Internships at Turkish handball clubs

As a central component of the project, participants undertook a structured internship program, where they were placed in local handball clubs for a five-day immersive experience. During these internships, they:

• • Visited club offices to understand administrative workflows.

• • Observed training sessions of the clubs’ handball teams and, when possible, matches
    to examine sports operations in practice.

• • Conducted interviews with key club personnel, including managers, coaches, and
    staff, to gain insights into management structures, governance, and decision-making.

• • Analyzed club policies on key areas such as child safeguarding, sustainability,
    governance, and financial management.

Clubs participating in this program were as follows:

• • 1954 Hendek Spor Kulübü

• • Armada PraxisYalıkavakspor

• • Köyceğiz Belediyesi Spor Kulübü

• • Kastamonu Candarbey Spor Kulübü

• • Kırşehir Belediyesi Spor Kulübü

• • Üsküdar Belediyesi Spor Kulübü

• • Giresunspor

• • Anadolu Üniversitesi Spor Kulübü

• • Ankara Yenimahalle Belediyesi Spor Kulübü

• • Muğla Üniversitesi Spor Kulübü

• • Avcılar Hentbol Kulübü

• • Beykoz Belediyesi Spor Kulübü

• • İstanbul Defne Spor Kulübü

• • Mersin Hentbol Spor Kulübü

• • Depsaş Enerji Spor Kuübü

At the end of their internships, each participant submitted a structured report based on a questionnaire designed by the project team. This questionnaire guided them to critically evaluate their observations and formulate practical recommendations across several key themes, including:

• • Child protection and participation

• • Strategic management

• • Sports governance

• • Ethical decision-making

• • Sustainability in sports

• • Digital literacy and communication

• • Additional observations and recommendations.

In addition to their written reports, each participant took part in an individual interview conducted by the project team. These in-depth discussions provided an even richer and more nuanced perspective on their experiences. While written reports offered structured insights, the interviews allowed for deeper reflections, capturing personal experiences, critical observations, and creative suggestions that might not have been fully conveyed in writing.