Urban Sports Challenge in Amsterdam a great success
Last week, 3X3 Unites hosted in Amsterdam the Urban Sports Challenge (USC). For four days, around 40 young people from 3X3 Unites, BRAVE (Antwerp), and TSVE (Bielefeld) came together in the Paper Dome. The goal: to strengthen youth participation in society by letting them shape public spaces themselves and build their networks.
One of the participants was Jaimy Jacott, representing 3X3 Unites. Together with his group, he worked on the question of how to make the Paper Dome even more vibrant and better suited to the needs of its users. After days of brainstorming, drafting plans, and preparing a presentation, the final day ended with a pitch before a five-member jury.
"I feel truly honored that my voice is being heard and that I can help bring change to my own neighborhood," Jaimy said. "That's amazing, right? Growing up, I always heard that young people in the Bijlmer were listened to, but I didn't always feel that myself. With the Urban Sports Challenge, I really do. Now I'll be able to say that I helped shape my community. That makes me really proud, man."
Jaimy also found it very valuable to connect with young people from Bielefeld and Antwerp. He not only made new friends but also learned to see things from a different perspective. "By talking to young people from other cities, you realize they sometimes face the same problems as we do. But they look at them from a different angle and come up with different solutions. That was really educational."
This is one of the reasons why, just over a year ago, 3X3 Unites joined forces with BRAVE (Antwerp), TSVE (Bielefeld), and the University of Cologne for the Urban Sports Challenge, supported by the European Union's Erasmus+ Program. Running until December 2026, the project allows young people from three different cities to create and develop their own public spaces. In this way, they actively participate in society, take on responsibility, and work towards making their spaces more diverse, accessible, and inclusive.
"By bringing young people from different cities together, they can learn from each other and inspire one another," said Maxi Sellering, project coordinator for 3X3 Unites. "Everyone contributes new ideas, and they discover what is or isn't possible in other cities. Ultimately, the goal is for them to create a place where everyone feels safe and welcome, and where the activities truly match the needs of young people. This also benefits local youth organizations, which gain extra capacity, relevant programs, and new spaces."
In the Paper Dome, the young people from Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Bielefeld got to know each other last week. They shared the challenges they face in their own cities and discussed what their ideal place should look like. From the second day, they split into city-based groups to develop plans for their own location. Using design sprints led by Lore Cuypers of BRAVE, they created concepts that culminated in a final pitch.
They were supported by local experts such as Eric Traa from Rabobank Amsterdam and Nassima Samir from OBA Next. "It was so cool that everyone's voice was heard and that local experts were there to answer questions or give advice on how to structure a pitch," said Amsterdam participant Mercedes Appawu-Wideru. "It didn't feel like a competition either. All the groups were really supportive of each other."
Mercedes also found it eye-opening to hear stories from the young people from Antwerp and Bielefeld. "In Antwerp, they struggle to get girls involved in activities. They challenged us by asking: what do we organize for girls in Amsterdam? How do we do it? And how do we make sure they feel safe and included?"
Together with Jaimy, Mercedes and their group prepared a pitch on how to make the Paper Dome more attractive and lively. "The materials could be improved, and the space still feels a bit empty. For example, there are no benches around the court. If you're tired, you want to sit down," said Mercedes, who often plays basketball in the Paper Dome herself. Jaimy suggested creating a lounge corner with couches where young people can relax and hang out. "We can really turn it into something special."
On the final day, the young people presented their ideas to a jury of five: Mike Nasibdar (educator and coordinator 3X3 Unites), Ine Claus (Commercial Manager, Nijha), Dimeo van der Horst (Olympic 3x3 basketball champion and 3X3 Unites educator), Melissa 't Jong (Education Manager, 3X3 Unites), and Robert Geerlings (initiator of Beyond Bims and successful lawyer and entrepreneur).
"It was pretty nerve-racking, but also very educational," Jaimy said. "I learned how to structure a good pitch, to speak clearly, how to present myself, and how to convince people with my story." He believes it went well: "The jury thought our pitch was strong and inspiring."
The jury was impressed by all three pitches from the groups from Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Bielefeld. Each team was awarded a €12,500 check to use as seed funding to start developing their public spaces in their own cities. That is the next step: in the coming year, the young people will begin putting their plans into action.
"We empower young people by letting them create their own spaces and increase their visibility. They feel heard and are ready to make a difference in their neighborhoods," said Maxi from 3X3 Unites. "The young people who take part in the Urban Sports Challenge grow into youth workers themselves. They then become role models for other young people in their community."
Looking back, Jaimy is enthusiastic about the Urban Sports Challenge. He says he not only learned presentation skills and built a larger network but also made new friends through his contact with young people from Bielefeld and Antwerp. What he looks forward to most, however, is turning the Paper Dome into an even cooler place and bringing their plans to life. "I've lived in the Bijlmer my whole life. This is my home. How amazing is it that soon I'll be able to say that my ideas helped make changes in my neighborhood possible?"