Her Turn – Empowering Female Leaders in Sports Management programme has opened its call for participants. Applications are open until 28 February 2026.
”Women must be part of the tables where decisions are made in sport. Leadership benefits from diversity, experience, and different perspectives. Her Turn supports women who are ready to take on responsibility and shape the future of sports organisations,” said Kersti Kaljulaid, former President of Estonia and founder of the Her Turn programme.
The international leadership and mentorship programme is aimed at women working in sports administration across Europe who are ready to take the next step into leadership and decision-making roles. The programme will run fromApril to November 2026 and brings together learning, mentoring, and peer exchange at European level.
“Inspiration sparks change, but networks sustain it. When women in sport build strong professional bonds across borders, they don’t just advance individually — they reshape how leadership in European sport looks and works.”
Aim to address gender imbalance and empower emerging female leaders
Her Turn was established to address the ongoing gender imbalance in sports leadership. Despite women’s strong presence across the sports sector, they remain underrepresented in senior management and governance roles. The programme focuses on strengthening leadership skills, professional confidence, and cross-border networks among emerging female leaders in sport.
The programme includes two international in-person sessions, taking place on 23–24 April 2026 in Tallinn, Estonia, and 17–18 September 2026 in Helsinki, Finland. In addition, participants will take part in expert-led training sessions on leadership, strategy, communication, personal branding, and gender equality in sport. Each participant will also receive mentoring and personalised development support, as well as take part in peer learning and networking activities.
The programme is open to women aged 18–40 who are currently active in sports-related organisations (sports club, association, Olympic committee, NGO or other) and reside in an EU Member State or Erasmus+ associated country. Participants must be available to take part in all programme activities and work in English. A maximum of 25 participants will be selected.
Accommodation during the international sessions is covered by the project. Travel costs will be reimbursed after participation, in line with Erasmus+ reimbursement rules.
Her Turn is funded by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme.
Applications must be submitted by 28 February 2026. Selected participants will be notified after the application deadline.