Bulgaria-Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme

Financial supported by European Union

 IPA Project No: 2014TC16I5CB007- 2016-1-66

 Implementation period: November 29, 2016. – November 28, 2018.

 Project title: „We invest in sport for career development of young people – the motive power of smart growth and cohesion between the  Municipalities of Botevgrad and Leskovac”

On 28. 11. 2016 according to a signed contract between the Mayor of Botevgrad Ivan Gavalyugov and the General Director of the Management Authority of the   Interreg-IPA CBC Bulgaria-Serbia ProgrammeMaria Duzova, the project ? CB007.1.21.066 under the  INTERREG – IPA CBC BULGARIA- SERBIAProgramme was launched.

No. CB007.1.21.066 We invest in sport for career development of young people – the motive power of smart growth and cohesion between the Municipalities of Botevgrad and Leskovac.Contract No. RD-02-29-288/28. 11.2016.

Grant project amounts to 574,177.97 euro, distributed as follows:

Lead Partner – Municipality of Botevgrad, Bulgaria –  406,069.42 euro

Project Partner 2 – BC Actavis Academy, Leskovac, Serbia –  140,384.08 euro

Project partner 3 – Contemporary Society Foundation –  27,724.47 euro

The project duration is 24 months.

The ambition of the authors and partners of the project is to support the sport and career development of 400 adolescents and young people in the municipalities of Botevgrad and Leskovac. The project is based on the proven fact that the basis of successful people in life is sport. The transfer of skills acquired through sport /willpower, self-control, discipline, team spirit, quick decision-making in critical thinking among others/ into entrepreneurial skills and attitudes is accomplished by creating high class athletes in the field of basketball through the development of a joint program based on the Serbian basketball school, popular in Europe and other countries; the application of innovative methods to upgrade and expand the sport qualities into entrepreneurial skills and attitudes, the construction of modern sports facilities.

A complete internal and partialexternal renovation of Georgi Hristov Basketball Hall will be done. Sports equipment will be delivered, including tools, accessories and systems allowing modern efficient training processes under the joint program in the Georgi Hristov and Arena Botevgrad Halls. Arena Botevgrad Hall will have a medical office and a gym equipped.

400 children and youth from 7 to 18 years of age /200 in the composition of theBasketball Club Balkan Botevgrad /BG/ and 200 in the composition of the KK Actavis Academy Leskovac /RS/ will be involved in the educational and training process constituting the target group of the project . In addition to the daily training schedule, project activities include organizing and conducting two camps and two tournaments in Bulgaria and Serbia. A web-based platform will monitor, control, analyze and take into account the dynamics of development of participants in each age group. The online platform will allow fast control, transparency at every stage of the development of young basketball players and apply corrections to the program when necessary.

Within the framework of the project 120 participants from the target group /60 participants from each country/ are included in an entrepreneurial scheme for the development of business skills and attitudes.

Researches in the area of entrepreneurship confirm that sport builds effective leaders. Innovative programs in the US and Europe work with youth, flexibly applying a “healthy mix” between sports and entrepreneurship in shaping both outstanding athletes and personalities who are successful in business and life.

An expert psychologist and experts in the method Forum theater for entrepreneurial skills will work with participants in the project with English as a working language. This method is applied for the first time in the country in a similar configuration. The project is a major challenge for the team and its successful implementation will have a high added value for the development of young people in both municipalities of Botevgrad and Leskovac, as well as throughout the border region.

The training will be conducted with the direct participation of qualified experts and coaches.

The expected benefits are: mass involvement of 400 children and young people in active sportwithin the scope of the project; development of the entrepreneurial potential of 120 participants who will compete in diverse sectors of the labor market.

Through an ambitious progressive training program, the modernizing of sports facilities and promotion of the results a resource of active young peoplewill be built who are valuable capital for development of the region for convergence and iimproved cooperation between municipalities of Botevgrad and Leskovac.

This publication was made with the support of the European Union through the Interreg IPA-CBC Bulgaria-SerbiaProgramme, CCI No 2014TC16I5CB007. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Contemporary Society Foundationand can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.