Second turn – employability after the sport

According to international research, one-third of all participants between the ages of 10 and 17 withdraw from sports each year as they consider that sport takes up too much of their time and prevents them from pursuing other things in life (e.g. to study). More efforts therefore need to be made to coordinate and support athletes’ dual careers to keep talented young people in sports and educational systems and make them aware of the benefits of a dual career. This process will enhance the responsibility of young athletes while making them aware of the benefits of a dual career. There is no single model to be recommended on how to include all related policy domains in the dual career framework, nor can it be said which sector should take the lead in this coordination process.In terms of dual career, Lithuanian and Estonian athletes face lacking awareness, information and education. Consequently, the intention of the proposed project Second turn – employability after the sport (hereinafter - SUPPORT) would be through the networking and identification and sharing of good practices to create the foundation of the career counselling and advisory system (CCAS) in Lithuania and Estonia, where dual career subject has only now started to develop and the need of existing theoretical framework’s and practical its execution is crucial, in order to increase young and mature professional athlete’s to reach their potential in education alongside achieving success in their sports. The goal is to build the dual career support structure which would be based on the acknowledged an enhanced level of academic flexibility and understanding, allowing talented athletes to balance their studies with a hectic sporting schedule.