REF4ADAYSUMMARY

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.

coordinator

🇵🇹 PORTUGAL: ASSOCIAÇÃO PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DO DESPORTO JUVENIL (ADDJ)

Founded in 2003 by a group of graduates in Sport Sciences, ADDJ is committed to implementing educational and sport-based projects with young people (aged 4–16) and their families. Through a strong pedagogical approach, ADDJ develops local, national and European initiatives focused on social integration, ethical values, and health promotion.
Its team of educators and trainers works to:
• Promote physical activity as a tool for health and education
• Encourage youth participation to prevent social exclusion
• Support sport events and active lifestyles
• Teach core values such as fair play, teamwork and respect

partners

🇮🇹 ASD SPARTA CALCIO – ITALY
ASD Sparta Calcio embodies the power of football as a tool for social inclusion. Born from the merger of two local clubs, the association is recognized for its accessible approach: no participation fees are required, allowing young people from all backgrounds to join. Sparta promotes diversity, community spirit and respect, showing that sport can build bridges beyond competition.

🇱🇹 VŠĮ SPORTUOKIME KARTU – LITHUANIA
Based in Kaunas, the name of the association means "Let’s do sport together". It promotes healthy lifestyles through sports, especially among families, managing both a football and a dance school. The organization is deeply committed to gender equality in sports, challenging stereotypes by encouraging girls in football and boys in dance, offering a safe and inclusive space for children to grow.

ABSTRACT

Referee for a Day (Ref4aDay) is a European project that aims to promote respect, empathy and civic values in sport by putting the figure of the referee at the centre. In recent years, referees – especially in grassroots and youth sports – have increasingly become victims of verbal abuse, threats and social stigma. Yet referees are not just rule enforcers: they are educators, mediators and key figures in creating inclusive and respectful sport environments.

Ref4aDay addresses this challenge through an educational and experiential journey involving young people, schools, coaches and sport clubs. The core of the project is the “Referee for a Day” experience: a one-day activity where young participants step into the shoes of a referee, face real game situations and reflect on the importance of fairness, nonviolence and dialogue.

Alongside local actions in each partner country, the project will develop a European communication campaign and a Playbook with tools, formats and methods to help organisations replicate the experience.

By reconnecting communities with the deeper values of sport, Ref4aDay shows that respect starts when we change perspective — and learn to see the referee not as an adversary, but as a guide.