Last week, the third meeting of the SIGGS Steering Committee (SteerCo) took place in Brussels. This third meeting brought together all project partners in the EOC EU Office to discuss the progress of the self-evaluation tool and the further steps in the project. Several National Olympic Committees (NOCs) had also sent their national expert as a representative.

The main point on the agenda was the development of the self-evaluation tool. Following the previous SteerCo meeting, it was decided to focus on four main principles and to structure the self-evaluation tool according to four steps. Aurélien Favre (EOSE) and Thierry Zintz (UCL) presented the first two steps to the participants. Following an exchange of views, the questions of the self-evaluation which constitute one of the basic elements of the tool have been finalised.

In addition, Matthias Van Baelen (EOC EU Office and Project Manager) presented the methodology for steps 3 and 4 on how to go from the results of the self-evaluation to customised Action Plans. As the main purpose of the project is to provide practical and customised guidance to NOCs and national sport federations, the customisation process is crucial. The various elements of the Roadmaps and Action Plans were discussed and approved by the participants. For the development of these documents, the SIGGS Project is actively looking for good practice examples and other information that can contribute to the objectives.

The meeting was also a good occasion for the professional software company, in charge of the technical implementation of the self-evaluation tool, to present a first version to the participants. Although not all elements of this tool are in place yet, the project partners were able to recognise the potential and provided input for the further development of the tool.

The work on the Roadmaps and Actions Plans as well as on the technical implementation of the self-evaluation tool will continue over the summer. The schedule is to launch the tool within the project consortium in the beginning of October and to gather input from national sport federations, confederations and NOCs during the month of October. The next SteerCo meeting should take place in November or December. It will be a good occasion to discuss the first experience of the self-evaluation tool and to prepare the Strategic Workshops which are scheduled in the first half of 2016.