PACE

Project Name: PACE – Physical Activity Enhancement

Summary PACE is a 24-month Erasmus+ Small Collaborative Partnership aiming to promote health and prevent chronic conditions by encouraging physical activity among adults aged 50 to 75. Targeting some of the least active populations in Europe (Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, and Spain), the project provides tailored fitness programmes, gathers scientific data, and disseminates good practices through manuals, videos, and interactive platforms. PACE strengthens the capacity of sports professionals, researchers, and institutions to support healthy ageing and inclusive fitness.

Main Objectives

• Promote physical activity and healthy ageing among adults aged 50–65 and 65–75
• Design and implement two 6-month fitness programmes per partner, adapted to local needs
• Collect scientific evidence on the health impact of exercise for older age groups
• Produce training manuals and video materials to support independent and guided activity
• Disseminate outputs to citizens, sport organizations, and health institutions
• Raise awareness about the importance of physical activity at any age

Key Activities

• Development and testing of physical programmes based on local best practices
• Initial and final fitness assessments to measure health improvements
• Exchange of good practices during four transnational meetings (Italy, Poland, Spain, Bulgaria)
• Production of a multilingual manual and training videos with accessible guidelines
• Creation of a digital platform and social media channels for public outreach
• Final dissemination event in Bulgaria to present results and engage stakeholders

Project Partners

• UISP Ciriè Settimo Chivasso – Coordinator and lead implementer
• Miguel Hernández University of Elche – Research and evaluation partner
• Gdynia Sports Centre – Local implementer and host
• AJSPT Suceava – Programme delivery and outreach
• Courage Foundation – Dissemination lead and training video coordinator

Implementation Period

• January 2019 – March 2020
• Key phases: Preparation, course implementation, evaluation, dissemination

Funding & Support

• Erasmus+ Programme – Small Collaborative Partnerships in Sport (Call 2018: EAC/A05/2017)
• Additional support from regional governments, local sport clubs, universities, and retirement homes
• Co-financing via EU grants, local sponsorships, and partner contributions

Legacy & Impact: PACE proved that well-designed physical activity programmes can enhance mobility, mental wellness, and confidence among sedentary older adults. By targeting a neglected demographic and using tailored communication strategies, the project enabled participants to rediscover sport and motivated institutions to adopt age-friendly wellness models. The outputs — especially the training videos and manual — remain open-access tools to inspire broader replication across Europe.