PAOK Academy and the Award Project: Modern approaches to elite youth sports
PAOK are actively participating in the European project AWARD (Erasmus+Sport-SCP), which aims to create a supportive learning environment for coaches and mentors. The aim is to enhance the development of young athletes, helping them to fully utilize their potential through positive guidance and personal development.
The partners of the AWARD project (https://www.theawardproject.eu/) are united by a common commitment to redefine the role of youth sport in Europe. “We believe that the success of an athlete is not measured only by trophies, but also by their development as a resilient, compassionate and disciplined member of society”, is the central idea of the project.
The first in-person meeting of the AWARD project took place in Iași, Romania, from 27 to 29 April. The meeting, from PAOK’s side, was attended by PAOK Academy psychologist Vangelis Kleitsas, our Academy House manager Dora Karaolani and PAOK FC Accounting Manager Stavros Sarigiannidis (for issues related to the financial aspects of the project).
During the meeting, key issues related to the course and development of the project were discussed and finalized, such as the assessment of the actions that have already been implemented, the planning of the next steps, as well as individual issues that concern each partner individually. With the completion of the first semester of the project (30/4) and the drawing of conclusions from the research implemented by the partners, the consortium is now moving on to the next stage, which concerns the formulation and development of good practices for the holistic education of the target groups.
Purpose and Objectives
The AWARD consortium includes organizations from Romania, Cyprus, Italy, Greece and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Each partner contributes specialized knowledge in areas such as coaching, young athlete development, digital learning and social participation. Through this collaboration, quality coaching, psychosocial development and active citizen participation through sport are promoted.
Coaches and mentors face real challenges every day and deserve modern tools that offer practical solutions.
In this context, the AWARD project aims to develop a Digital Coach and Mentor Hub with the support of Artificial Intelligence. It is a multilingual platform designed to effectively support daily practice, decision-making and human connection in sport.
At the same time, special emphasis is placed on the creation of sustainable resources that will remain useful after the completion of the project, enhancing the quality of coaching and the positive psycho-emotional development of young people over time.
The objectives will be achieved through:
- Structured training modules
- Real-world learning scenarios
- Coaching tools that enhance communication, inclusion and well-being of athletes
- Digital features for effective management of daily challenges
Collaborating Partners
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași (UAIC) – Project Coordinator (https://www.uaic.ro/)
CKT Business Consulting Ltd (Cyprus) (https://www.cktbusiness.com/)
European Culture and Sport Organization (ECOS) (Italy) (https://www.ecos-europe.com/)
GDA Sports Ltd (Cyprus) (https://gdasports.com/)
PAOK
Genesis Project (Bosnia and Herzegovina) (https://genesisbl.org/)
Project Management
The project is implemented through five Work Packages, each of which is coordinated by a specific partner, according to the project management guide.
Each partner contributes with deliverables, such as reports, manuals, publications, printed and digital materials, as well as actions such as trainings and events. At the same time, all partners collaborate in a supportive manner in the other work packages.
User Participation
The participation of young athletes and end-users in the shaping of educational activities plays an important role in the project, ensuring that the tools respond to real needs.
- The project’s social media accounts are as follows:
