EASE recently held its Board Meeting, bringing together member organisations from across Europe for a dynamic and forward-looking exchange on our work, shared priorities, and the future of the sport employment sector.

The meeting combined strategic discussions on ongoing and upcoming initiatives with national updates from members, ensuring that EASE’s European actions remain firmly grounded in realities on the ground. A major highlight of the session was the organisation of two in-depth EASE Talks, which explored two key pillars of the European sport model: volunteering and sport governance.

A strategic moment for EASE: projects, new initiatives and 2026 priorities

The Board Meeting provided an opportunity to review:

  • Progress on ongoing projects, including their next milestones and expected impact on the sport employment ecosystem

  • New initiatives in development, designed to respond to emerging needs in the sector, particularly around skills, employability, attractiveness of sport careers, and professionalisation

  • A collective review of EASE’s 2026 objectives, ensuring alignment between members and reinforcing a coherent European roadmap

As always, members also shared national updates, offering valuable insight into how the sport sector is evolving in different countries. These exchanges covered topics such as labour market trends, the structure of sport employment, the role of volunteers, governance challenges, training needs, and relationships with public authorities. This diversity of perspectives is central to EASE’s role in shaping a strong and united voice for sport employers at European level.

EASE Talk #13 — Promoting volunteering in sport: engagement, skills and European added value

EASE Talk #13 featured Elias Mastoras, President of Youthorama, leader of the global campaign A Ball for All, freelance youth trainer, Chairperson of Paralympic blind football, and Technical Director for Paralympic football at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

A field-based perspective on managing volunteers at major events

Drawing on his extensive hands-on experience in recruiting, training and coordinating volunteers at major sporting events, Elias Mastoras shared practical insights into what makes volunteer programmes successful. He highlighted the importance of structured preparation, clear role definitions, mentoring, and recognition mechanisms to ensure both quality delivery and a meaningful experience for volunteers.

Volunteering as a cornerstone of the European sport model

The discussion quickly moved beyond event operations to address the broader societal and economic role of volunteering in sport. Participants explored how volunteering:

  • Strengthens the social fabric of sport organisations, especially at grassroots level

  • Acts as a gateway to employment, allowing individuals to develop transferable skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication and event management

  • Enhances the attractiveness of the sport sector, particularly for young people seeking purpose-driven engagement

Board members also reflected on the legal and regulatory framework surrounding volunteering, underlining the need to strike the right balance: protecting volunteers, avoiding misuse, and ensuring that volunteering complements — rather than replaces — quality employment.

EASE Talk #14 — Sport governance: a driver for professionalising the sport sector

EASE Talk #14 addressed the theme “Sport governance: a key driver for the professionalisation of the sport sector.” The session featured contributions from Daniel Ley (INAPS, Luxembourg) and Younes Filali, Master’s student in Sport Ethics and Integrity at KU Leuven.

Governance in practice: examples from Luxembourg

Daniel Ley presented concrete governance initiatives currently being developed in Luxembourg, illustrating how clearer structures, defined responsibilities, and transparent decision-making processes can strengthen sport organisations. His examples showed that good governance is not only about compliance, but also about efficiency, credibility and long-term sustainability.

Professionalisation without losing the volunteer spirit

Younes Filali’s contribution brought an academic and ethical perspective, focusing on how the sport sector can professionalise its structures and practices while preserving the essential contribution of volunteers. The discussion emphasised that governance improvements should help reduce organisational gaps, clarify roles between paid staff and volunteers, and foster more inclusive, accountable leadership models.

Together, the speakers highlighted that strong governance frameworks are a key condition for:

  • Improving working conditions and management practices

  • Building trust with public authorities and partners

  • Attracting skilled professionals to the sport sector

  • Ensuring that volunteers operate in supportive, well-structured environments

A stronger, more united voice for sport employers in Europe

The Board Meeting once again demonstrated the strength of EASE’s network and the value of peer exchange across countries and organisations. By addressing both volunteering and governance, the two EASE Talks directly contributed to ongoing reflections on how to make the sport sector more attractive, more professional, and more sustainable — without losing the community-driven spirit that defines European sport.

EASE warmly thanks all members and speakers for their active participation and valuable contributions. Together, we continue to build a stronger and more united voice for sport employers across Europe.