Participants engaged with IPC sport mangers, the medical department and the NPC relationships team, discussing key areas of work along the athlete pathway.

The face-to-face interaction was a forum on key development challenges surrounding administrative capacity, classification and sport technical education as well as providing an opportunity to ask questions.

The Organisational Capacity Programme, originally launched in February, aims to strengthen NPCs in the areas of governance, management, leadership and sport promotion, as well as supporting them to improve their overall capacity to develop and support Para-athletes in reaching their full potential.

It prioritises learning and training opportunities for NPC and National Federation staff and volunteers in the key areas that the IPC targets as strategic priorities, so that they can deliver workshops in their own countries and regions and take Para-sport to new levels.

NPCs had until July 11 to apply to be part of the programme, from which 13 were selected to take part in the meeting in the German city.

The Organisational Capacity Programme from the Agitos Foundation aims to strengthen NPCs in areas such as governance management and leadership ©IPC




Using a "train the trainer" methodology, organisers say the workshops will encourage participants to focus on identifying and acting upon the needs of their NPCs and delivering programmes specific to those requirements.

The participants will lead the level one programme in their own countries.

The Agitos Foundation will then work with the participants for a further two years, providing support when needed to help achieve the long term plans of the NPCs and inspire those throughout the Paralympic Movement.

This will lead to a regionally based level two programme and additional scholarship opportunities for those who excel to progress on to the World Academy of Sport Postgraduate Certificate in Sport Management.

Commenting on the Organisational Capacity Programme, one participant said: "The workshop provides me with all the tools, knowledge and skills to work with my NPC and other organisations including the Government.

"It will help me and my NPC a lot in promoting Paralympics in general and in my country."

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