Two heavy weights of social skateboarding, Concrete Jungle Foundation and Athens’ very own Free Movement Skateboarding are working together to improve the way young people are taught to skate.
The Edu-Skate Curriculum is a framework for skate classes to empower young skateboarders in their skills, their relationships and their sense of autonomy. Using the self-determination theory, these classes get at-risk youth to think about the active choices they can make for themselves and their communities.
It has already been used in Peru and Jamaica by the Concrete Jungle Foundation, and now Free Movement Skateboarding are taking it to Greece.
Lessons tend to have two focuses: firstly either skill or connection, followed by autonomy. The kids sit and discuss one of the first two themes – like the importance of being persistence and trying hard, or the need for team work to achieve our goals. Then its time to get the kids thinking and keeping this value in mind as they skate with a few games and more structured bits of teaching. Finally, it’s about autonomy, getting kids to think creatively and make their own choices. Skating how they want to, for themselves and with their friends.
Building these values into our sessions will help us to support young Athenians from mixed backgrounds to make the changes they want to see for themselves and for their communities.
We are building young leaders.
Skateboarding for themselves and their community, pushing for their future.
If you want to support Free Movement Skateboarding in running Edu-Skate, the Giving Tuesday weekend up to Tuesday 30th Nov is the time to donate! With a merchandise from Eloise Dorr to be raffled off to donors and a generous match fund from abc_skateboarding to DOUBLE YOUR DONATION, follow this link to donate.
If you want to support Concrete Jungle Foundation, join the CJFamily and give monthly to plant the positive seeds of skateboarding worldwide, follow this link to donate.
