ParaEMPOWER Training of Trainers

From 27 to 30 March 2026, the ParaEMPOWER consortium successfully delivered an International Training of Trainers (ToT) in Podgorica, Montenegro, bringing together coaches, sport administrators, and representatives of parasport organizations from Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Greece and the expert partners from Bulgaria, Germany and Italy. The training represents a key milestone in the project, aiming to equip national trainer teams with the knowledge, tools, and methodologies needed to deliver high-quality local trainings and strengthen the parasport sector across the region.

The programme was designed to combine theoretical input, interactive workshops, and practical application, ensuring an engaging and impactful learning process. Participants were actively involved in group discussions, reflection sessions, and hands-on activities, fostering both individual and collective learning.

Key thematic areas addressed during the training included:

• skills development and learning methodologies

• safeguarding and protection in parasport

• inclusiveness and accessibility

• practical application of skills in real training environments

Training Programme Overview
The core training was structured over two intensive days, organised into four main training blocks:

• Day 1

• Introduction and ice-breaking

• Training Block 1: Introduction to skills learning and Sport for Development (S4D) approaches

• Training Block 2: Safeguarding, inclusiveness, and parasport specifics

• Day 2

• Reflection and re-engagement

• Training Block 3: Skills learning in practice (including outdoor activities)

• Training Block 4: ParaEMPOWER online tools and local training formats

This structure ensured a balance between conceptual understanding and practical implementation, enabling participants to develop concrete action plans for their national contexts.

Participants were also introduced to the ParaEMPOWER online platform www.paraempower.eu, which will provide access to educational resources, methodologies, and good practices to support long-term capacity building.

Following the international training, participants will implement national-level trainings, transferring knowledge and strengthening the capacities of coaches and sport administrators in their respective countries.

ParaEMPOWER aims to enhance the quality of coaching and management in parasport while addressing social barriers faced by persons with disabilities. By using sport as a tool for social change, the project contributes to building more inclusive, accessible, and equitable sport systems across the Balkans and beyond.