HEPA Olympics (HEPA-O) is an Erasmus+ Sport-funded initiative that engages educators as ambassadors of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA). The project runs from January 2025 to June 2026 in Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia and aims to turn teachers into role models for students by incorporating HEPA into school life.
The HEPA-O project is conceptualised to engage three key groups with its ambition to foster a culture of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA) within educators. Together, these groups form the backbone of the HEPA-O project, each contributing to the overarching goal of creating healthier, more active learning environments.
School educators across various disciplines from Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia, who will actively participate in HEPA-O training and events, serving as the primary catalysts for change.
School administrators and policymakers, recognizing their pivotal role in embedding HEPA principles into the educational framework, thereby ensuring the sustainability and institutional support for these initiatives.
Students from the participating schools being witnesses of “Practice what you preach” momentum thus having the nudge to shift from passive recipients of HEPA messaging to active participants in their own health and learning, fostering a lifelong appreciation for physical activity.
The main aim of the project is to create and test an innovative event concept – the HEPA Olympics for educators – with the ultimate goal to involve educators from all academic disciplines in HEPA interventions and as a result to turn them to HEPA ambassadors.
Research indicates that teachers play a pivotal role in influencing students’ attitudes towards physical activity and their participation levels. Teachers who are actively involved in HEPA initiatives can serve as role models, thereby positively affecting students’ perceptions of physical activity and its importance for health. Studies have shown that when teachers integrate physical activity into their teaching practices, it can lead to improved student engagement, increased physical activity levels, and enhanced overall well-being.
A wide array of HEPA materials, research articles, case studies.
School educators across various disciplines from Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia, who will actively participate in HEPA-O training and events, serving as the primary catalysts for change.
School educators across various disciplines from Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia, who will actively participate in HEPA-O training and events, serving as the primary catalysts for change.
School educators across various disciplines from Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia, who will actively participate in HEPA-O training and events, serving as the primary catalysts for change.
