Summary

Mobile phones are reliable communication and entertainment devices for youth and adults, regardless of gender or age. Using them for extended periods of time, however, leads to neck, shoulder and back pain. Recent studies show that at least 77% of the world’s population owns a mobile phone. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the relationship between cell phone use and neck, shoulder, and spinal deformities. This can be explained by the static muscle load that occurs with the prolonged strain on the neck when writing messages, as well as the lack of support for the hands and the repetitive movements of the fingers, especially when only one hand is used.

​

Goals

​

To motivate people of different age groups (children, youth, adolescents, and adults) to regularly perform physical activities. To provide volunteers with a unique opportunity to understand and strengthen values such as solidarity, democracy, friendship, etc.

To raise awareness of a healthy and active lifestyle among people of different ages.To spread EU values among young people. A youth group of 5 volunteers with the support of the coach, Mr. Draganov, organized 10 sports and informative activities. More than 150 people of different age groups, with a risk of spinal distortions or a sedentary lifestyle, participated in them. Each activity started with an information session about the opportunities offered by the European Solidarity Corps and the Erasmus+ program. Participants were also informed about the importance of regular physical exercise

nia and took part in such as aerobics, gymnastics, volleyball, karate, folk dances, etc. The physical activities and informative sessions were held at the Vasil Levski National Sports Academy.

​

IMPACT ON PARTICIPANTS

“My Direction” participants took part in a variety of physical activities that aimed to encourage them to be more physically active and to understand the importance and benefits of regular physical activity. These activities included sports and games, which helped to improve the general health of the participants.

Before engaging in these activities, the participants were informed about the opportunities offered by the European Solidarity Corps. We believe that the EU values of community, solidarity and inclusion were effectively spread through these activities, as they provided an opportunity for participants to come together, work as a team and learn from each other.Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, with many saying they were inspired and motivated to make physical activity a more meaningful part of their lives. This is a promising result, as regular physical activity has numerous benefits for both individual and public health. It can help improve physical fitness, mental well-being and overall quality of life, as well as reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

In conclusion, the physical activities included in My Direction were effective in promoting the benefits of regular physical activity and in spreading EU values. We are confident that participants will continue to be physically active in the future, benefiting from the many benefits that regular physical activity offers.

Events Booklet