Empowering female athletes - workshop held with the Serbian Handball Federation and Sanja Malagurski

As part of the Erasmus+ project Re-imagining the playing field – a gender equality in sport project (GESP), our organisation organized a workshop within activity 3.2, focused on the mental well-being, empowerment, and personal development of female athletes. The workshop was part of a broader effort to strengthen the capacity of sports professionals and organizations to implement gender-sensitive practices and foster inclusive, supportive environments for women in sport.

The event was held in collaboration with the Serbian Handball Federation, a partnership that was initiated during the project’s partnership-building meeting (Activity 3.1). The workshop was conducted with members of the Serbian women’s junior national handball team, creating an opportunity to engage directly with young athletes at a critical stage in their sports development.

This cooperation enabled the workshop to bring together athletes, coaches, and professionals from across Serbia to discuss and reflect on the intersection between gender equality and mental resilience in sport.

A key contributor to the workshop was Sanja Malagurski, former professional volleyball player, European champion, and Olympian, who also previously participated in the project’s podcast series “Breaking Barriers: Women in Sport.” Drawing from her personal experiences at the elite level of sport, she engaged directly with participants on challenges related to self-confidence, pressure management, and long-term psychological preparation.