BOOST Sport for Social Impact Symposium 2026: Strengthening Capacity through Mentoring and Youth Empowerment

As the Sport for Development (S4D) sector continues to evolve, organisations face increasing expectations. Beyond delivering meaningful sport activities, they are expected to demonstrate social impact, develop sustainable organisational structures, build strong partnerships, secure funding, and position themselves as recognised actors within their communities.

These developments also create new demands for the professionals working in the sector. They need opportunities to strengthen their strategic, organisational and leadership capacities while continuously learning from peers and experienced practitioners.

To contribute to this discussion, the BOOST project invites Sport for Development practitioners, organisations, mentors, young leaders and stakeholders to the BOOST Sport for Social Impact Symposium 2026, taking place on 8 July 2026 at the iconic Strassenkicker Base in Cologne, Germany.

Building Capacity for the Future of Sport for Development

The symposium is built around one central question:

How can we strengthen the capacities that Sport for Development organisations and professionals need today?

Throughout the afternoon, participants will explore how mentoring, youth empowerment and collaborative learning can help organisations and individuals respond to today's challenges while creating lasting social impact.

Together with experienced practitioners and emerging changemakers from across Europe, the symposium will explore topics including:

• Vision building and strategic planning

• Governance and organisational sustainability

• Community building and cross-sector collaboration

• Mentoring as a professional development tool

• Youth empowerment through accelerator approaches

Rather than focusing solely on theory, the symposium combines practical experiences, expert discussions and real-life examples from the BOOST Mentoring and Accelerator Programme.

Why Mentoring Matters

At the heart of the BOOST approach lies mentoring as a powerful capacity-building tool.

By connecting emerging Sport for Development professionals with experienced mentors, mentoring creates space for reflection, confidence building, strategic thinking and practical problem-solving. It enables professionals to learn from experience, navigate organisational challenges and strengthen their ability to create sustainable social impact.

At the same time, BOOST recognises that investing in young people is equally important.

Through its Mini-Accelerator and mentoring activities, young participants are encouraged to develop their own project ideas, test innovative solutions and grow as future leaders capable of creating positive change within their communities.

Learning from Practice

The symposium programme reflects this combination of strategic thinking and practical application.

Participants can look forward to keynote presentations introducing the BOOST Mentoring and Accelerator journey, expert panel discussions on the future of Sport for Development, inspiring insights into youth empowerment through mentoring, and presentations from young mentees who will showcase the projects they have developed throughout the programme.

Networking opportunities throughout the afternoon will provide additional space for exchanging experiences, building partnerships and connecting with fellow changemakers from across Europe.

Join us in Cologne

Whether you are working in Sport for Development, education, youth work, civil society or social innovation, the BOOST Sport for Social Impact Symposium offers an opportunity to exchange ideas, discover practical approaches and become part of a growing European community committed to strengthening social impact through sport.

📅 Date: Wednesday, 8 July 2026

🕐 Time: 13:00 to 17:00 CET

📍 Venue: Strassenkicker Base, Cologne, Germany

We look forward to welcoming you for an inspiring afternoon dedicated to mentoring, youth empowerment and the future of Sport for Development.

Our Boost Initiative is co-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.