OCLP is Gaining Momentum!
The past few weeks have been an incredibly intense and productive period for the OCLP – Olympic Committees Leadership Programme, marked by growth and education. The project aims to enhance leadership skills among elite athletes, coaches, and staff of National Olympic Committees and national federations through a series of workshops and a mentoring program.
OCLP Project Meeting in Athens
The Hellenic Olympic Committee (HOC) proudly hosted the first TPM of OCLP in 2025, welcoming representatives from the National Olympic Committees of Poland (project coordinator), Croatia, Ukraine, as well as the Institute for Sport Governance (ISG) and the European Network for Innovation and Knowledge (EUNIK).
The meeting began with a warm welcome from Voula Kozompoli OLY, Chair of the HOC Athletes’ Commission. Partners then discussed and finalized the topics for the upcoming online workshops, which will launch following the completion of the second survey. The survey aims to map the current understanding of leadership skills. These workshops will be delivered by ISG researchers and local experts.
How Are We Training in OCLP?
Workshops are a key component of the OCLP project, as they provide direct interaction and education for the target group. All partners are actively involved in their organization, and their measurable impact is already visible.
So far, introductory workshops have been conducted in Poland and Croatia, with Ukraine and Greece set to follow. Each participating country has selected 20 participants, totaling 80 beneficiaries across the project. Once the workshops conclude in June 2025, a mentoring program will be launched, selecting four outstanding participants from each country – a total of 16 mentees. Under the guidance of top mentors, these individuals will develop and implement impactful leadership projects.
Once again, partners expressed great enthusiasm and high expectations for the initiative and scheduled a follow-up meeting in September 2025, during which they will evaluate the outcomes of both the workshops and the mentoring program in their respective countries.
ISG’s Perspective
“We gathered to discuss progress in the leadership workshop program. The first workshops in Poland and Croatia have already taken place. Exceptional guests participated – Luiza Zlotkowska in Poland and Maja Poljak in Croatia. The next sessions will take place next week and in early March, launching the program in Ukraine and Greece. We will then proceed with the online segment, and by late May/June, we will complete this training phase,” summarized Grzegorz Botwina.
What’s Next?
- Recruitment for the mentoring program – Four individuals from each country (Poland, Croatia, Ukraine, Greece) will receive mentorship support and the opportunity to implement their own leadership projects with social impact.
- Conferences promoting the project in multiple countries.
- Next partnership meeting after the summer break.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
