Student Volunteer Training Programme Launched within the TEAM-EU-UA Project

On 19 September 2026, as part of the activities of Work Package 3 of the Erasmus+ Sport project “Development of Team Spirit for the Implementation and Incorporation of EU Values in Ukraine” (TEAM-EU-UA), co-funded by the European Union, the practical implementation of the student volunteer training programme for the organisation of sports and environmental activities for children was officially launched online at Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A. S. Makarenko.

The programme aims to equip future volunteers with the knowledge, practical skills, and competencies required to work with different groups of children, organise sports, recreational, and environmental activities, strengthen teamwork and responsibility, and promote European values through sport and volunteering.

The training programme consists of three main thematic sections: general principles of volunteering in Ukraine; the specific roles and training of sports volunteers; and the management and organisation of sports and environmental activities for different groups of children. Particular attention is given to practical volunteer training, teamwork, event planning, distribution of responsibilities, communication with participants, and the creation of a safe and inclusive environment.

The first training session brought together 16 students – future volunteers and was conducted by the project coordinator at Sumy State Pedagogical University, Professor Oleksandr Tomenko. During the session, participants were introduced to the structure of the programme, its key objectives, and the practical activities they will undertake within the TEAM-EU-UA project.

An important component of the programme is the use of specially developed educational and methodological materials, including a handbook for practical sessions and guidelines for students’ independent work. These resources are available on the university’s educational platform in two languages – Ukrainian and English, supporting their wider use and the dissemination of the project’s results.

The next important stage will focus on the practical application of the knowledge and skills acquired during the training. Trained student volunteers will be involved in planning, organising, and delivering sports and environmental activities for children, providing an opportunity to apply their newly acquired competencies and test the methodological materials developed within TEAM-EU-UA. This approach combines theoretical learning with real volunteering experience and contributes to the development of teamwork, leadership, social responsibility, and active citizenship among young people.

The implementation of the volunteer training programme is an important component of Work Package 3 of TEAM-EU-UA and contributes to building a team of trained young volunteers capable of applying contemporary approaches to sports and environmental activities while promoting the values of cooperation, mutual respect, inclusion, solidarity, and active participation among children and young people.