At the very start of the MBA and SilverHoops basketball camps, organized by Mamut 2018, a special workshop perfectly blended education and sport. On Friday, 2 August 2025, at Hotel Srebrno Jezero in Serbia, the DIASPORTCAMP project — co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Sport programme — brought together around thirty coaches and support staff from Serbia, Croatia, and Romania for a hands-on workshop on managing diabetes in sport.

Knowledge from the workshop: how to support athletes with diabetes

The session was led by project coordinator Saša Ćirić and Jovana Živić from the organization Plavi Krug, a specialist in diabetes and youth work. The aim of the workshop was to help coaches better understand the needs of children and young people living with diabetes and to create a safe and inclusive environment for training and competition.

Through an interactive approach, participants learned how to properly monitor blood sugar levels before, during, and after training; how to recognise early signs of hypoglycaemia during physical activity; and how to adapt the training pace, breaks, and nutrition so that every athlete can perform at their best—regardless of medical challenges.

A strong focus was placed on real-life situations from everyday coaching. Trainers had the opportunity to ask questions, practise responses, and rehearse protocols in a safe environment—so they could apply them as early as their next session.

During an open discussion, several coaches raised questions about applying for future Erasmus+ Sport calls and how other clubs have used EU co-funding to improve inclusion. Saša Ćirić gave a brief overview of how to join Small-Scale Partnership projects and encouraged participants to explore other opportunities like mobility and capacity-building under the Erasmus+ programme.

Participants rated the workshop as extremely useful. An anonymous evaluation showed a high level of satisfaction and readiness to implement what they had learned in their daily coaching work.

When education ends, collaboration begins

After the educational session, participants gathered for an informal networking lunch, where representatives from Mamut 2018, HAŠK Mladost, and MP Sport connected, exchanged experiences, and began planning new joint steps for creating even safer and more inclusive camps.

This workshop was yet another confirmation that knowledge and sport go hand in hand and that educating coaches can make a real difference in the lives of young athletes. DIASPORTCAMP is not just about ideas on paper, it’s about real, lasting change on the field.