Unlocking Opportunities: How Young People Can Participate in Erasmus+ Sport Projects

Sist oppdatert Mandag, 18/11/2024

Erasmus+ Sport offers young people across Europe a unique opportunity to participate in international sports projects, fostering personal growth, cultural exchange, and community engagement through professional and personal development in sport.

Erasmus+ Sport is a branch of the EU's Erasmus+ programme dedicated to promoting physical activity, sports, and cooperation across Europe. It aims to address key challenges in the sports sector, such as social inclusion, health and well-being, and community development while fostering connections between communities across Europe through the programme's sports actions. Through funding and support, Erasmus+ Sport provides resources for projects focusing on teamwork, intercultural exchange, health benefits, and personal growth in organised and grassroots sports.

This initiative targets individuals already working or volunteering their time to coach and/or staffing sports programmes in the European Union. This encompasses people involved in the teaching, training and management of a sports team or of individual athletes, whether on a paid or voluntary basis. Selected participants take part in sports projects in an EU Member State or a third country associated with the Programme. 

Selected participants will be able to participate through either job shadowing and observation or coaching and training assignments.

Job shadowing takes place over a 2 to 14-day period with a host organisation in another country, allowing participants to observe and engage with peers, coaches, volunteers, and staff members to learn new practices and gather fresh ideas through direct interaction in the organisation’s daily activities.

Coaching or training assignments take place over a longer period of time than job shadowing, enabling participants to spend 15 to 60 days coaching or conducting training at a host organisation abroad. This immersive experience allows them to learn by carrying out their roles and exchanging knowledge with peers, helping to build capacity within grassroots organisations.

Opportunities are provided based on the context of the sports association and include the following actions:

Cooperation Partnerships: These projects unite organisations from across Europe to address key social issues in sports, such as promoting social inclusion, combating discrimination, and supporting education and skill development. By pooling resources and expertise, they create impactful programs that foster community cohesion and tackle issues in the sports sector on a larger scale.

Small-Scale Partnerships: Aimed at smaller, localised initiatives, these partnerships enable grassroots organisations to promote sports within their communities. With fewer partners and simpler funding, these projects make sports more accessible to young people, encouraging inclusion and healthy lifestyles at the local level.

Not-for-Profit European Sport Events: These are large-scale events focused on uniting people across Europe through sport, encouraging health and social integration. They aim to raise awareness about important social issues, such as diversity and equality, by involving participants in sports festivals, tournaments, or awareness campaigns that highlight the unifying power of sports.

Capacity Building: Capacity-building projects are international cooperation initiatives that rely on multilateral partnerships among organisations engaged in sports within EU Member States, third countries associated with the Programme, and the Western Balkans. These projects aim to enhance sports activities and policies, using sport both to foster shared values and as an educational tool that promotes individual personal and social growth, ultimately contributing to more cohesive communities.

Application Info and Financing

Applicant organisations must be established in an EU Member State or in a third country associated with the Programme. Your sports organisation can apply on your behalf through your country's national agency; keep in mind that you cannot apply as an individual. Participants should either be employed by the sending organisation or work with them regularly to support the implementation of the organisation’s core activities. They must also reside in the same country as their sending organisation.

In terms of financing, support is granted by the EU encompassing travel and subsistence costs that are managed by your sport organisation. In addition, specific support is available for participants with fewer opportunities.

For all detailed information on when and how to apply, please check the Erasmus+ guide.