Belen Martin Leon, Sports Assistant at European Aquatics, has taken part in Her Turn, a leadership development programme supporting women in sport to take the next step into leadership and decision-making roles.
Martin Leon was part of the first Her Turn Class of 2026, which brought together 25 women from 12 countries for a five-month programme. The course combined seminars, practical tools, coaching, networking, reflection and peer learning. It began with a seminar in Tallinn and concluded in Helsinki, where the focus was on turning what had been learned into action.
Her Turn is organised by the President Kaljulaid Foundation in collaboration with Miltton New Nordics and Out of the Box International, and is co-funded by the European Commission through Erasmus+. The programme aims to develop individual leadership skills and to build a network of women who can help shape the future of sport.
Aquatics was strongly represented in the class, with eight of the 25 participants coming from European Aquatics federations and organisations. European Aquatics has encouraged participation in initiatives such as Her Turn as part of its wider commitment to supporting women’s participation and development across its disciplines.
Several themes came out of the programme. The first is that leadership development has to begin before someone reaches a leadership position. Women need opportunities throughout their careers to take responsibility, lead projects, speak up, make decisions and gain visibility.
Access to peers, mentors, role models and others facing similar challenges were identified as potential ways to address the shortfalls. Technical skills and encouraging environments for women also emerged as potential avenues for improvement in the area.
Networks were another area of focus, with discussion around how contact with peers, mentors, role models and others facing similar challenges can widen perspectives and create new opportunities. The programme also considered the relationship between confidence and competence, looking at how women benefit not only from technical skills but from environments that encourage them to step forward, take ownership and recognise their own value.
Participants also looked at the question of where responsibility for development lies, and whether it should rest entirely on women themselves. The programme encouraged organisations to examine how opportunities, visibility, recruitment, responsibilities and decision-making processes are structured.
It also explored how supporting women’s leadership involves creating the conditions, networks and pathways that allow women to progress, as well as increasing the number of women in senior positions, and how greater representation can in turn create more role models and make leadership roles feel more accessible to the next generation.
European Aquatics will encourage Member Federations and aquatics organisations to promote and support women’s leadership initiatives, and to create opportunities for women at different stages of their careers. Federations will also be encouraged to identify practical actions they can put in place internally, from mentoring and coaching to leadership opportunities, networking, succession planning and greater visibility of female professionals.
The aim is a culture in which women are actively encouraged to contribute, lead and take part in decision-making, rather than simply being invited to participate. European Aquatics aims to provide the framework, visibility and opportunities, while Member Federations are best placed to apply these ideas within their own environments, where they understand the specific challenges and culture of their sport.
By sharing experiences and successful practices across Europe, European Aquatics hopes to build a stronger and more connected aquatics community, with greater opportunities for women to contribute at every level.
Click here to register for European Aquatics’ Women in Aquatics Network.
Click here to register to join the Women in Aquatics Network Whatsapp group.
Click here to find more information on the programme via the Her Turn LinkedIn page.
Stephen Stanley for European Aquatics
