children and youth, as well as a better quality of life for everyone. Being a member of organisations such as the Active Healthy Kids Global Alliance (AHKGA) or International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA), the V4Sport Foundation also implements many international projects.
Media contact:
Jolanta Jędrysek, PR Manager
M +48 519 312 964 | E j.jedrysek@benefitsystems.pl
Sandra Dobrowolska, PR Specialist
M + 48 797 294 243 | E s.dobrowolska@benefitsystems.pl