The second transnational partner meeting of the TPDS (Towards the Professional Development of Supporter Liaison Officers) project took place at the University of Gdańsk on 13th and 14th May 2024. This gathering marked a step forward in the project’s mission to enhance the role and professional development of Supporter Liaison Officers across Europe. EOSE was represented at the meeting by Geoff Carroll and Wojciech Waśniewski.
Following the meeting opening, Geoff Carroll provided participants a detailed progress update on the development of occupational standards for SLOs, emphasising the importance of the future training modules aligning with key elements of the occupational standards. He also outlined the next steps required to develop the detail of the occupational standards through the SLO Technical Working Group.
This was followed by an interactive presentation by Martin Seip from the University of Kassel, which explored the competencies required by SLOs, and how those link occupational standards to the construction of training modules. Updates on the findings from needs and country analyses as well as the development of national training modules were also provided by the University of Malmö, CDES, and the University of Gdańsk. Each institution shared their progress and insights, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of how these modules are shaping up across different contexts.
As the meeting progressed, FSE led a pivotal discussion on the next steps for piloting the training modules. This session was crucial in identifying the main challenges to developing the modules and mapping out the practical implementation phase of the project, ensuring that all partners are aligned and prepared for the upcoming pilot phase, and further development of occupational standards. This was complemented by an update from CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), a member of CONMEBOL, a partner of the project, on activities in South America and Brazil, providing a broader international context to the discussions.
The meeting underscored the collaborative efforts of all partners in progressing towards the project’s goals. Participants engaged in constructive discussions, reviewed the current progress, and set next steps for piloting and reporting. The TPDS project continues to build momentum, with a shared vision of enhancing the professional landscape for Supporter Liaison Officers, ultimately benefiting sports organizations and their supporters.
