The project consortium is proud to announce that the first national Educational Module 1 of the GUARD project has been successfully implemented in all partner countries, engaging a total of 174 future Child Safeguarding Officers (CSOs). This collective achievement marks a significant milestone in our shared mission to strengthen child safeguarding structures in European sport.
Several NOCs have exceeded the initial target of 20 National Federation CSOs, confirming a strong level of engagement and consolidated effort across the consortium.
The First Step Toward Safer Sport Environments
From National Olympic Committees of Croatia to Greece, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, and Slovenia — the Educational Module 1 sessions were conducted throughout May and June with remarkable dedication, each tailored to the national context while aligned with the GUARD project’s methodology. The sessions covered key topics:
- Introduction to child safeguarding in sport
- National legal and regulatory frameworks
- Roles and responsibilities of Child Safeguarding Officers
- Interactive scenario-based exercises encouraging reflection and peer learning
These sessions not only equipped participants with vital knowledge but also fostered active dialogue, cross-learning, and a sense of community among child safeguarding officers. The high level of participant engagement and positive feedback underlined both the relevance of the topic and the need for ongoing education in this area.
Next Steps
The upcoming Educational Module 2 will take place on 14 October 2025 in Zagreb, bringing together the Child Safeguarding Officers from six partner countries for an international session hosted by the Croatian Olympic Committee. This event will provide a valuable opportunity for learning, exchange, and deepening of safeguarding competences across national contexts.
Due to an overlap with important national activities in Lithuania, a dedicated session of Educational Module 2 will be organized separately in Lithuania, ensuring that Lithuanian National Federation CSOs also benefit from the full educational programme in line with the GUARD project objectives.
This joint success of the first module is a testament to the strength and dedication of the entire GUARD consortium. We look forward to continuing this journey— together making sport a safer place for every child.
