Representatives of HAŠK Mladost participated in the Erasmus+ Sport project meeting YOULEAD – Developing Youth Leaders in Sport Governance, held on 23–24 June 2026 in Podgorica, Montenegro. The meeting was hosted by the University of Montenegro and the Balkan Institute for Science and Innovation, bringing together project partners from eight European countries.

Young People at the Centre of Sports Governance

The main focus of the meeting was to explore ways of increasing the participation of young people under the age of 30 in the governance of sports organisations, with particular emphasis on achieving greater gender balance and creating equal opportunities for young women and men in decision-making roles.

Partners presented the findings of national research conducted within their respective countries and analysed data collected from five sports organisations or federations in each participating country. The exchange of experiences enabled the consortium to compare the current situation across different national sports systems while identifying common challenges and opportunities for strengthening youth participation in sports governance.

Next Steps in the Project

The collected data will now be compiled and thoroughly analysed before being published as part of a project publication presenting the research findings and recommendations for increasing youth involvement in the governance of sports organisations. The results will also serve as the foundation for the next stages of the project, including the development of new tools and educational resources for sports organisations across Europe.

HAŠK Mladost’s Contribution

Representing the European Multisport Club Association (EMCA) within the project, Ines Jakopanec, Christoffer Bille Schulz and Bojan Mijatović attended the meeting on behalf of HAŠK Mladost.

By participating in the project meeting in Podgorica, HAŠK Mladost continues to actively contribute to European initiatives that promote meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes while strengthening young people’s competencies to become the next generation of leaders in sports organisations.

The YOULEAD – Developing Youth Leaders in Sport Governance project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Sport Programme and aims to empower young people to take on leadership roles while fostering more inclusive, diverse and sustainable governance across the European sports sector.