EU Visibility and Communication
CHAPTER 11
Part on EU visibility and communication describes the communication and dissemination activities, which were achieved in order to promote the activities/results and maximise the impact. It provides clarification on how the project consortium reached the target groups, relevant stakeholders, policymakers and the general public and explains the choice of the dissemination channels.
This part also describes how the visibility of EU funding was ensured during the lifetime of the project and indicates channels through which it would be achieved in the future.
Communication and dissemination project activities were interconnected and reflected dissemination and exploitation goals of the project. The activities and results of the project were actively disseminated during the project lifetime as results and experiences began to accumulate. The project team evaluated the dissemination and exploitation of the project after each transnational project meeting. The project team have appointed Dissemination Manager , who guided and monitored the partners' dissemination.
Project communication, dissemination and exploitation goals in general were linked to the visibility of the Erasmus+ Sport chapter possibilities. Project consortium shared a grassroot experience towards the EU Sport policy. Moreover, it informed how the EU sport policy could have an influence on the local policy and practices. Communication and dissemination goals were also to raise awareness on sport values, social inclusion through sport and sport diplomacy as well as ability to implement it. In addition, project consortium shared the solutions and knowhow inside and outside the project. Exploitation goal was to influence sport policy and practice on the local level and to develop new partnerships.
The target groups in communication and dissemination were:
- end-users (schools and sport clubs on the grassroot level)
- partner organisation’s staff, stakeholders and experts in the field of sport-specific genres
- national and regional sport federations,
- decision makers on the regional and local level,
- the press and media reached by the project partners on all the levels,
- general public,
- existing contacts and networks.
The core communication and dissemination channel was a project outcome - the digital platform SPORT VALUES CHANNEL. It served to all the target groups defined within this project. Apart from the digital platform also social media were used to make the project easier to follow by the project partners and the wider audience. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram were created to promote the project content.
Different local, regional, national and EU–level events, meetings and discussion opportunities were used to raise awareness of the project idea and its deliverables in the participating countries. The aim was to find also such events and meetings, in which there were participants from both sport environment and educational system.
Within communication and dissemination affairs, project coordinator was responsible for following tasks:
- coordination of activities within the digital platform SPORT VALUES CHANNEL,
- preparation of project documentation for Erasmus+ Project Results Platform,
- communication with media representatives, such as newspapers, radio and television,
- presentations of the project outcomes to various national and international stakeholders,
- project social media accounts and website.
The partner institution was responsible for following tasks:
- communication with media representatives, such as newspapers, radio and television,
- presentations of the project outcomes to various national and international stakeholders,
- national coordination of activities within the digital platform SPORT VALUES CHANNEL,
- partners social media and websites.
The communication outcomes were the increased awareness, increased skills, improved abilities, knowledge and experience gained by the participants, partners or other stakeholders involved in the project.
Visibility of EU funding
Visibility of EU funding was assured mainly during communication and dissemination activities, which took place throughout the whole project timeline and were well perceived by the project participants themselves, as well as the project stakeholders, schools, sport clubs, media representatives and the general public. More details are to be found in a chapter, which deals with materials for dissemination and the final conclusions presented towards the public. It provides the figures on dissemination received by 31 August 2023 and concerns the major communication and dissemination events, activities and relevant target group. In addition to this chapter, the updated figures on dissemination activities are available on the project platform called SPORT VALUES CHANNEL that played a vital role in the communication and dissemination processes.
It is worth mentioning that the number of communication and dissemination activities was increased compared to the foreseen planning, which was caused by unexpected interest expressed by several project stakeholders after the initial dissemination efforts. Thanks to this fact, also a number of participants in dissemination activities was expanded. This consequently led to the improved impact and number of people who were introduced to the project as such.
Materials for dissemination and the final conclusions of the project EU Sport Values Diplomacy presented towards the public were linked to communication and dissemination events, which were assured both on-site and online. On-site events reached mostly Bulgaria and Slovakia while online dissemination process reached also a target group beyond the countries of the project consortium.
Communication and dissemination process concerned the whole timeline of the project EU Sport Values Diplomacy. Needless to say that communication and dissemination activities will continue in the near future as part of the project sustainability. Upcoming communication and dissemination events would be assured thanks to interference of several stakeholders and especially a commitment of the Slovak Modern Pentathlon Association to keep the project platform called SPORT VALUES CHANNEL operating and functional after the project timeline.
During communication and dissemination activities, a special attention was given to the visibility of the European Union and the Erasmus + programme. Moreover, dissemination process focused on raise awareness about various European policies in the field of sport.
In addition to the continuous communication and dissemination process, there were particular on-site communication and dissemination events. All of them were supported by virtual communication and dissemination activities and online dimension. The next chapter introduces in a chronological order the most significant on-site dissemination events. Provided events are well illustrated by vivid pictures of materials for dissemination in order to capture an ambience and spontaneous approach of the target group as well as project team. On-site dissemination events were complemented by online activities, which are provided in the final part of the report.
Dissemination and communication activities were closely linked to the press conference during the Transnational Project Meeting held in June 2023 in Bulgaria and the closing project meeting within the Transnational Project Meeting 6 held in August 2023. It comprised closing meeting and evaluation phase summary. Synergies in communication and dissemination involved the presentation of the project outcomes towards the public during the event of Runathon in Sofia in September 2023. Apart from project objectives/activities/conclusions, also European values and European policies in the field of sport were promoted.
Communication, dissemination and exploitation of results concerned tangible and intangible results. Tangible results were linked to increase children’s and youth’s physically active lifestyle in general and good practices, ideas and methods. Intangible results concerned knowledge about the EU funding and how the Erasmus+ Sport project cycle was managed. Apart from that they were linked to knowledge and experience gained by participants, sport clubs, staff. Dissemination and exploitation of results had an impact on increased skills and achievements. Finally, it improved physical activities and sports awareness.
Exact figures and more details on visibility of EU funding are described in a relevant chapter dealing with materials for dissemination and the final conclusions presented towards the public. They are well developed in particular regarding Dissemination Manager tasks, dissemination and exploitation goals and project management.
