The European Youth and Sport Together (EUYOUSPORT) project partners met online on 17th of December to review the progress of ongoing activities, discuss upcoming deliverables, and align on future milestones.

The meeting brought together representatives from all partner organisations and focused on youth participation in sport at national, local, and European levels.

A key part of the meeting was dedicated to the National Workshops and Youth Participation Strategies developed and coordinated by the Finnish Olympic Committee, OPES, and PSC. Partners reflected on the outcomes of the national-level workshops, which aimed to assess existing youth participation frameworks and identify priorities for improvement.

Different methodologies were applied depending on the local context, such as participatory discussions, interactive group work, and co-creation approaches. This flexibility was seen as a strength of the project, allowing meaningful input while maintaining a shared European framework. It was reiterated that local workshops will systematically follow the national ones in all partner countries.

These national workshops represent the foundation for the next phase of activities, with local workshops to be implemented across partner countries to ensure deeper engagement at the grassroots level.

The meeting also addressed the Youth Participation in Sport: State of Play and Way Forward, with a particular focus on the EUYouSport survey led by EUSA. Milia Molinie presented the survey in detail, outlining its structure and the rationale behind its eight thematic sections. Partners provided feedback during the discussion, confirming the relevance of the topics covered and their applicability across diverse national contexts. It was agreed that the survey will be officially launched in January, with partners supporting dissemination at both national and local levels.

An update was provided on the EUYouSport Communications Campaign, as well. The concept behind the campaign was presented, highlighting a segmented approach targeting different youth-related audiences. The campaign will rely on a mix of visual materials and short videos, circulated in rotation across communication channels, with the aim of increasing visibility, engagement, and awareness of the project’s objectives and results.

Partners also received a report on the development of the European Youth & Sport Network. During the discussion, there was a shared agreement that the network should be open not only to European Union Member States but also to countries outside the EU that are part of the European continent. This broader inclusion was considered essential for strengthening cooperation, exchange of good practices, and the long-term sustainability of the network.

The process and current status of the periodic report were briefly presented, with partners informed about the next steps and timelines to ensure timely submission in line with project requirements.

Looking ahead, partners were informed about the upcoming Transnational Partner Meeting 3, scheduled to take place in Rome on 19–20 February. This meeting will provide an opportunity to review progress in detail, coordinate upcoming activities, and reinforce collaboration among the consortium. In addition, short information was shared regarding the Final Conference and Transnational Partner Meeting 4, planned to be held in Croatia in 2026 on the occasion of the European Sport Platform.

Overall, the online meeting confirmed steady progress across all work packages and a strong shared commitment to enhancing youth participation in sport through coordinated action at local, national, and European levels.

The EUYouSport project brings together a diverse and experienced consortium of partners committed to strengthening youth participation in sport governance. The project is led by ENGSO Youth in collaboration with the European University Sports Association (EUSA), the Finnish Olympic Committee, OPES (Organizzazione Per l’Educazione allo Sport), German Sports Youth (Deutsche Sportjugend – dsj), the Confederação do Desporto de Portugal (Sport Confederation of Portugal), and the Cyprus Youth Council. 

The EUYouSport project is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

For more information, please see https://engsoyouth.eu/euyousport/