Following the European Youth Training Academy in Rome in October 2024, the 16 SPIN Youth Coordinators have returned to their respective countries and established Youth Panels with young participants (age 15-27) of diverse backgrounds to explore ways to make sport more inclusive. The first of two key activities in that respect is an action research that provides more insights into potential barriers and enablers of sport participation for this target group.

In each of the participating countries (Ausrtia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Finland, The Netherlands, and Portugal), different aspects of the subject are being researched. From socio-economic barriers to sports participation to specifically vulnerable ethnic groups to conflict reconciliation, the research projects reflect a broad range issues. Youth Coordinators and their Panel members are working autonomously under the guidance of their respective project partners, bringing the project’s principle of youth co-creation to life.

Over the course of the coming weeks, each action research will be further developed, conducted, and finally presented to a sport stakeholder of relevance, eg. a local sports club, an association, or a municipality, all actors of change for more sport inclusion of youth with diverse background.

The results of each research project will inform the next phase in the SPIN Youth project: developing youth-led action plans that implement activities and measures that shall promote the overall objective. These plans will be designed and coordinated in close cooperation with sport stakeholders chosen by each Youth Panel and piloted during the European Week of Sport in September 2026. The following chart illustrates the next steps in the SPIN Youth Project. Stay tuned for the publication of the results of the action research around the end of April/beginning of May.