Nordplus projects

Advances in technology have provided new possibilities for coaches to improve their coaching modalities. Overall, this digitalization process was and is strongly necessary during the Covid-19 pandemic period, in which coaches are challenged in changing their regular coaching ways towards new modalities including technologies. Home-based activities supervised by coaching staff through the use of web-based platforms or video-based lessons have been an important factor since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic to maintain the physical activity level and continuing monitor, and increasing sport performance.

Moreover, the use of technologically advanced coaching methodologies could increase the coach-athlete and between-athlete interactions trying to keep the social aspect of coaching. Furthermore, newly created apps might play a crucial role in monitoring athlete sport activities and the coaching process, and in turn potentially increase athlete and coaches’ motivation. Their motivation can also be enhanced through the use of new form of technologies such as virtual reality, mixed reality, augmented reality, exergaming, which can offer new form of interactive training that can be included into the traditional coaching process. While strengthening the Nordic-Baltic Sports Coaching network we look for new partners to be involved and enhance the knowledge of young and more experienced coaches. In last  few periods of the projects, the Network focused on the development of coaching skills and competences by creating new study modules, and practical courses embracing several aspects of the coaching process including psychological, social, pedagogical and methodological areas. Overall, the digitalization process can be considered as a facilitator to increase all the above-mentioned areas in the coaching process.

However, the use of digitalization is quite challenging for coaches for many potential reasons: 1) education attained long time ago; 2) differences in the needs and skills of modern-day athletes and kids compared to previous generations; 3) between-coaches difference in technological competences; 4) the ability to manage the huge amount of information received by new technological tools. These are important topics to be considered in sports coaching, which can help coaches to update their knowledge and advance in their everyday work. Therefore, the aim of this project is to have a full understanding of the coaching knowledge and expectation about digitalization for the coaching process, and to offer scientifically-based knowledge about digitalization opportunities in the coaching process through the creation of new shared e-learning modules and theoretical, as well as practical seminars for Nordic Baltic countries.

The project duration is three years. Activity period 09/2022 – 06/2025

Total budget is 186 050 EUR

The amount funded by Nordplus: 92 940 EUR

2022

Minutes November 28-30
Programme Kaunas meeting

Coordinator:

Project Partners:

Nordic-Baltic physical activity (PA) network defined the typical features of schoolyards in different countries through the previous project (NPHZ-2017/10130). Results demonstrated that schoolyard
design and facilities are characterized by flat terrain covered mostly with asphalt and artificial cover and dominated by sports field of international standards which is of limited use apart from physical education (PE) lessons, but pupils prefer vegetation, comfort, and versatility in schoolyards. PA and outdoor activities are reduced to a minimum, due to pandemic and huge use of IT items and education from home. Preliminary scientific data reveals dramatic decrease in PA and increase in sedentary behaviors of schoolchildren due to COVID-19 pandemic effect. The idea of this project in cross sectorial cooperation between universities and schools from Estonia, Iceland, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Norway, as well as interested stakeholders will be to develop unique learning and educational environments to reduce sedentary time and increase physical literacy of schoolchildren. The benefit of the project will be for pre-service and in-service PE teachers to gain an innovative approach in theoretical and practical skills as well as to enhance attractive, interdisciplinary education possibilities in schoolyards, respect for nature and surroundings, pupils’ PA and well-being. It is a need to promote outdoor affordances for teaching and learning to support sustainable development in the Nordic-Baltic countries. The aim of this project is to develop and provide recommendations how schoolyards affordances can be used in an authentic and supportive environment for educating physically literate and active schoolchildren in era of digitalization, to develop open platform for primary school teachers, physical educators to share good practice and innovative ideas.

The project duration is three years. Activity period 09/2021 – 06/2024
Total budget is 164 320 EUR
The amount funded by Nordplus: 82 160 EUR

2024 Intensive program

Meeting video

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Intensive course program and detailed instructions for the tasks

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2023

Meeting in latvia MINUTES

Minutes October 23-26_2023_Iceland

Program Latvija

Program October 23-26

2022

2022-03-01 Online meeting

2022-03-01 Program Latvija

2022-06-08-10 Program

2022-11-16-17 SAPLACED meeting Tartu_Minutes

2022-11-15-18 Tartu meeting programme

2021

2021-11-08 Minutes Online meeting

2021-11-08 Online meeting programme

The main purpose of the project is to create a Sportpreneurship network between HE institutions (HEI) and Sport organization (SO) in Nordic and Baltic countries, which will provide teaching for students during Sportpreneurship workshops using smart technologies and innovative educational platform. Project activities will strengthen and develop Nordic and Baltic cooperation on education; reap the benefits of and promote innovative processes in education through the systematic exchange of experiences and good practices; develop the co-operation between education (HEI) and labour market (SO) to fulfill the needs and gaps in the field of sport management.

The project is carried out by 9 partners: 5 HE institutions from Lithuania, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Latvia that provide education focusing on sport management and entrepreneurship and 4 Sport organisations with an expertise on a field of the project.

This project will create new cooperation between these institutions, give the students a possibility to participate in multinational project and enhance their skills in the field of international sport management.

The participating institutions will benefit by gaining new teaching materials, international experience and new innovative pedagogical methods. As a result this cooperation will enhance the knowledge of each participant, develop a pilot Sportpreneurship HUB in one of the HEI’s to further develop entrepreneurship amongst sport management, and expand the exchange between the institutions.

The project duration is 3 years. Activity period 09/2020 – 08/2023.

Total budget is 129 902 Eur.

The amount funded by Nordplus: 55 000 Eur.

Project activities will be carried out for 3 years.

1st YEAR.

October/November, 2020. Kick off meeting (1.5 day) in Kaunas, Lithuania to exchange good practices of education in the field of sport management in different project partner countries, as well as discuss the development of the content of study material for students and guidelines for mentors from HE institutions and sport organisations, selection criteria and procedures for students that will be selected for Sportpreneurship workshop, the use of workshops as a background for developing or establishing Sportpreneurship HUB in HE partner organisation.

December, 2020. On-line discussion about the preparation of the learning material (theory) and cases/practical assignments for the upcoming pilot workshop. Selection of students for participation in pilot Sportpreneurship workshop in Finland.

January/March 2021. Preparation of the learning material (theory) and cases/practical assignments in English language and upload on Moodle platform.

April/May, 2021. Pilot Workshop in Finland. During the workshop mentors together with students will cover such topics as Idea Pitch for Smart and Sustainable Business; Defining Target Customer & Value Proposition for Sport Business through Engagement; Product and Competitive Advantage in Sport Business; Sport Business Models, Pricing, and Go To Market; Financing & Strategy (further Sportpreneurship Workshop).

June, 2021. Selection of students for participation in Sportpreneurship workshop in Latvia.

June/July, 2021. Each student’s team will have up to 2 months to develop and present Sustainable & Smart Sport Business Model in video format and upload it on Moodle platform.

November, 2020 – August, 2021. Dissemination of project activities in each partner organisation and country.

2nd YEAR. 

September, 2021. Each partner from HE institution will renew the learning material after the pilot workshop.

October/November, 2021. Sportpreneurship Workshop (3 days) will be organized in Latvia.

December, 2021. Selection of students for participation in Sportpreneurship workshop in Sweden.

December, 2021/January, 2022. Each student’s team will have up to 2 months to develop and present Sustainable & Smart Sport Business Model in video format and upload it on Moodle platform.

January, 2022. On-line meeting with the project partners to exchange experience from education, discuss the benefits of dissemination, mentoring for students from the field of sport management.

April/May, 2022. Sportpreneurship Workshop in Sweden. The students will be

June, 2022. Selection of students for participation in Sportpreneurship workshop in Norway.

June/July, 2022. Each student’s team will have up to 2 months to develop and present Sustainable & Smart Sport Business Model in video format and upload it on Moodle platform.

November, 2021 – August, 2022. Dissemination of project activities in each partner organisation and country.

3rd YEAR. 

September, 2022. On-line meeting with the project partners to exchange experience from education, discuss the benefits of dissemination, mentoring for students from the field of sport management.

October/November, 2022. Sportpreneurship Workshop in Norway.

December, 2022/January, 2023. Each student’s team will have up to 2 months to develop and present Sustainable & Smart Sport Business Model in video format and upload it on Moodle platform.

January, 2023. Selection of the 2 students representatives from each workshop (Finland, Latvia, Sweden and Norway) to participate at a seminar organised in Lithuania.

April/May, 2023. Seminar in Lithuania. During the seminar, all participants will share the experience, good practice and will develop insights for future international Sportpreneurship workshops for students from the field of sport management. The representatives from Sport organisations will share the gained added value for their organisation implementing sustainable and smart sport business. As the result, the recommendations and guidelines for the development or establishment of Sportpreneurship HUB.

June, 2023. On-line meeting with the project partners to discuss the benefits of dissemination and preparation of the final project report.

November, 2022 – August, 2023. Dissemination of project activities in each partner organisation and country.

COORDINATOR:  

Lithuanian Sports University (LT-LSU)

Team: Irena Valantine, Inga Staskeviciute-Butiene, Zivile Antanaityte and Arturas Simanavicius.

PARTNERS: 

Molde University College – Specialized University in Logistics (NO-HiMolde)

Team: Christos Anagnostopoulos

JAMK University of Applied Sciences (FI-JAMK)

Team: Aila Ahonen and Osmo Laitila

Latvian Academy of Sport Education (LV-LASE)

Team: Signe Luika

LT-Sport management association (LT)

Team: Edvinas Eimontas

Malmö University (SE)

Team: Karin Book and Thomas Perrson

Malmö Idrottsakademi (SE)

Team: Niklas Harris

Skåne Sport Federation (SE)

Team: Patrik Karslsson and Peter Tallinger

National Athletes Association (LT)

Team: Vaida Zusinaite

Training Material on Moodle Platform

Social media link: https://www.instagram.com/sportpreneurship/

Project number: NPHZ-2019/10042
European Sport Coaching Framework, co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of EU contributed a lot to coach training and emphasized that coach’s role is not just to teach technical skills, but also to educate and promote values, solidarity and respect, a coach is a person who is closely related to young generation and can effectively contribute to a better and more inclusive society. Thus the development of coaching and coaches becomes very important to meet the needs of athletes and participants. Coaches’ development should be athlete centered and include not only professional skills, but social, psychological, pedagogical, communicative as well as be updated with innovative methods and modern technologies to be used in his/her daily life. So the purpose of the project is to create an online module for coaches that could help them to correspond to the needs of the innovative society and develop, motivate children and youth to be active during their life span. Nordic-Baltic sports coaching network has been active for many years, the joint work with sport federations, associations, sports schools will help to look deeper into this problem and help educational institutions to develop sufficient module. Different expertise and knowledge of the participants will be very much supportive to reach the aim of the project. Coach works with an increasingly diverse population and faces heightening demands from their athletes, parents, administrators and fans. Even in voluntary position, coach is required to fulfill a variety of roles: educator, guide, sport psychologist and business manager; in top level coaching he is asked to emphasize positive interaction and overall development of athletes. In this digital age, the public has greater access to information that increases visibility to a larger community. Coaching community consists of volunteer coaches, part-time paid coaches and full-time coaches, so we aim to fill in this gap of blended coaching occupational area by unifying the efforts of different Nordic-Baltic educational and non-educational institutions. This cross-sectoral cooperation will enhance and strengthen the efforts as well as enlarges possibilities to reach the purpose of the project. Partners from educational and non-educational institutions will contribute greatly to the dissemination of the project as it will receive a wider approach as well as cover wider areas of participants. Thus visits to places of practice will strengthen the network’s partners understanding and combination of theory and practice, will lead to update information to be used in a module as well as bring great significance in developing coaches competences for future generations in Nordic and Baltic States.

Project lasts three years: from 2019 September – till 2022 June

The total fund: 117,478 EUR

The fund was approved for 50% – 58.570 EUR

Mainly we have chosen the workshops for gathering all actors of the project for discussion and sharing the parts and activities to go for a sufficient achievement of the aim. Seminars are mostly meant for gathering not only partners, but also participants – coaches in our case to deliver and give updated knowledge as well as include them into discussion and analyses. For testing and gaining experience an intensive course will be organized for coaches to receive the maximum of it.

First year activities:

2019 – November/December. Workshop 1. Project networking organizing group, presentations, discussion of future plans and sharing the parts of a plan. Lithuania.

2019 – December. Results, minutes and establishment of the website. Plans for the coming seminar – on-line discussion.

2020 – February/March. Seminar for partner institutions, exchange of experience and presentations of study programmes, analyses, planning a draft course.

Finland 2020 – April. Dissemination of the seminar and overview of analyses results in partner countries. On-line communication and website development.

Second year activities:

2020 – November/December. Workshop 2. Project networking organizing group. Discussion about the pilot course arrangements and design of the course programme.

Latvia. 2021 – January/February. Pilot course presentation and final approval. Tasks for on-line activities before the course is presented. Denmark.

2021 – May/June. 2-day seminar for working coaches and lecturers. Lithuania.

2021 – June. Dissemination of the results. Development of the website. On-line discussion.

Third year activities:

2021 – October/November. Dissemination and website development. Exchange of experience in creating an online module. Summing up the results of the seminar for coaches. Online-discussion.

2021 – December. Workshop 3. Project networking organizing group. The arrangements and designing of the module. Discussion about future of the project. Finland.

2022 – March/April. Seminar for testing the online-module. Coaches, lectures. Lithuania.

2022 – May. Dissemination. Website development and on-line discussions. Final arrangements of the online module. Online discussion.

2022 – June. Final Workshop 4. Project networking organizing group. Finland. Programme of the final study module, final report of the project.

COORDINATOR:

PARTNERS:

The main idea of the project is to continue the development of the project Nordic-Baltic Physical Activity Bridges (2014-2017) and strengthen the network of educational and non- educational institutions, which are responsible for physical activity enhancement at different levels of human life – span as well as promoting human health without medicine. The most important accent should be put on primary and secondary schoolchildren‘s physical activity to have a future strong and healthy generation. We are facing with a lot of challenges in everyday life – IT technologies, urban growth, prevailing sedentary life and physical inactivity, a new approach to refugees for enhancement of their physical activity forces educators to look at this problem from many  points and one of it is indoor and outdoor environment as well as cultural habits to use it.

Nordic-Baltic partners obtained a lot of experience and knowledge about the usage of environment at kinder gardens, schoolyards, neighbourhood, and community centres. The situation is very different and mostly is effected by cultural aspects of the population. Nordic countries have great traditions for outdoor activities due to climate, surroundings, layout of the countryside as well as deep traditions of family involvement in physical activity.

Cross–sectorial cooperation will be strengthened among schools; schoolchildren care centres, Universities, associations, communities and Municipality in mapping movement environmental affordances and expanding in-service and future physical educator’s competences, enhancing physical literacy of citizens:

1. To carry out needs analyses by involving all actors of the project to have a more vivid view as well as to enlarge physical activity possibilities for the users.
2. The experience exchange seminars among students, PE teachers and community representatives about the barriers and motives in promoting active lifestyle.
3. The implementation of knowledge, skills, methodology, current recommendations and guidelines as well as best practices among Project actors at workshops and practical sessions, at peer coaching and short–time internships abroad.
4. To develop the module and recommendations and offer it at community centres, schoolchildren care centres, Municipalities and Governmental consideration.
5. To strengthen a cross–sectoral Network of Nordic-Baltic PE teachers, students, community centres, PE association and combine educational communication with non–educational sectors to disseminate and implement good practice as well as experience in decreasing physical inactivity.

The combined knowledge through cross sectorial cooperation will help to enhance the development of the education model, enrich the skills and competences of project participants and emphasise environmental approach while promoting physical activity for children and youth in strengthening their health and well-being.

Project lasts three years: from 2017 September – till 2020 June

The total fund: 158 640 EUR

The fund was approved for 50% – 77 240 EUR from Nordplus Horizontal Network

First year activities:

Organizing meeting, October, 2017

The aim: To strengthen the network and to organize January meeting activities, new partner presentations. (Lithuania).

Online discussion, October–December, 2017

Establishing Network website and disseminating the results of organizing meeting, deciding on a workshop place.

Workshop, January, 2018

The aim: Sharing of experience, developing protocol of needs analyses and defining action plan for data collection in participating countries. (Latvia).

Online discussion, January–June, 2018

The tasks: Data collection and discussion via skype, dissemination of the results.

Second year activities:

Organizing meeting, October, 2018

The aim: Analyses of collected data. Presentations of the results of every country and deciding of the place of the second year seminar and dissemination of the results. (Estonia).

Online discussion, October–December, 2018

The aim:  Data Analysis and production of innovating material for designing of study module.

Seminar for lecturers and students. April, 2019

The aim: Pilot seminar for PA teachers (in- service and students) and presentation of data as well as the development of professional competencies. (Norway).

Online discussion, April – June, 2019

To disseminate the results and share experience, to make a plan on future study module as well as recommendations.

Third Year activities:

Online discussion, September–October, 2019

Discussion on final design of the study module.

Organizing meeting, November, 2019

The aim: The final design of the study module and tasks for the students.

Intensive programme, January, 2020

Programme for exchange of experience and implementation of the project results.(Lithuania).

Online discussion, January–April, 2020

The aim: Collecting, exchange and publishing course material, dissemination of the course results, translations.

Workshop, May, 2020

Summing up: Dissemination of the results, summary of the project and plans for future cooperation and continuity of the project. (Iceland).

COORDINATOR:

PARTNERS:

The main idea of the project is the continued development of the Nordic-Baltic Coach training network, which was established in 2009 and has been expanded via two key projects “NB Coach Training Network” and “Coaching through Generations”. Focus will be on Sports Coaching in children and youngsters, and emphases will be put on exercise training – including effective approaches to a sound development of the athlete. Exercise training is understood as a tool to reach sports results, to participate at all levels of competitions, and to be a high level sportsman. The aim is to develop talented children and youngsters as well as optimize the quality of daily training, with the aim to equip individuals with the physiological and psychosocial skills allowing them to successfully make the transitions that are inherent in a sport career. The task for the coach is to prepare the person to an optimal sports career without damaging his or her overall quality of life and rounded personal development. To reach this aim the coach should be familiar with the latest research results, to deal with relevant testing, and to be in close cooperation with successful coaches and researchers. Cooperation between universities and sports confederations will help reaching better results in developing study programs, optimizing the education of young coaches, and enhancing the competences of all actors within the project. Adopting an ecological perspective will inspire coaches, sports organizations and sports psychology practitioners to look beyond the individual athlete and focus on the developing and maintaining environments that underpin athlete’s development.

There are many prerequisites to be a successful sportsman, but it’s essential to develop age related skills in children and youngsters, to be trained by coaches, who are familiar with human physiology, psychology, nutrition and with an up-to-date coaching methodology based on the newest research results. Thus close cross-sectoral cooperation between universities and sports confederations using ideas and knowledge from both partners will help to develop and adapt new knowledge in coaching and educate innovative and up-to-date experienced specialists in coaching children and youngsters.

First year activities:

Workshop 1, November/December 2016. The aim: Project networking organizing group, presentations, discussion of future plans. Lithuania.

On-line discussion, December 2016. The aim: Results, minutes and establishment of the website, plans for the coming seminar.

Seminar, February/March 2017.  The aim: exchange of experience and presentations of study programmes, planning a draft course. Sweden.

On-line discussion, April2017. Dissemination of the seminar and overview of research results in partner countries, website development.

Second year activities:

Workshop 2, January 2018. The aim: Discussion about the summer camp and a draft of the programme. Latvia.

On-line discussion, February/March, 2018. The aim: to finalize the programme for summer camp, to prepare tasks for students.

Summer Camp, May/June 2018. Participants: Students, young coaches, lecturers. Lithuania.

On-line discussion, June 2018. The aim: Dissemination of the results, development of the website.

Third year activities:

Online-discussion, October/November 2018. The aim: dissemination and website development, exchange of experience in education and summing up the results of the Summer Camp activities.

Workshop 3, December 2018. The aim: to make arrangements and design of the parallel study module. Denmark.

Seminar, February 2019. The aim: Pilot Study module for students, young coaches. Lithuania.

On-line discussion, March/April 2019. The aim: Dissemination, website development, designing of the study parallel module/ programme.

Final Workshop 4, May 2019. The aim: Programme of the final study module, final report of the project. Sum up of the project. Holland.

Camp Video and lectures

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Nordic–Baltic Physical Activity Bridges project strives to establish a long-lasting partnership between Nordic and Baltic countries and to give a fresh incentive to health-enhancing lifelong physical activity promotion among all citizens. The intension of the project is to bridge different sectors which are responsible for Physical Activity (PA) education: secondary schools, higher educational institutions, professional associations and community centers. Each of them separately is strong enough to act independently but the joint efforts give more significant effect on increasing population’s PA level.

Cross–sectorial cooperation will be strengthened among secondary schools, Universities, associations, and communities in preparation of physical activity educators as well as mastering their qualification in the Nordic and Baltic countries within the areas of:

1. The experience exchange seminars among students, PE teachers and community representatives

about the barriers and motives in promoting active lifestyle of the citizens.

2. The implementation of knowledge, skills, methodology, current recommendations and guidelines as well as best practices among Project actors at workshops and practical sessions, at peer coaching and short–time internships abroad.

3. To develop the Intensive joint course model and offer it at community centers.

4. To create a cross–sectoral Network of Nordic-Baltic PE teachers, students, community centers, PE association and combine educational communication with non–educational sectors to disseminate and implement good practice as well as experience in decreasing physical inactivity.

The best partner experience will be implemented in creating an intensive course and strengthening the Network between PE teachers, educators, representatives of community centres and PE teachers association in Nordic and Baltic countries.

Project lasts 3 years: from 2014 September up to 2017 June.

• The total fund – 102360 eur!
• The fund was approved for 50% – 51180.0 Euro from Nord–Plus Horizontal Network