Video: Relive our Webinar on Engaging Youth in Sport for All
On 10 December, TAFISA hosted the webinar " Engaging Youth in Sport for All: Bridging the Gap, Building the Future ". The last Mission 2030 webinar series for the year 2025 gathered the registration of over 500 professionals interested in exploring strategies that organizations can adopt to create opportunities for youth to take on leadership roles and be included in decision-making procedures.
The insightful debate was moderated by Tara Mannix, Moyross Sport and Physical Activity Hub Coordinator of the Limerick Sports Partnership. The webinar opened with the impulse of Arthur Garrido, Co-President of the European Youth Alliance in Sport's field (EYAS), who offered learnings from the creation of this young alliance as a response to better represent young people and help them get involved to create a unified voice.
The panel discussion followed the tone set in the impulse speech with contributions from Olena Kononchuk (Ukraine Active), Elena Mercedes Haro Lima (Power of Play), Jabu Mtwa (IOC Young Leader), Imane El Filali (TIBU Africa), and Lara Mayland (No Excuse Slovenia). In essence, panelists reinforced the need for addressing 3 streams of action:
Youth Empowerment in Decision-Making: real representation, not symbolic presence; legitimacy and meaning to their contribution; early involvement in decision-making; and transparent and accessible political education.
Inclusive Environments: institutions to be opened and demystified; engagement through peer-to-peer, non-hierarchical training; proactive outreach; and a real recognition of true engagement.
Strengthening Youth Leadership: bottom-up participation combined with top-down support; leverage on university alliances and governmental funding to boost skills and mobility; and encourage local, student-led projects that build tangible leadership.
You can watch the recorded webinar below or on YouTube.
Lastly, Masahiro Mori (Sasakawa Sports Foundation) and Guillaume Cobat (ANESTAPS) presented the REACH Project on behalf of the REACH Youth Task Force. The REACH Project is TAFISA's response to innovatively address this topic and unlock the potential that young individuals bring. This project advocates for a transformative shift in perspective, emphasizing the importance of engaging youth as beneficiaries, active collaborators, and leaders in shaping the future of Sport for All. REACH is a call for sport organizations and senior administrators to address this renovation and take accountability for their role in supporting youth through dedicated mentorship, concrete collaboration, and accommodating opportunities.
Following this Intro, the REACH Youth Task Force Members presented their 9 Sport for All initiatives expected to be implemented in 2026 through the funding of the Erasmus+ Program.
Webinar Speakers:
Tara Mannix | Moyross Sport and Physical Activity Hub Coordinator - Limerick Sports Partnership, (LinkedIn)
Jabu Mtwa | IOC Young Leader - International Olympic Committee (LinkedIn)
Imane El Filali | Deputy Director of the Territorial Deployment and International Cooperation Division - TIBU Africa, imane.elfilali@tibu.ma (LinkedIn)
Save the date of our next webinar, "Partnering Researchers, Practitioners, and Policymakers: Advancing Sport for All Together", in February 2026. We look forward to another enlightening and enthusiastic conversation.
