AGON

AGON
CALL for COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP
ERASMUS PLUS PROGRAMME
DEADLINE: May, 14 2015

DEFINING THE CONTEXT AND THE NEEDS
Beneficiaries of the AGON project are students who are also competitive athletes.
The difficulty of combining sports activities, when performed at levels of excellence, with academic studies is endemic in the Italian and European territory in general. A small number of subjects actively engage to minimize the impact of this problem: among these CUS TORINO, which developed the AGON project years ago on a national scale, trying to offer a solution to combine competitive sport and academic studies.
Currently the Agon project already exists at national/regional level, but its potential international connections have not yet been fully realized. 14 worthy athletes (12 until 2013), with a remarkable sport and university curriculum, get access to a number of benefits including for example tuition fees, accommodation at university residences, food and /or conventions for meals (at university canteens). Prerequisite to take part in the project is to enroll in one of the 21 CUS Torino competitive teams.

The European Commission recently implemented its intentions (and actions) on the dual career of athletes, both in terms of planning as well as literature and dissemination of cultural assumptions. In particular, in November 2012, a policy document entitled “EU Guidelines on Dual Careers of Athletes” was published, a kick-off to support the development of professional sports starting from some shared views:
The role of national authorities in ensuring top athletes a high level education and provide adequate facilities for higher education, as well as a European recognition of their qualifications and athletic experience;
National authorities will also have to encourage the mobility of athletes and coaches through exchange programs, sort of "Erasmus Sports Programme".
Finally, the integration of professional athletes into the labor market at the end of their sporting careers will have to be ensured, taking into consideration the need to prepare young athletes to a "dual-career" and setting up local training centers to protect their moral, educational and professional interest.

GOALS
Thanks to the EU contribution, AGON can become a pilot project at European level capable of providing a prototype of Erasmus Sports Programme which, taking the move from the current Italian experience, can widen the fallout in territorial terms but above all expand the opportunities of interaction among the different parties involved, and the impact on individual beneficiaries.
The overall goal is, therefore, to promote the dual career of athletes, in particular by supporting the implementation of the European guidelines.

SPECIFIC GOALS:
creation of a European network in the dual-career field and improve synergies between local, regional, national and international policies;
development and exchange of good practices in the field of dual careers of athletes;
increase the human and social capital of young athletes;

EXPECTED OUTCOME:
realization of a shared document which may implement an Erasmus Sport Programme prototype;
experimental realization of a new model that facilitates dual career;
strengthening of the cooperation with local partners of the Project Leader;
creation of a European network of partners in order to facilitate the subsequent developments of the project.

ACTIVITIES
The actions of the project are organized in two different moments:
the first part will start in February 2016 and will end in August 2016.
The academic year 2016-2017 will be affected.
the second part will start in September 2016 and will end in July 2017.

First Part - Collaborative Partnership Italian Stakeholder (CoPIS)
Series of meetings between the partners to define the paradigm of innovative practices.
Meetings will focus on:
a phase of study: survey and interviews on the expectations and needs of young student athletes;
brainstorming, workshops and /or other training sessions with coaches from different disciplines and universities focused on the conciliation of study and trainings;
organization, definition and validation of the selection criteria; analysis of the the labor market, both from the territorial point of view as well as of the supply and demand matching;
analysis of the usability of skills acquired in the discipline practiced and the professionalism developed;
identification of companies, organizations and stakeholders for internship experience.

Following this planning phase, the process of selection of participants will take place and the second part of the project, characterized by a high level of efficacy, will start.

Second part: - Experience and Experimental (ExEx)

selection of 25 athletes based on sports and studies merit (5 athletes for 5 disciplines at least);
choice of university courses and competitive sport practiced;
signed agreement between the student and the Project Leader for both the study and sport cycle;
Sports and university activities will be developed, providing flexibility of exam sessions (special exam sessions and other modes defined in the agreements and/or together with the teachers, such as oral exams via internet), presence of an academic tutor and/or student tutors (if required), and other support to attain the best academic work (such as, for example, online meetings with teachers, recovery of the missed lessons in agreement with the teachers, etc. );
internships in companies based in the Project Leader or partner countries;
sports activities, ensuring a collaboration (sports internship) at the club where the competitive activity takes place, in support of the coaches of youth sports and volunteer experience (participation in at least one event);
psychological and motivational support;
internship for subsequent career to enhance academic and competitive skills;
if the student - athlete decides to return to his/her country, it should be possible to continue the competitive activity, and have academic credits and skills acquired in non-formal contexts recognized (EU Model for Skills Certificate)

ELEMENTS OF ECCELLENCE:
Elements of significant interest appear to be some items subordinate to the various activities mentioned above; in particular, we expect a significant impact on the territory in terms of hospitality, attractiveness; inclusion and research of job opportunities in the sport field will be developed, enabling the entire network of partnerships already existing and implementing it in a perspective of profitable interest.

BENEFICIARIES
College students who practice sport at competitive level
PARTNERS are identified between:

Universities
Associations and Sports Fedetations
Student Associations
Public or private entities in general that provide services for students

Role of the partners

identification and recruitment of 5 student -athletes available to participate in the experimental stage;
willingness to participate in the first phase of the study ( ie: availability for meetings between the partners and to carry out analysis on the identified issues, to make observations, cooperation in the realization of documents, etc... ) ;
guarantee to the student – athlete the continuation of the competitive activity if he/she decides to return to his/her country;
restitution of the experience before the preparation of the final report.

BUDGET
The EU, through the Erasmus Plus, funds interventions up to 500,000 €, regardless of the duration of the project. A cofounding of 20% of the sum is requested (of which at least € 70,000 will come from UniTo, PoliTo, SUISM and Edisu, taking into account enrolment fees, board and accommodation) plus at least another 20,000 € charged to Cus Torino for the use of structures, facilities, equipment.

CONTACTS:

CUS TORINO
Via Braccini 1 – 10141 Torino
Tel. +39 011 388 3097
Website: www.custorino.it
Mail: progetti.eu@custorino.it