Empowering women in sports: LEADERSHE’s first training course

In an exciting stride toward promoting leadership and empowerment among women in sports, the LEADERSHE project is gearing up to host training course in Belgrade, Serbia. This transformative 10-day program, which took place in October, aimed to equip young women facing challenges in sports, those with fewer opportunities and those aspiring to enhance their leadership skills with the tools they need to thrive.

The training course was carefully designed to cultivate essential leadership skills crucial for achieving excellence within a team setting. Participants were young women eager to overcome barriers in the world of sports, and the course provided a unique platform to foster their growth.

Key objectives and highlights of the training course:

Building leadership skills – the primary focus of the program was to empower participants with the leadership skills necessary to excel within a team, ultimately leading to improved performance and results.
Inclusivity – the LEADERSHE project prioritizes inclusivity, aiming to address the challenges faced by young women in sports. The training course aimed to create a sense of belonging and inclusion among all participants.
Decision-making and responsibility – promoting a culture of decision-making and responsibility-taking was a key goal of the course, ensuring that participants would be better equipped to navigate their sporting careers and personal lives.
Motivation and skill acquisition – the program incorporated motivational elements and encouraged participants to set and achieve small targets, a strategy proven to enhance the acquisition of new knowledge and skills.
Team building – teamwork is vital in sports, and this course emphasized the importance of fostering a collaborative atmosphere among participants. Building strong team dynamics was a key component of the training.
Practical experience – participants were given the opportunity to explore new sports for them, such as bowling and handball, enhancing their skill set and broadening their horizons. These practical experiences complemented the theoretical knowledge gained through workshops.
Soft skills development – beyond leadership, participants learned important soft skills like compassion, motivation, and conflict resolution, vital for personal and professional success.

This training course brought together 25 participants from five different organizations, uniting young women at various stages of their sports careers. By nurturing leadership, teamwork, and practical skills, the LEADERSHE training course aimed to empower these women to excel not only in sports but also in their broader personal and professional lives.