The FEMCoach project focuses on the Erasmus+ Sport initiative for collaborative partnerships, specifically addressing the goal of encouraging participation in sport and physical activity. It aligns with the Council Recommendation on health-enhancing physical activity, EU Physical Activity Guidelines, and the Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle. The project aims to enhance social inclusion through sport, especially for marginalized groups, by targeting female coaches in line with the Recommendations and action plan from the High-Level Group on Gender Equality in sport (2022).
The project involves a consortium of organizations from various sectors and countries, such as Universities, Olympic Committees, Non-Governmental Organizations, and Sport Organizations. This collaboration enables the project to fulfill the objectives of Cooperation Partnerships, including building the capacity of organizations to work transnationally and across sectors, and addressing common needs and priorities in education, training, youth, and sport. In this case, the focus is on the education of female youth sport coaches.
The overarching goal of the FEMCoach project is to promote healthy female youth sport by developing coaches’ competences. It provides learning opportunities for female youth sport coaches to acquire appropriate skills in different areas of intervention. The project aligns with the Recommendations and action plan from the High-Level Group on Gender Equality in sport (2022), emphasizing equal opportunities for women and men in sports, including access to facilities, funding, training, and career development.
The project recognizes the sedentary behavior of most youth, highlighting the importance of meeting current physical activity guidelines for their health and well-being. Investing in adolescent health and well-being, particularly increasing physical activity, is crucial for achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The project emphasizes the need for a youth-friendly physical activity initiative, considering the physical environment, social environment, and personal experience. Sports clubs and coaches play a key role in facilitating youth involvement in physical activity, aligning with the Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle and EU Physical Activity Guidelines, which stress the unique potential of sports organizations in health promotion and prevention. The guidelines also advocate for sports organizations to provide activities and events attractive to everyone.
The project coordinator is UNIVERSIDADE DE TRAS-OS-MONTES E ALTO DOURO, who will collaborate with 8 partners for the implementation of the program. Project consortium consists of 5 groups of partners:
- High education institutions: University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (Portugal), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece), Universitat de Girona (Spain), Universidad del País Vasco/ Euskal Herriko Uniber (Spain)
- National Olympic Committee: Comité Olímpico Cabo-Verdiano (Cape Verde)
- Sports Policy and Governance: Institute for Sport Governance (Poland)
- Sports for all: Association sport for all Serbia (Serbia)
- Youth sport provider: Associação para a Formação e Desenvolvimento Desportivo (Portugal)
