EUYOUSPORT project is bringing youth policy to sports with the goal of improving youth participation in sport governance
Building on the work ENGSO Youth has been developing in the area of youth participation, the European Youth and Sport Together (EUYOUSPORT) project aims to develop youth participation mechanisms within the decision-making processes of sports organisations. This initiative seeks to provide young people with meaningful opportunities to have their voices heard within the sport sector.
EUYOUSPORT is ENGSO Youth’s newest project, funded by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme (European Youth Together). It started on January 1, 2025, and will run for two years, concluding on December 31, 2026.
Sport, as a social activity, connects, engages, and empowers youth in ways that few other platforms can. However, young people are frequently excluded from decision-making processes, underrepresented in governing bodies, and their voices are often overlooked by policymakers when developing sport policies.
According to the Eurobarometer 545 survey on Youth and Democracy 2024, sports clubs are the preferred space for young people’s participation in society.
Additionally, an ENGSO Youth survey conducted in 2022 among its member organisations (National Olympic Committees and Sports Confederations) identified “youth development and involvement in sport” as the most important topic to address within European sport policy.
Building on these findings, the EUYOUSPORT project aims to integrate youth policy and best practices into the sport sector, promoting effective and meaningful youth participation in sport governance. The project will establish youth representation mechanisms (e.g. youth councils, committees, and boards) within governance structures and decision-making processes. It will also raise awareness and build the capacity of sport organisations to implement effective youth participation strategies through activities such as youth programmes, volunteering, peer education, and non-formal education through sport.
Specific Objectives
The EUYOUSPORT project has the following objectives:
To support the establishment of youth participation mechanisms in sport.
To create a network of European youth and sport organisations.
To deliver the European Youth and Sport Platform 2025 (EYSP25) as a flagship event bridging the youth and sport sectors.
To engage, empower, and connect European youth sport leaders.
To mainstream sustainability, social inclusion, and mental health issues in European and national youth and sport policies.
To raise awareness among young people about EU institutions, youth and sport policies, and relevant opportunities.
To provide learning mobility opportunities for young people with fewer opportunities.
To promote the EU’s common values and fundamental principles through sport and physical activity.
Consortium Organisations
The project consortium includes:
ENGSO Youth (Lead)
German Sports Youth (dsj)
EUSA Institute
Cyprus Youth Council
Portuguese Sports Confederation
OPES
Finnish Olympic Committee
Kick-Off Meeting
The project partners will officially launch the project in Frankfurt, Germany, on February 20-21, 2025, during the consortium’s first partner meeting.