With the completion of the pilot implementations across all partner countries, the JOY in Sport project has now finalized the evaluation phase of Work Package 3 (WP3). The arrival of the Finland and Poland pilot results in March 2026 marks the final step in consolidating WP3 evidence, allowing the project to formally enter the WP3 report writing phase.
Pilot activities in Finland and Poland applied the Education Pack 1.0 within regular youth sport training environments, using art-based and joy-oriented exercises. The evaluation findings from both countries align strongly with results from other partner contexts, confirming high participation and adherence, strong team belonging, and positive emotional engagement among young athletes.
In Finland, the pilot demonstrated very high continuity of participation and strengthened feelings of belonging, supported by before–after evidence and coach reflections. In Poland, monitoring indicators and qualitative insights highlighted sustained engagement across diverse sports disciplines, alongside a clear shift toward more joy-centered and inclusive coaching practices.
With evaluation data now available from all WP3 pilot countries, the WP3 evaluation process is complete. The project has therefore moved into the final reporting phase, where consolidated findings will be synthesized to inform the refinement of educational materials and the next stages of the JOY in Sport project.
