On 23 May 2025, NOC Croatia successfully hosted the first national Educational Module 1 for Child Safeguarding Officers (CSOs) as part of the EU-funded GUARD project, aimed at establishing child safeguarding structures in sport systems across partner NOCs.
Held in Zagreb, the event brought together 37 participants, including 34 representatives from Croatian National Federations and 3 staff members from the NOC Croatia, all committed to building safer sport environments for young athletes.
The module was opened by the Project Manager Maja Poljak, who emphasized the importance of safeguarding in sport and introduced the GUARD project as the most ambitious initiative of its kind—offering a structured three-part educational programme for CSOs.
The session began with a foundational lecture, Introduction to Safeguarding Children in Sport, delivered by safeguarding expert Professor Zrinka Greblo-Jurakić, who contextualized safeguarding principles within the realities of the sports environment.
After a productive networking lunch, participants took part in two more targeted lessons led by Matea Horvat, NOC Croatia’s CSO. These covered Croatia’s Legal and regulatory safeguarding framework, and the Responsibilities of CSOs in national sport organisations.
A standout feature of the module was its highly interactive format. Participants worked in groups to analyse safeguarding scenarios, generating lively and constructive discussions. Several federations with prior experience in safeguarding shared positive examples, making for an enriching peer-learning experience.
Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many praising the clarity of the content and the opportunity to work through practical exercises.
As the session concluded, participants were reminded of the upcoming Transnational Educational Module 2 scheduled for October 2025. All attendees received comprehensive training materials to support continued learning.
This successful first module represents a major milestone for the GUARD project in Croatia, confirming the sport community’s dedication to safeguarding and capacity building.
