25 young orienteering leaders from around the world took were earlier this year selected to take part in the IOF Young Leaders Academy (YLA) 2024 in Italy in the beginning of July. YLA was organised for the first time in 2023, and its purpose is to support their talent and their competencies on key topics such as event organising, coaching and mapping. The academy is also about exchanging experiences and making new friends within the global orienteering community.
The academy is organised by the IOF Global Development Commission in cooperation and supported by the organisers of 5 Days Italy. The participants took part in this event both as athletes and could also experience the event from “the inside”. The program also consisted of several activities, lectures and workshops enabling the participants to improve their personal orienteering, organisation and coaching skills. Knowledge sharing sessions were given on:
- Experiences as a young mapmaker and course setter, by Jessica Lucchetta
- Organize big events, by Gabriele Viale from 5 days Italy)
- Coaching athletes, by Ulrich Aeschlimann
- Prevention of injuries in young competitive orienteers, by Martin Krause
- Orienteering as a lifelong sport, by Jörgen Mårtensson and Anders Björklund
- Sustainability of orienteering, by Stefano Bisoffi
- Maze orienteering, by Göran Andersson
- Use of Sport Ident
In December 2024, IOF will also organise the very first regional version of YLA; the Young Leaders Academy 2024 Asia, in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Read more about this and how to apply here:
Young Leaders Academy 2024 Asia
