A look into the past and a strategy for the future of LGBTIQ+ sport movement in Europe

During the Annual General Assembly of EGLSF, held in Antwerp (Belgium), the opening conference hosted the workshop "GRASSROOT DEVELOPMENT, a look into the past and a strategy for the future of LGBTQI+ sport movement in Europe".

40 persons attended this dissemination event of the project “PLUSS - LGBTQI+ Policy and Leadership in Sport and Society”, funded by the Erasmus+ Sport programme and promoted by EGLSF.

The workshop specifically focused on the activities of the project in relation to the development of a strategy for growth and development of LGBTQI+ sport clubs, based on the new knowledge and learning acquired through the capacity building on membership, advocacy, events and governance, being the four strategic areas for the development of EGLSF members.

The PLUSS partners that delivered the trainings illustrated the content addressed, together with the main findings and conclusions shared by participants, followed by a group discussion on good practices and challenges.

The workshop was also the opportunity to explain how the PLUSS project will also focus on the past of the LGBTQI+ sport movement in Europe, through the research that the German Sport University of Cologne is conducting, with the aim of understanding the structures and processes of the development of LGBTQI+ clubs across Europe and of identifying what really works to help improve inclusion of LGBTQI+ people in and through sport in Europe.

The methods for this research are both qualitative interviews among key persons of PLUSS partners and a quantitative survey with all LGBTQI+ clubs across Europe.
The survey will be spread during summer 2024 among CEOs, heads, managers or presidents of those clubs and will collect the following information:

  • basic data about mission, services and membership;
  • challenges in the development of the club (e.g. to articulate common interest and aims, find facilities, composition of membership);
  • positive frames, constellations, supporters in the development of the club;
  • barriers, negative constellation in the development of the club.

Keep up to date through our social media, newsletter and the PLUSS dedicated section in the
EGLSF webpage! +PLUSS PROJECT - EGLSF.info