In January 2025, the sixth Capacity Building Workshop of the INTERACT+ project was held online. Over four consecutive Thursdays, the workshop’s four modules were delivered to more than 40 participants from National Federations affiliated with the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF).
Led by Mayssa Bsaibes of the International Table Tennis Federation Foundation and Jörg Benner from the European Flying Disc Federation, participants engaged in presentations, discussions, and group work, exploring the potential of “Sport for All” and sharing case studies and best practices from Flying Disc sports in various contexts.
Representing 35 countries across all regions, the participants received training designed to equip and empower them as “Sport for All” leaders. With enthusiasm, they undertook a self-evaluation process to identify specific challenges and opportunities within their organizations, then developed action plans for designing and implementing inclusive initiatives tailored to diverse target groups in their countries.
Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing a strong motivation to drive change within their respective countries. The course not only deepened their understanding of inclusive practices but also fostered a sense of community as they exchanged best practices and success stories.
We had powerful feedback from Erik van der Spek, President Dutch Frisbee Association, who spoke about the power of culture and inclusion:
“The culture of frisbee is strong, but that same culture can also pose a barrier to new people who may struggle to feel at home quickly. It’s important to nurture this culture but also make room for people who are unfamiliar with the norms and rituals of the sport. This means actively investing in creating a culture of inclusivity for everyone and giving new people the space to express what makes them feel comfortable or not. Diversity is not just about attracting new members but also involving your current members and actively supporting them in the process of change.”
As the trainings have progressed, so have our understandings of our own materials. You can see our house illustration of the INTERACT+ Model of Sport for All development, which has been continually updated.
Overall, the training was a great success, reinforcing the powerful impact of the INTERACT+ Capacity Building Workshops. We continue to witness how these sessions empower participants and drive meaningful change. You can read more about the training in WFDF’s article here.
INTERACT+ (International and European Sport Organisations Activating Citizens Plus) is a project led by TAFISA (The Association for International Sport for All) in collaboration with nine partner organizations, running from January 2023 to the end of 2025. To date, the project has delivered six Capacity Building Workshops, engaging over 150 participants worldwide.
