Four partners of the new Erasmus+ project SoftPath gathered in Maribor, Slovenia, for the first kick-off meeting to launch the initiative and clarify partner roles, timelines, quality assurance, tasks for all partners as well as financial management. SoftPath is a new project in which the EJU is involved together with three other partners: the Slovenian Judo Federation, Ourea Doo (SLO) and the Sport Evolution Alliance (POR).
The project is dedicated to integrating judo and lifelong values into primary education, with the aim of promoting the positive values of sport. It envisions primary schools as environments where physical activity and personal development go hand in hand, with judo introduced as a tool for fostering respect, cooperation, resilience and physical literacy. By embedding structured, values-based judo education into regular physical education lessons, schools will not only enrich their sporting offer but also support pupils’ social and emotional growth, encourage inclusive participation, and foster long-term engagement in grassroots sport through cooperation with local judo clubs.
The project targets primary school children aged 6 to 12, with particular attention given to children from rural areas, economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and those with fewer opportunities to participate in organised sport.
Teachers, both general and PE-focused, represent a key target group, especially those lacking the confidence, experience, or training to introduce martial arts or new sports into the curriculum. The project also actively involves local judo clubs, including those new to Erasmus+, to build their capacity for cooperation with schools and increase their role in promoting inclusive sport participation.
The EJU will collaborate with all 51 national federations to identify best practices across Europe and will engage experts to create the SoftPath handbook, a practical educational tool introducing judo values, history and basic techniques. The EJU will contribute technical knowledge of judo and international standards, ensuring that the project’s content is high-quality and culturally relevant.
Author: EJU Media