Български
Lead Her Game
BSDA is partner in LeadHerGame
10.11.2025
Although women’s participation in sport continues to grow, their representation in leadership, coaching, and decision-making roles remains disproportionately low. To address this imbalance, the LeadHerGame project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, works to empower women in sport and transform the structures that limit their access to leadership opportunities.
Coordinated by ŽNK Međimurje-Čakovec (Croatia), LeadHerGame brings together partners from Bulgaria, Estonia, North Macedonia, and Serbia, uniting organizations that share a common goal - to ensure that women’s leadership becomes a permanent and visible part of the European sport ecosystem.
LeadHerGame translates the concept of gender equality into concrete, measurable actions. The project’s activities are built around several key stages that combine individual empowerment, organizational transformation, and public awareness.
The first stage focuses on research and assessment. Partner organizations conduct national analyses of gender representation in sports leadership and collect examples of effective equality policies from across Europe. This evidence-based approach ensures that all subsequent activities address real barriers and respond to the specific needs of women in each partner country.
Following the research phase, the project moves into capacity building and training. Tailored educational modules are created to help women in sport develop leadership and management skills essential for advancing their careers. These sessions cover communication, advocacy, negotiation, decision-making, and strategic planning - equipping participants not only with professional knowledge but also with the confidence to lead.
A central element of the project is the LeadHerGame Mentorship Programme, which connects aspiring women leaders with experienced professionals. Through this peer-learning model, participants receive personal guidance, share experiences, and build supportive networks that will continue beyond the project’s lifetime.
LeadHerGame also targets the institutional side of sport, helping organizations become more inclusive and gender-sensitive. Each partner contributes to the creation of a Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) - a framework that sports clubs, federations, and associations can adopt to review their recruitment processes, promote equal representation, and develop internal accountability systems.
These plans are designed to be practical and adaptable. They provide step-by-step guidance on how to improve internal governance, establish gender equality officers, and ensure transparent leadership selection. By the end of the project, at least seven national federations and ten sports clubs are expected to implement these plans, laying the foundation for sustainable systemic change.
Workshops, policy dialogues, and peer exchanges between organizations ensure that gender equality is not just discussed but actively practiced. Each partner country hosts a national awareness event where local stakeholders share experiences and present successful models for women’s participation in sport management.
To complement the institutional reforms and leadership training, LeadHerGame places strong emphasis on visibility and communication. Women in sport leadership - from coaches to executives - are invited to share their personal stories, highlighting the challenges they have faced and the successes they have achieved.
These testimonials form the heart of the LeadHerGame media campaign, which includes video interviews, podcasts, and digital storytelling. Through engaging, real-life narratives, the project aims to inspire young women and challenge outdated stereotypes that limit women’s roles in sport.
A dedicated digital platform serves as the main hub for all project materials. It provides open access to training resources, policy tools, and mentorship opportunities, ensuring that the knowledge developed during the project remains available for future use.
The impact of LeadHerGame extends far beyond its duration. By the end of the project, more than 140 women will have participated in leadership or mentorship programmes, gaining the tools and confidence to pursue higher positions in sport. Participating organizations will adopt gender equality policies and integrate inclusive practices into their daily management.
At a broader level, the project aims to influence public perception - making female leadership in sport visible, respected, and normalized. By combining professional training, institutional support, and positive representation, LeadHerGame creates a model that can be replicated across Europe.
As the project concludes, its partners will continue to collaborate through a European network for gender equality in sport, ensuring that the progress achieved becomes part of a lasting cultural transformation.
LeadHerGame demonstrates that equality in sport leadership is not only a matter of fairness - it is a matter of progress. By training women, reforming institutions, and amplifying voices, the project builds a stronger and more inclusive European sport community. Through its educational programmes, Gender Equality Action Plans, mentorship networks, and digital campaigns, LeadHerGame is reshaping the future of sport - one leader, one organization, and one story at a time.
LeadHerGame translates the concept of gender equality into concrete, measurable actions. The project’s activities are built around several key stages that combine individual empowerment, organizational transformation, and public awareness.
The first stage focuses on research and assessment. Partner organizations conduct national analyses of gender representation in sports leadership and collect examples of effective equality policies from across Europe. This evidence-based approach ensures that all subsequent activities address real barriers and respond to the specific needs of women in each partner country.
Following the research phase, the project moves into capacity building and training. Tailored educational modules are created to help women in sport develop leadership and management skills essential for advancing their careers. These sessions cover communication, advocacy, negotiation, decision-making, and strategic planning - equipping participants not only with professional knowledge but also with the confidence to lead.
A central element of the project is the LeadHerGame Mentorship Programme, which connects aspiring women leaders with experienced professionals. Through this peer-learning model, participants receive personal guidance, share experiences, and build supportive networks that will continue beyond the project’s lifetime.
LeadHerGame also targets the institutional side of sport, helping organizations become more inclusive and gender-sensitive. Each partner contributes to the creation of a Gender Equality Action Plan (GEAP) - a framework that sports clubs, federations, and associations can adopt to review their recruitment processes, promote equal representation, and develop internal accountability systems.
These plans are designed to be practical and adaptable. They provide step-by-step guidance on how to improve internal governance, establish gender equality officers, and ensure transparent leadership selection. By the end of the project, at least seven national federations and ten sports clubs are expected to implement these plans, laying the foundation for sustainable systemic change.
Workshops, policy dialogues, and peer exchanges between organizations ensure that gender equality is not just discussed but actively practiced. Each partner country hosts a national awareness event where local stakeholders share experiences and present successful models for women’s participation in sport management.
To complement the institutional reforms and leadership training, LeadHerGame places strong emphasis on visibility and communication. Women in sport leadership - from coaches to executives - are invited to share their personal stories, highlighting the challenges they have faced and the successes they have achieved.
These testimonials form the heart of the LeadHerGame media campaign, which includes video interviews, podcasts, and digital storytelling. Through engaging, real-life narratives, the project aims to inspire young women and challenge outdated stereotypes that limit women’s roles in sport.
A dedicated digital platform serves as the main hub for all project materials. It provides open access to training resources, policy tools, and mentorship opportunities, ensuring that the knowledge developed during the project remains available for future use.
The impact of LeadHerGame extends far beyond its duration. By the end of the project, more than 140 women will have participated in leadership or mentorship programmes, gaining the tools and confidence to pursue higher positions in sport. Participating organizations will adopt gender equality policies and integrate inclusive practices into their daily management.
At a broader level, the project aims to influence public perception - making female leadership in sport visible, respected, and normalized. By combining professional training, institutional support, and positive representation, LeadHerGame creates a model that can be replicated across Europe.
As the project concludes, its partners will continue to collaborate through a European network for gender equality in sport, ensuring that the progress achieved becomes part of a lasting cultural transformation.
LeadHerGame demonstrates that equality in sport leadership is not only a matter of fairness - it is a matter of progress. By training women, reforming institutions, and amplifying voices, the project builds a stronger and more inclusive European sport community. Through its educational programmes, Gender Equality Action Plans, mentorship networks, and digital campaigns, LeadHerGame is reshaping the future of sport - one leader, one organization, and one story at a time.
