Despite the many positive effects of sport, certain groups remain underrepresented. SPIN Youth aims to increase the sport participation of young people from diverse backgrounds - in particular young refugees and migrants - and to co-create with them more inclusive, non-discriminatory sport environments that actively promote diversity and equality.

Sport is hardly representative of today’s European society. In addition to open forms of discrimination (such as racism and sexism) people with diverse backgrounds, especially youth and women, are structurally excluded. Structural discrimination refers to rules, norms, routines, patterns of attitudes and behaviour in institutions that represent obstacles to migrants and ethnic minorities in achieving the same rights and opportunities that are available to the majority population. The lack of advancement of minorities and People of Color in non-playing positions (administrators, coaches, referees) remains a recurring issue in many European sports. Sport does not per se contribute to the social inclusion of migrants and ethnic minorities. Evidently, a variety of barriers hinder equal access to sports participation.

Against this backdrop partners of the Sport Inclusion Network (SPIN) have developed this innovative youth-driven sport inclusion project. Coming of age amid a pandemic, young people have displayed extraordinary resilience. However, there is a clear need for meaningful, coordinated support and pro-actively involvement of youth in various sectors (education, youth, employment). Sport and physical activities can play a vital role.