In an increasingly interconnected world, it is vital to foster the development of youth’s soft skills, which are critical for their personal, academic, and professional success. Soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork, and adaptability, are becoming increasingly important in the global market. However, traditional education systems often overlook the importance of these skills, focusing predominantly on academic knowledge and technical skills.

Simultaneously, physical activities and sport are generally seen as beneficial for physical health. But their potential to nurture soft skills among youth remains a largely untapped domain. The skills such as teamwork, perseverance, leadership, and adaptability are often implicitly embedded within sport and physical activities. There is an increasing need to identify, articulate, and apply these skills in the wider context of youth development.

The Erasmus+ KA2 youth sector project is an ambitious step towards this direction. The project named ‘ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT’ aims to explore and leverage the symbiotic relationship between sport, physical activities and soft skills development among youth, particularly focusing on those with fewer opportunities such as those with disabilities or facing socioeconomic and geographical obstacles.

The ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT project identifies the need to create innovative methods and tools that can translate the benefits of sports into measurable skill development. It takes into account that youth have varying needs and access levels to resources and activities, thus underlining the importance of inclusivity and equity.

In its essence, this project stands at the intersection of sports, education, and youth development. It endeavours to create a pioneering model to fuse sport/active moment with soft skills development, by creating a set of 20 cards with an e-guide. This initiative aims not only to facilitate youth’s soft skills development but also promote a broader understanding and appreciation of the value of sports and physical activities in holistic youth development. Through this, the ACTIVE DEVELOPMENT project aspires to instigate a transformative change in the way youth are educated and prepared for their future.