TEAM-EU-UA Best Practices: A Sports And Wellness Event For Schoolchildren At The “Oikos” Camp (14.07.2026, Chernivtsi Oblast)
On July 14, 2026, in the Stebnik area of Chernivtsi Oblast, at the “Oikos” camp run by the Chernivtsi City Council, a sports and health event was held with the participation of gifted children and children from disadvantaged groups who were on summer vacation.
The event was organized as part of the project “Development of Team Spirit for the Implementation and Incorporation of EU Values in Ukraine” (TEAM-EU-UA), co-funded by the European Union. The event served as an example of the practical implementation of best practices developed by the project’s international and Ukrainian partners, aimed at fostering team spirit, increasing physical activity, developing teamwork skills, and promoting European values among schoolchildren.
The event was organized by the NGO “YOUTH. SCIENCE. SPORTS. HEALTHY MOVEMENT OF UKRAINE” in cooperation with the Department of Social Policy of the Chernivtsi City Council, the Family and Youth Office of the Chernivtsi City Council, and the administration of the “Oikos” camp.
The purpose of the event was to increase physical activity among schoolchildren, foster team spirit, develop leadership qualities, mutual support, and unity, as well as to promote national and European values among children through physical education, sports, and recreational activities.
The event began with a solemn rendition of the National Anthem of Ukraine performed by Viktoria Vanzuryak, in which all participants joined in. This was followed by a group warm-up exercise using the flags of Ukraine and the European Union, led by the camp’s physical education instructor, Ilya Dorosh. This symbolic start to the event underscored the importance of unity, mutual respect, patriotism, and support for European democratic values.
The chairman of the NGO “YOUTH. SCIENCE. SPORTS. HEALTHY MOVEMENT OF UKRAINE,” Candidate of Sciences in Physical Education and Sports, Associate Professor Yaroslav Galan, addressed the participants with a welcoming speech. In his speech, he emphasized that in today’s world, team spirit, friendship, mutual support, physical activity, and sports are key factors in the harmonious development of schoolchildren, the cultivation of their leadership qualities, and the fostering of active citizenship. He also emphasized that the implementation of international projects provides an opportunity to introduce modern European practices in Ukraine that contribute to raising a healthy, active, and responsible younger generation.
The camp director, Vasyl Bohdanyuk, also delivered a welcoming speech, thanking the organizers for hosting the sports and health event and noting the importance of international initiatives aimed at children’s development, their well-being, and active leisure activities.
The practical part of the event included team sports relays, during which the students were divided into two teams. The program featured a variety of relays incorporating elements of sports games, as well as exercises testing speed, coordination, agility, and teamwork. The camp counselors served as team captains, motivating the students through their own example to actively participate, support one another, and compete in the spirit of fair play. All sports activities were conducted using best practices, instructional materials, and approaches developed by international and Ukrainian partners of the TEAM-EU-UA project. The presented methodologies have proven effective in fostering team spirit, promoting physical activity, and popularizing national and European values among schoolchildren, and can be recommended to educators, coaches, and physical education teachers for use when organizing sports and health events in educational institutions.
A highlight of the event was a creative activity involving the creation of a symbolic painting in the form of the European Union flag. All participants joined in the creation of the painting, leaving their own creative mark on the shared canvas. This initiative became a symbol of unity, cooperation, mutual respect, peace, and a shared commitment to European values.
Based on the results of the sports relays, the winners and runners-up were awarded commemorative medals and received buffs featuring the TEAM-EU-UA project logo as a memento of their participation in the event. All the children were recognized for their enthusiasm, teamwork, competitive spirit, and commitment to achieving victory together.
During the event’s closing ceremony, Yaroslav Galan presented the TEAM-EU-UA project’s honorary award to camp director Vasyl Bohdanyuk for his significant contribution to supporting international initiatives, promoting physical activity and physical education, popularizing a healthy lifestyle, and instilling European values among schoolchildren.
More than 40 people took part in the event, including gifted children and children from disadvantaged groups who were attending summer camp, youth representatives, the project team, and camp administrators.
The project team also took an active part in the event, providing organizational support, coordinating activities, and ensuring effective interaction with the participants.
The sports and wellness event served as a successful example of the practical implementation of the TEAM-EU-UA project’s outcomes and confirmed the effectiveness of the best practices developed by international and Ukrainian partners. The event once again demonstrated that sports are a powerful tool for fostering team spirit, developing leadership skills, promoting social integration and mutual support, and popularizing European values among children and youth in Ukraine.
Prepared using materials from the project website TEAM-EU-UA