On July 14th, the EUSA Institute participated in three different project meetings hosted by the Hungarian University Sports Association in Miskolc, Hungary.

The first meeting was on Enhancing Sport Organisations and Management (ESOM). The main objective of the project is to strengthen management and event organisation in university sports by promoting learning, sharing experiences, and gaining new information and skills on key topics such as sports management, funding, communication, and other crucial areas.

Project partners had the opportunity to discuss the results of a survey regarding the practice of sport in different European countries based on various criteria such as gender, sport type, and funding sources.

Regarding funding, Ms Mariana Pikul, Project Manager from the University Association of Poland (AZS), shared her experiences with Erasmus+ projects, including the application procedures and provided information about the program.

Ms Mojca Rupert from the University of Ljubljana shared her experience organizing a student run in May and discussed her new partnership in the Fit4Green project, aimed at improving the green practices of events to limit environmental impact.

The Croatian Academic Sports Federation (CASF/HASS), represented by Mr Ivan Kaselj and Ms Marija Panijan, presented the report of the 2nd International Scientific Conference for a Healthy Academic Society to the project partners.

In conclusion, Andrej Pisl, Projects and Policy Manager of EUSA, presented the action plan with the next deliverables and the roles of the partners for the upcoming steps of the project implementation.

The ESOM project is led by the EUSA Institute (SLO), in partnership with national university sports associations: Croatian Academic Sports Federation – CASF/HASS (CRO), Hungarian University Sports Federation – HUSF/MEFS (HUN), Students Sports Association of Montenegro – SSAM/USSCG (MNE), Student Sports Association of the Netherlands (NED), University Sports Association of Poland – AZS (POL), Sports Students' Union of Ukraine – SSUU (UKR), and the University of Ljubljana – UL (SLO). The project is co-financed by the European Union.

For more information about ESOM, please visit esom.eusa.eu.

The second project meeting of the day on July 14th focused on Discovering University Sport and Supporting Dual Careers (DiscoverU). The DiscoverU project aims to improve sports and physical activity opportunities for students in higher education, addressing a larger student population. At the same time, it promotes and supports dual careers in higher education in the partnering countries.

The main goal of this project meeting was for partners to share the progress of different activities and agree on the next steps and deliverables for the upcoming months.

Prof. Laura Capranica, President of the European Athlete as Student (EAS), presented the objectives of the dissemination and communication plan. She provided advice on best practices for dissemination.

The partners concluded the meeting with a discussion on the various deadlines for implementing deliverables and dividing tasks to ensure timely completion.

The project is led by the EUSA Institute and includes two NGOs: EUSA and the European Athlete as Student network (EAS). National university sports bodies from Croatia (CASF/HASS), Hungary (HUSF/MEFS), and Poland (AZS), as well as the University of Salerno, are also involved.

For more information about DiscoverU, please visit discoveru.eusa.eu.

The last project meeting of the day focused on Youth Individual Sports Mindset (YouMind). The main aim of the project is to raise awareness about the importance of mental health in sports and to develop strategies to prevent mental health issues among young athletes.

Mr Vincenzo Cusati, a mental coach from CUS Salerno (ITA), presented his approach to helping athletes from a mental perspective. He explained the differences between sports coaching and life coaching, connecting it to personal present life. He also highlighted the crucial role of a mental coach and best practices for building a trusting relationship with athletes, such as avoiding judgment and asking open-ended questions. He concluded by presenting a list of 20 questions for preparing the next workshops. These questions helped partners brainstorm the creation of a questionnaire to better understand athletes' needs and expectations, aiming to tailor online sessions and workshops accordingly.

Within the project, Ms Alessia De Iulis, representing ENGSO Youth, led a workshop on the importance of mental health for young people. She provided key information on the prevalence of mental health issues among young people and discussed the benefits of sports for mental health. She also offered strategies for young people to promote mental well-being, emphasizing the importance of ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being within the grassroots sports sector.

YouMind is a two-year project funded by the European Union and coordinated by the EUSA Institute (SLO). Project partners include the EUSA Institute (SLO), ENGSO Youth (SWE), University of Miskolc Sports Club MEAFC (HUN), and CUS Salerno (ITA).

For more information about YouMind, please visit youmind.eusa.eu