PLAY OUT!
Youth Experiential Learning Programme
about sports and queer community
Play Out! consisted of three phases: a Preparation Period, a 10-day Youth Exchange in Latvia, and a Follow-up Phase with local actions in each partner country.
Play Out! started with a simple idea: everyone deserves a space to move, play, and feel included. Too often, queer people grow up feeling out of place in sports and movement spaces due to exclusion, stereotypes, or simply not seeing themselves represented.
At the same time, modern life makes it harder to stay active. More time spent sitting, fewer opportunities to move, and limited spaces where we feel comfortable being ourselves.
Finding ways to take care of our bodies and minds can be challenging. But movement is not just about fitness; it is about joy, community, and self-expression. And when public spaces do not feel welcoming, those experiences become harder to access.
That is why we created Play Out!. A space where we as queer youth can come together, redefine what movement through sports means to us, and build inclusive, supportive, and more intersectional communities.
We are here to change the game, create new playbooks that centre joy, accessibility, and self-acceptance, and ensure that wherever we are, we can Play Out!
RAINBOW STORIES
Testimonials
Articles by participants about their experience during the project.
Follow the link to our blog to read their testimonials.
Video Interviews
Meet part of our participants, who shared with us their thoughts and feelings about their experience during Play Out!.
Find the video with the interviews above.
Behind the creation Interview
Learn about the idea of the project, the, and the importance of inclusivity and accessibility in sports for queer and other intersectional communities.
Check above to watch the interview
EXCHANGE
Play Out! took place at Gauja, at the Zvīguļi guest house in Latvia, from 9–18 April 2025 (excluding travel days).
The space was held by a group of 30 participants from Greece, Latvia, Spain, Germany and Bulgaria, who came together to co-create new safer, more inclusive sports, while also building a strong sense of community and exchanging their queer stories and experiences.
Highlights include: Morning stretching, Tai-chi practice organized by participants, creating new sports, Opposite Olympics and an outdoor event in Riga to engage with the locals.
During the program, the participants had the opportunity to learn, experience and reflect on:
· Movement through sports as self-expression and empowerment
· Building safer and more inclusive and intersectional spaces
· connection, belonging and community building
· Communication, teamwork and leadership
· Overcoming barriers and stepping out of their comfort zone
· Creative and innovative thinking
· Taking action beyond the project
· Personal and professional growth, with recognition through the Youthpass certificate.
LOCAL ACTION PHASE
The 3rd phase of the project was the Local Action Phase (April– June 2025) in each participating country. During this phase, participants put their newly gained competences into action by organizing and implementing activities in their local environments, engaging their peers and social environments. From workshops and school sessions to community events, street actions and hikes, they reached other queer and allies young people, sharing about their experience in the project, the new connections they made, and promoting participation in sports for queer* community.
We use Queer* as an inclusive, community-centered umbrella term, which is used to describe people whose sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression does not fit within traditional heterosexual or cisgender norms. It brings together many identities and experiences, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, non-binary, asexual, aromantic, pansexual, and many others.
The project was organized in 2025 by Active Rainbow. It was co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Commission, which is administrated in Latvia by the Jaunatnes starptautisko programmu aģentūra (Latvian National Agency).
Partners: G-All – Gender Alliance Initiative (Greece), Asociación Las Niñas del Tul (Spain), Critical Queer Solidarity e.V. (Germany), Bilitis Foundation (Bulgaria).
Disclaimer: The information and views set out in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Neither the European Union institutions and bodies nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein.