The big kick-off of SGS Regional Working Groups (RWGs)

The regional working groups in the topics related to the inclusion of LGBTQI communities into grassroots sports kicked off, and by now has already taken place in 5 countries. CSIT took part in a working group located in Austria, engaged into discussions and exchanged know-how with the participating local stakeholders.

The SGS - Sport for all Genders & Sexualities project, is co-funded by the European Union, aimed at advancing sports culture that is inclusive of all genders and sexual identities. The project seeks to promote an environment where individuals, regardless of their gender or sexual identity, can participate in sports.

As one of the tasks of this project, working groups on gender & sexual diversity in sport with relevant stakeholders were established in five European countries: Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. These groups consist of at least eight grassroots sports stakeholders including LGBTIQ individuals, sport club or teams, sport association or federation or umbrella sport associations, which will then exchange ideas and provide advice on the topic, discuss the aims and results of the project, as well as adapt them to the concrete needs of mass sport on the local level.

The Kick-off sessions of Regional Working Groups for Gender & Sexual Diversity in Sport took place in January 2023 to discuss the topic of gender and sexual diversity in sports. During this meeting, the respective working groups were presented with the best practices report with a case from their own countries as well as the other countries.

Generally, the main aims of the RWGs are to exchange and discuss the progress of SGS measures, receive overall relevant information regarding developments in the respective LGTBIQ in sports sector, provide feedback on concepts and materials, and identify clubs or sport federations willing to implement the pilot activities or become an implementing organization themselves.The RWGs will also adapt and adopt measures towards regional/national needs, serve as multipliers in the different fields, and support the dissemination of all products, including the survey and good practice. The groups will receive information on all main project outcomes and can provide consultation regarding the adaptation or transferability of the outcomes to the local context. Moreover, through these RWGs, the members themselves also benefit, as they have the chance to build their own network in the area of LGBTIQ, diversity and sports.

The working groups received a lot of interest also from the governmental side with the argument that establishing these RWGs is a crucial first step towards promoting inclusivity in sports and creating an environment where individuals of all genders and sexual identities feel comfortable participating in sports.

From the Kick-off, the regional working group meetings are planned to take place three times a year and every meeting will feature one topic in every detail.

Photo credits: fairplay Initiative



31. may 2023 / EU Projects News

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