Sport Skills for Youth Work

The “Sport Skills for Youth Work” Erasmus+ training course was held in Messina, Sicily, Italy, hosted by The Cave organization. The project brought together 27 youth workers, trainers, and leaders from Italy, Turkey, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Macedonia, Poland, and Romania.

The program, held from June 4th to 12th, addressed sport not only as a physical activity but also as an effective learning tool for social change, personal development, community cohesion, and active citizenship.

During the eight-day training, participants engaged in hands-on activities based on non-formal education. Sport was used in the context of values ​​transmission, leadership skills development, conflict management, teamwork, and creating inclusive youth activities.

One of the key outcomes of the project was the creation of a sports activity toolkit designed to be accessible to all young people with diverse physical abilities and cultural backgrounds. Participants enhanced their skills in conducting more effective and inclusive youth activities in their local communities by sharing best practices.

The training course also fostered intercultural dialogue, professional development, and international cooperation. Participants worked together in a shared living environment, strengthening mutual understanding and solidarity through events such as cultural evenings.

At the end of the project, participants gained innovative methods contributing to the development of the 8 core competencies documented by Youthpass; they returned to their institutions with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to use sport as a powerful tool for social inclusion and active citizenship.