P2P International Training – Youth Participation & Leadership in Sports

Blog post by Kurt Montanaro

In March 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to represent TDM2000 Malta at the P2P International Training in Cagliari, Italy. This was no ordinary event — it was a Training for Trainers programme designed to boost youth participation and leadership in sports organisations. Over the course of a week, youth workers, trainers, and sports leaders from across Europe came together to share ideas, develop skills, and strengthen international cooperation.

Why We Were There

The training aimed to empower participants in several key ways:

• Understanding how participatory structures in sports organisations influence youth engagement.

• Learning how to implement co-management and leadership models within youth councils and boards.

• Gaining practical tools to train young sports leaders.

• Building strong international networks among youth workers and trainers.

• Applying strategies to enhance youth participation in both local and international sports contexts.

  
  

It was a week packed with learning, collaboration, and hands-on activities that pushed us to think creatively about how sport can be a vehicle for inclusion, leadership, and social impact.

Our Final Activity – Blind (Team) Football

For the final practical exercise, my colleague Dawson Camilleri and I decided to create an original game that would combine physical activity with strong elements of communication, leadership, and trust.

We called it Blind (Team) Football.

The setup was simple:

• Two chairs served as goalposts.

• One football.

• One blindfold.

  
  

The rules were where things got interesting:

1. Participants split into two teams.

2. Each team chose a captain — the only player allowed to score and the one who would wear the blindfold for the entire match.

3. The rest of the team had to complete at least three successful passes before attempting to score.

4. Once the passes were done, the team could either let the captain move three steps forward or attempt a goal.

5. The ball had to be passed to the blindfolded captain, who relied solely on verbal guidance from their teammates to find the goal and take a shot.

6. The captain could only move twice before shooting. If they missed or lost the ball, the passing sequence had to start again.

   
   

The fastest team completed the challenge in 1 minute and 10 seconds — and the energy in the room was electric. Everyone was fully engaged, cheering each other on, and learning first-hand the power of teamwork and clear communication.

Challenges We Faced

The biggest challenge? Ensuring the blindfolded captain could receive and control the pass. It demanded precise, concise instructions from teammates and underscored the importance of trust in any collaborative setting — especially in sport.

What I Took Away

This training was more than just an event — it was a rich, inspiring experience that strengthened my skills as a trainer and youth leader. It challenged me to think creatively about engagement, gave me new tools to use in future projects, and reinforced the value of international cooperation.

Most importantly, it reminded me that sport is not just about competition — it’s a universal language for building leadership, fostering inclusion, and creating lasting connections.

I’m looking forward to applying what I learned to further develop youth participation initiatives within Malta’s sports community.