The partners of the ServeHER project held their official kick off meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria, marking the start of the project’s implementation under the Erasmus+ Sport programme. ServeHER (No. 101185045 — ServeHER — ERASMUS-SPORT-2024) is co funded by the European Union and aims to promote education in and through sport, while improving the quality of coaching and the opportunities for dual careers for grassroots youth volleyball players.

The project brings together two European volleyball federations, the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation and Volley Belgium, combining their expertise in sport development, education, and gender equality to deliver an innovative, evidence based dual career programme for girls aged 16 to 17.

During the kick off meeting, the project partners exchanged views and aligned on:
the project objectives and the overall implementation strategy;

• management and coordination procedures;
  
• upcoming research activities on the main reasons why young girls drop out of volleyball;
  
• the structure and development of the ServeHER dual career programme, including
• educational modules, virtual training sessions, and motivational content.
  

By supporting young female athletes to stay engaged in sport while developing skills for future roles as coaches, managers, and statisticians, ServeHER helps build a more inclusive and sustainable future for European volleyball.