“Sport and Thought, Football as Therapy” International Training Program for youth workers

Sport and Thought programme works with very hard to reach adolescents experiencing both emotional and behavioural difficulties deemed to be high risk of permanent school exclusion. Sport and Thought is a way of working with adolescents that fuses the sport of football and psychodynamic theory to create a space to encourage thought. Acting as a catalyst to promote emotional and behavioural change.
The project aims at equipping participants (e.g. youth workers, coaches, volunteers, etc) with competences and methods inspired by the Sport & Thought methodology. Specific objectives of the project are:
- transfer the S&T methodology to partner organizations;
- share experiences and best practices between partners;
- support personal and professional development of youth workers participants

S&T International Training Program consists of a 3-days transnational training course on S&T model. The Program uses practical approach based on experiential learning and practical participation to S&T sessions in classroom and on pitch. The working method is dynamic, with group discussions and practical sessions, in order to assure the active participation of trainees. Main subjects of the training course are:
- Understanding the concept of Sport and Thought model
- S&T ethos and main principles
- Observation of S&T practical classroom group discussion
- Observation of S&T practical football session
- Group discussion
- How to set up the S&T model in home country

The project work plan is structured as follows:
- WP1 Project management
- WP2 Training Mobility Action in London
- WP3 Communication and dissemination
The Learning Mobility Action within WP 2 will have a duration of 5 days: 2 travel days + 3 work days.

Partnership:
- Coordinator: Sport and Thought (UK);
- Partners already involved: sport clubs and no-profit association from Italy, Bulgaria, Spain.

Partners’ role: sending organisation: in charge of sending youth workers in UK (this includes: organising practical arrangements; preparing participants before departure; providing support to participants during all the phases of the project).