Associação Azes Valboenses

description of organisation

Associação Azes Valboenses was born in 1937 under the name Azes Valboenses Football Club. Until 2016 its path has been to promote people's well-being, especially from the point of view of their physical health. In this sense, the Azes have promoted and participated, throughout their history, in numerous sporting initiatives, essentially athletics, although football was at the origin of their creation. In its most recent history it also promoted sporting initiatives in the area of table tennis and billiards, having, throughout its history, participated in hundreds of competitions with athletes of all classes, local, district and national, having contributed in a decisive way to boost, together with the rest of the associative fabric of Gondomar, the life of the community of Gondomar.

After a break of about 4 years in administrative commission, in 2016 a board composed of a group of dynamic young people took the reins of the association to bring back to the Azes the dynamism of old times founded on current values and unavoidable:

Mission - To promote individual and community well-being anchored in values of sustainability and respect for diversity.

Vision - To become a reference in the promotion of well-being, through the expression of the global citizenship of individuals and communities, through the co-construction of innovative and sustainable solutions, for a socially just, inclusive and solidary world.

Values - Transparency, Participation, Valuing Diversity, Cooperation, Social Responsibility, Continuous Learning and Authenticity.

With the community, it designs the structure of an activity plan that encompasses 3 specific areas: 1) Sports (made up of a set of physical and sporting activities), 2) Food and Fitness (made up of a set of initiatives and campaigns that promote food education and sharing healthy habits, promoting more conscious choices) and 3) Education and Culture (made up of various activities that seek to promote all forms of art and culture provided playful and educational moments anchored in values of sustainability).

In close collaboration with other community agents we have made known the work we have developed and seek to absorb youth potential and critical mass for the association. With a strong focus on providing development opportunities to the youth of Valbom, we regularly participate in various youth exchanges and training courses under the Erasmus + Programme. Since then we have completed the first exchange promoted by the Azes and the second has already been approved. We always actively involve the participants in the whole project cycle by bringing information to more public, through their peers, about the programme and the opportunities that as a locally based organisation we can provide. The renovation of our headquarters is over and since December last year we can again count on this space. It is there that young people get together regularly to shape projects, but also to simply enjoy a safe space enhancing non-formal and informal education.

This year we had already started some of the activities planned for 2020, namely weekly walks, trekking and orientation and yoga. Due to our contingency plan and subsequent decree of a state of emergency, we have our headquarters closed, being eager to activate the space for group classes with other activities unusual in the community, attractive and accessible (pilates, stretching, world dances, ...) Until then, we are implementing the project Global Village, a project that arises from the desire to continue together, even if far away and in isolation. From the will to overcome physical distances with virtual connections that connect us. In an interactive video call open to the world, ordinary citizens will have the opportunity to promote a workshop on something they know how to do, organize a debate on a theme of your interest, tell a personal story about love, your work, travel, read a book or part of it, dance and sing, imagination is the limit.

As soon as we can reopen physical doors, we will start the other activities planned for this year such as Tale Hour for Adults and reading space, Occupation of Free Time and International Work Camps for young people, Tertulias, Photography and Exhibition Workshops, Video Workshops, Conditional Feeding Workshops, Concerts, Film Screening and Debates, Training, among other activities.

We have programs developed especially for young people, others for the elderly and others open to the whole community, trying to have a strong intergenerational character.
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