SPIDER: DESIGNING LOCAL SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT NETWORKS

Duration: 1/12/2025 - 30/11/2028

Project objectives

The SPIDER project aims to strengthen the role of sport as a powerful tool for youth empowerment, social inclusion, and community development.  The project seeks to create sustainable ecosystems that support young people through sport-based initiatives by building stronger collaboration between local stakeholders.

Key objectives include:

• Empower young people by increasing access to quality Sport for Development (S4D) programmes at the local community level.
• Develop a Local S4D Ecosystem Concept that connects sports clubs, schools, youth organisations, municipalities, and social services.
• Train professionals from different sectors to become Active Neighbourhood Champions, capable of initiating and coordinating local S4D initiatives.
• Strengthen collaboration and knowledge exchange between organisations working in sport, youth work, education, and social inclusion.
• Support grassroots organisations to align their activities with European policies and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Activities

The project will implement a series of collaborative, training, and knowledge-sharing activities across Europe. The project focuses on building practical skills, testing innovative approaches, and strengthening local cooperation.

Main activities include:

• Co-creating a Local S4D Ecosystem framework that helps organisations analyse local social contexts and design targeted youth empowerment initiatives.
• Developing a multilingual blended training programme combining online learning, workshops, and peer-to-peer exchange.
• Establishing a virtual learning hub with educational resources, tools, and case studies for professionals working with sport and youth.
• Organising 10 pilot training courses to train Active Neighbourhood Champions in partner countries.
• Hosting regional Sport for Development seminars to share best practices and engage a wider network of stakeholders.
• Testing, validating, and improving the project methodology through feedback from participants and local organisations.

Expected results

The SPIDER project will generate long-term benefits for professionals, organisations, and young people across Europe by strengthening local capacities and partnerships.

Expected results include:

• Training at least 100 Sport for Development professionals through the pilot training courses.
• Reaching hundreds of organisations and practitioners through seminars, consultations, and knowledge-sharing activities.
• Establishing new cross-sector partnerships between sport organisations, schools, youth centres, and community stakeholders.
• Creating a sustainable training programme and learning hub that can continue supporting professionals beyond the project duration.
• Improving the quality, effectiveness, and impact of local S4D initiatives, particularly those targeting disadvantaged or underrepresented youth.
• Contributing to stronger European collaboration in using sport to promote health, education, social inclusion, and civic engagement.

Partners

• SPIN Sport Innovation (Germany)
• Mundus Bulgaria (Bulgaria)
• Fachhochschule Salzburg (Austria)
• Thrive Institute (Netherlands)
• Diputacion Provincial de Malaga (Spain)
• Universidad de Malaga (Spain)
• Takt Skopje (North Macedonia)
• Ericeira Surf Club (Portugal)

* 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.