National strategy(ies)

The national recommendation on physical activity and health is an integrated part of the strategic plan “Flemish people will live healthier in 2025” (De Vlaming leeft gezonder in 2025). This plan is coordinated by the Minister of Health in Flanders.​ The plan takes into account several health behaviours. Physical activity is one of them. It focuses on a health policy in the domains of family, leisure time, education, work and neighbourhood. In other words, an integrated policy is put forward with a focus on diverse groups of the population, amongst others children and young people. Specific attention is paid to vulnerable (young) people. The process for a new strategic plan is in preparation.

Concerning sports policy, there is the Policy Paper on Sport submitted by the Flemish Minister for Mobility, Public Works, Ports and Sport Annick De Ridder for the period 2024-2029 (Beleidsnota Sport 2024-2029) – see 7.8 – current debates and reforms. 

Since 2016, the Flemish Agency Sport Flanders (Sport Vlaanderen) is responsible for the preparation, implementation and evaluation of sports policy in Flanders. In 2023, the budget of the Flemish Government allocated to the policy domain Sport was 188.763.000 euros. Sport Flanders works with a strategic vision statement 2030 on sports promotion​, a policy plan with the aim in bringing more people to sport and more sport and physical activity to the people.

Promoting and supporting sport and physical activity among young people

Youth fitness and physical activity

The Policy Paper on Sport (2024-2029) (see 7.8 – current debates and reforms) mentions facilitating powerful campaigns to promote sport in Flanders. The campaign ‘Sporters experience more’ (Sporters beleven meer) by the Flemish Government and the Flemish Agency Sport Flanders will be supported in starting focused, thematic campaigns, such as campaigns to promote children and young people to sport in a club. According to the Policy Paper, a strong sport and exercise culture starts at an early age and lasts a lifetime.

Youth focus in the Flemish Parliament Act (2016) concerning the recognition and subsidisation of the organised sport sector

The Flemish Parliament Act entered into force on 10 June 2016 (decreet houdende de erkenning en subsidiëring van de georganiseerde sportsector - sportfederatiedecreet). It organises the recognition and the subsidizing of sport organisations. This Flemish Parliament Act has also a policy focus on youth sport activities.

The Flemish Government wants to increase the quality of youth sport clubs with a consequential increase of youth participation. The Flemish Government funds non-profit (sports) organisations that encourage physical activities that have a beneficial effect on young people’s health and fitness. 

In 2022 the decree was amended. Among other things, the aim is to get even more Flemish people moving. The adjustments relate to the professionalization of training, the disadvantaged groups policy, the integrity policy, sports camps and the plan charges for clubs. In June 2022, the Flemish Parliament called with a resolution for more policy attention to g-sport, the practice of sport by people with disabilities.

Flemish Parliament Act of 13 February 2009 concerning the organization of school sports

The Flemish Parliament Act of 13 February 2009 concerning the organization of school sports (Decreet houdende de organisatie van schoolsport) regulates school sports, which is the whole range of extracurricular sports and physical activity, including initiatives to reduce sedentary behaviour, in school and after-school contexts for pupils in primary and secondary education, with a special focus on those pupils who are not reached through the existing provision of sports and physical activity outside school contexts.

Concretely, the task of organizing school sports is taken up by the Flemish School Sports Foundation, now called MOEV. MOEV aims to motivate and support schools and provides them with expertise for a qualitative and structured movement policy, embedded in a more wider health policy. They developed the MOEV-physical activity compass to inspire schools to develop a healthy mix of sitting down, standing up, exercising and working out. They give examples of activities, tips, materials, events and projects to stimulate sport and physical activity before, during and after school hours. 

Flemish Parliament Act of 3 April 2009 concerning the development, coordination and promotion of the sports offer of the student sports facilities

The Flemish Parliament Act concerning the development, coordination and promotion of the sports offer of the student sports facilities (Decreet houdende de toekenning van subsidies voor de uitbouw, de coördinatie en de promotie van het sportaanbod van de [studentensportvoorzieningen] van de Vlaamse universiteiten en hogescholen en de erkenning en subsidiëring van een Vlaamse overkoepelende [studentensportorganisatie]) regulates the subsidies for the association or service that has sports infrastructure and whose purpose is to offer or organise sports activities that take place outside courses, and that takes care of the physical fitness, health and well-being of students enrolled at Flemish universities or colleges of higher education. 

Flemish Outdoor Play Day

Since 2008, the Flemish Government organises Outdoor Play Day (Buitenspeeldag) in cooperation with media partners and children’s channels. In the Policy Paper on Youth, submitted by the Flemish Minister for Housing, Energy and Climate, Tourism and Youth Melissa Depraetere for the period 2024-2029 (Beleidsnota Jeugd 2024-2029), the commitment is taken to continue the policy concerning outdoor play. 

Once a year, children are encouraged to play outside: Flemish television channels, such as Nickelodeon, VTM Kazoom and Ketnet, cancel their broadcast for a day while parents, youth leaders, sports coaches and local governments organise all kind of outdoor games and activities. 

The role of sport as an activity supporting teamwork, intercultural learning, fair play and responsibility

Flemish Parliament Act of 13 March 2024 concerning safe sports environment 

The Flemish Parliament Act of 13 March 2024 concerning safe sports environment (decreet over het stimuleren van een veilig sportklimaat) regulates the responsibilities and obligations of sports federations (and other sports organisations) in terms of promoting a safe sports climate. 

The Decree starts from the principle that every sports organisation has a duty of care to provide a safe sports environment for every athlete, so that everyone can play sport with physical, psychological and social integrity. A holistic approach to safe sports is taken, with  sufficient attention to underlying issues, and a special focus on the underaged athlete.

The Policy Paper on Sport 2024-2029 wants to evaluate and strengthen the role and working of the points of contact of integrity within the sports clubs. They will also research the possibility of an overarching disciplinary register. 

Flemish Parliament Act of 3 June 2022 concerning an extract from the criminal record

The decree of 3 June 2022 requiring certain organisations to provide an extract from the criminal record as mentioned in Article 596(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, for certain new employees (Decreet van 3 juni 2022 houdende de verplichting voor bepaalde organisaties om een uittreksel uit het strafregister als vermeld in artikel 596, tweede lid, van het Wetboek van Strafvordering, te controleren voor bepaalde nieuwe medewerkers) requires that anyone wishing to work with children or young people must submit an extract from the criminal record (model 596.2) to the sports organisation with which they are entering into an agreement. 

It gives an insight into previous convictions for, among other things, sexual offences. It allows to make a better judgement on whether someone is suitable to work with minors. This measure comes after a joint decree by the Flemish Minister of Justice and Enforcement and the Flemish Minister of Sport.

Sport Flanders developed a roadmap for the sports sector.

Equal access to sport and physical activity for everyone

The Policy Paper on Sport 2024-2029 pursues a policy that encourages all (potential) sports providers to remove barriers. To this end, sport policy will focus on knowledge building and knowledge sharing and an adapted training and education offer. Sports clubs and federations will be supported in reaching specific target groups and disadvantaged groups to the maximum. To this end, they will invest extra in a policy that encourages sports federations and clubs to engage in low-threshold socio-sports practices.

The Policy Paper on Youth 2024-2029 (Beleidsnota Jeugd, see 7.8 – current debates and reforms) mentions that the minister of Youth will work together with the minister of Culture and the minister of Sport to make sure that participation in cultural, sport and youth activities is  possible and that initiatives are inclusive. To that end, all possible solutions will be integrated in one digital access: UiTPAS, with attention for the digital divide.

The Policy Paper on Welfare, Public Health and Family and Poverty Reduction 2024-2029 (Beleidsnota Welzijn, Volksgezondheid, Gezin en Armoedebestrijding, see 7.8 – current debates and reforms) does not have a specific focus on sports and physical activity for children and young people and poverty. 

Sports for people with a disability 

The Policy Paper on Sport 2024-2029 recognizes G-Sport Flanders as the organization that will continue to implement a qualitative policy for people with persons with disabilities, mental vulnerability or chronic conditions, young and old. 

G-Sport Flanders inspires, creates opportunities and removes barriers so that all (potential) G-sport athletes can engage in sport and exercise in a healthy and quality manner - tailored to their own needs, capabilities and ambitions.

Research requested by the Flemish Government

The Deparment of Culture, Youth and Media regularly commissions scientific research. We ask universities, colleges or specialised associations to delve deeper into youth themes or developments that affect children and young people.

Some of these researches concern equal access to sport, physical activity and leisure time more generally:

• Leisure time of children and young people with disabilities (2014-2015) - children and young people with disabilities find it difficult to connect with existing leisure and youth work offerings. The obstacles are caused by an interplay of factors. Researchers interviewed almost 150 parents and 200 leisure supervisors and youth workers, in addition to more than 100 children and young people with various disabilities, in order to create an appropriate leisure offer and look at the role of the existing youth work offer in it. Children with disabilities face several obstacles that reduce their contact with peers without disabilities and prevent them from building a social network. For instance, they usually have less free time due to extra time spent on care and school transport.
• Leisure time of young people in residential facilities (2015-2016) - A survey of 450 young people in a facility identified the extent to which these teenagers find appropriate leisure offerings, and the role of existing youth work offerings in this. The survey shows that financial and practical objections prevent young people from participating in mainstream youth work. In addition, there is limited and classically gender-affirming provision for them, with not enough sports and not enough cultural activities. Moreover, they report having too little say in their leisure activities.
• Leisure time of young people in migration (2018-2019) - The study captures how young people from reception classes (OKAN education) experience leisure time, leisure activities and barriers to quality leisure activities. Priorities and expectations of leisure time, content of leisure time, participation in organised offers, Supervisors, satisfaction with leisure activities and participation thresholds. 
• Well-being and gender in leisure time (2019) - The department wants to find out what causes lower levels of wellbeing among LGTBQ+ young people. It investigates what images, attitudes and experiences about gender and sexuality exist in youth work organisations (youth clubs, youth houses, youth camps and so on) and how they affect the well-being of LGTBQ+ young people. 
• Participation survey (2020-2022) - To what extent do Flemish people participate in leisure life in Flanders? Which factors influence that participation positively or what are barriers to participation? From 2020 to 2022, the Knowledge Centre for Culture and Media Participation, together with the Sports Research Platform and the Youth Research Platform, investigated the leisure activities of the Flemish population. Through that research, they mapped the participation of the Flemish people in various domains. The research zooms in on culture, youth, sport and media in particular.
• State of youth - The ‘State of Youth’ is a scientific report on the living environment of Flemish youth. It is one of the tools for conducting youth and children's rights policy. It has been decreed for a long time and was recently included in the Youth Decree of 23 November 2023. The ‘State of Youth’ is based on a large-scale survey of young people, which also identifies long-term developments. It is conducted each time by the Youth Research Platform.

Grassroots sport activities 

Neighbourhood sports (buurtsport) involves low-threshold and neighbourhood-oriented initiatives that encourage different target groups, and especially disadvantaged groups, to play sports. Sport can then be used to promote the development of individuals or of a neighbourhood. The Expertise Centre Neighbourhood Sport within Local Sport Policy Network (Expertisecentrum Buurtsport binnen Netwerk Lokaal Sportbeleid) represents neighbourhoodsports in a transversal platform. They also offer knowledge and support concerning neighbourhoodsport. 

Sportieq wants everyone to be able to experience sports without worries. That is why they support the entire Flemish sports sector in realizing a healthy and ethical sports climate. From recreational sportsman to top athlete, from person to organization. In this way they support the physical, psychological, social and sexual integrity of everyone.

With the Plan Living Together (Plan Samenleven) the Flemish Government wants to support local governments to promote living together in diversity (action 13). One of the actions in the plan is to bring children and youth in vulnerable situations in contact with sport. 

The Policy Paper on Sport (2024-2029) (see 7.8 – current debates and reforms) mentions that besides the structured sports offer in clubs, what children do daily at home, at school, in their leisure time and in the neighborhood is equally important and valuable. The Policy Paper therefore engages to integrate sport and exercise into the daily lives of children and young people, at school, at home, with friends, in family-friendly clubs, and more. In addition, they want to invest in a continuum of movement activities and programmes. This allows children at every age stage to receive the right incentives to optimise their motor development, learn different sports or engage in multisport. They aim at offering increasing the offer of moving in school, together with MOEV. 

• They will also capitalize on new trends and the hip and more urban forms of sport and exercise. These include activities such as freerunning, Frisbee, skateboarding and breaking, which are in line with young people's lifestyles. 
• Next to that, they will keep on promoting the ‘Sports Compass’ (SportKompas), which is meant to orient young people to the right sport. 

The Policy Paper aims at providing opportunities for children and parents to exercise. They want to focus on raising awareness among families about the benefits of playing sports and exercising together. On the other hand they will continue to inform, inspire and guide local governance, sport federations and sport clubs in developing an offer for this target group. 

Mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation

The Flemish Agency Sport Flanders and other sports organisations should present an annual activity and financial report on how they implemented the assignment of the decrees to the Flemish Government.

Physical education in schools

In Flanders, physical education is included in the educational objectives of preschool education, primary education and secondary education. At preschool education, the aim is for children to become increasingly skilled in movement and more and more familiar with many different forms of movement. This can be done initially by putting them in movement situations where they can explore, experiment and practice. In primary and secondary education, the mission is to firstly each children basic movement-related competences that will enable them to function in society. Secondly, it must give children the skills they need to participate in the culture of movement and find their way in it. This is not just about them fitting in smoothly to this culture of movement, but also about them approaching it with sufficient critical sense.

See also ‘National Strategy’ and Flemish Parliament Act of 13 February 2009 concerning the organization of school sports (see Youth fitness and physical activity).

The Policy Paper on Sport (2024-2029) (see 7.8 – Current debates and reforms) mentions that they want to replace the existing developmental goals concerning physical education in preschool education with a more ambitious and concrete curriculum.

Pedagogical tools for teachers

Several platforms for teachers offer pedagogical tools for movement and physical education. MOEV wants to motivate teachers to enable moving in each lesson. MOEV has specific tools and events for teachers, such as the inspiration day on teaching movement-friendly (Inspiratiedag Bewegingsvriendelijk lesgeven). They share specific tools on Klascement, an educational portal site providing various teaching materials. 

Physical activities outside the curriculum but within the school day

The Policy Paper on Sport (2024-2029) wants to make sure there is a sport and moving culture among children and young people. The school environment is important to this end. Sport and movement should be obvious in schools, before, during, in between and after school. The Policy Paper strives to motivate movement and sport in all schools, for as many children as possible. Structural partners are the Ministry of Education and MOEV. 

See also 7.3 - ‘National Strategy’ and ‘Promoting and supporting sport and physical activity among young people’. 

Collaboration and partnerships

The Policy Paper on Sport (2024-2029) mentions that they want to invest in local sport clubs, together with strong and qualitative youth work. They will do this by investing in strong youth sports clubs (policy focus on youth sports), support for sports federations (via the decree on the organised sports sector), investing in a strong trainer policy in Flanders, sports promotion campaigns and school sports initiatives. 

As mentioned before, there is structural cooperation between sport and education, for example with MOEV. The Expertise Centre Neighbourhood Sport within Local Sport Policy Network (Expertisecentrum Buurtsport binnen Netwerk Lokaal Sportbeleid) also has projects concerning sport after school.