Innovative Project Redefines Sports with Adaptive Gear for All Abilities

Students and People with Mental Health Challenges Co-Design Inclusive Sports Equipment

Technical University of Braunschweig and the rehabilitation facility Lavie Reha in Königslutter demonstrate what successful inclusion can look like: In a collaborative project, students and individuals with mental health challenges are jointly developing a concept for movement, play, and sports that deliberately incorporates diverse abilities and needs. Along the way, they are creating new sports equipment—from the initial idea to practical implementation.

Meeting on Equal Footing

In the woodworking shop, however, far more than just new sports equipment is taking shape. What emerges is a shared space for exchanging individual abilities, experiences, sensitivities, and boundaries. Participants from Lavie Reha do not merely contribute ideas, hands-on expertise, and continuous feedback—they also bring their own perspectives and personal strengths to the table.

Key questions drive the process: How can a game or its equipment—such as rackets and balls—be designed to be especially quiet? What group divisions, spatial arrangements, or rules are needed to intentionally slow down the pace of play and interactions among participants? These and similar considerations are integral to the cooperative seminar structure. They hold particular relevance for school settings, where diversity is especially pronounced.

Mental Health in Focus

Another cornerstone of the project is the close professional guidance provided by Lavie Reha, along with the participatory design of the seminar. During a site visit, students gain insights into professional approaches to mental health conditions. A teacher and a psychologist from Lavie's Braunschweig branch are on hand to address questions: How should I support a child who appears unusually anxious? How can I constructively resolve difficult situations in class? How can I structure movement activities to foster a sense of safety and inclusion?

The answers directly inform the development of sports equipment and game concepts. Students learn to adapt sports formats and physical activities so that varying abilities, approaches, and goals are considered, enabling needs-based instruction. They reflect on how to modify exercises, ensure safety measures, and actively encourage motivation. In the process, they develop a keen sensitivity to individual needs and gain the confidence required to teach inclusive physical education.

From Workbench to Playing Field

Once completed, the newly designed sports equipment is presented and tested during a joint closing event. Here, athletic skill is not the only measure of success—curiosity, openness, and the joy of movement take center stage. Together, participants play, experiment, reflect, and brainstorm further ideas.

"Beyond a traditional service-learning framework, this collaboration between the university and rehabilitation center merges academic teaching and expertise, rehabilitative practice, and social responsibility into a shared process of development and participation," emphasizes Professor Serwe-Pandrick. "Through the creative potential and commitment of those involved, this project fosters a shift in perspective through genuine encounter—and makes a tangible contribution to ensuring that movement and sports become more inclusive not just in schools, but already within university education."