About Youth + Sport
Jugend+Sport (J+S) is the Swiss federal sports promotion programme, run by the Federal Office of Sport (BASPO). It targets children and young people between the ages of 5 and 20 and is the largest youth sports programme in Switzerland.
The federal government subsidises sports activities offered by clubs and schools directly — for every recognised training session, the organisation receives a contribution from the government. Central to the programme is the training of qualified leaders who guide young people in a competent and supportive way. J+S promotes not only athletic performance, but the holistic development of young people: teamwork, social skills, and a lasting enjoyment of physical activity.
Structure
J+S is organised on three levels:
Federal level – BASPO
The Federal Office of Sport in Magglingen sets the framework, develops the training content, and finances the programme.
Cantonal level – Cantonal offices
Each canton has its own J+S office, which coordinates courses, processes applications, and serves as the point of contact for clubs and schools.
Club / organisation level
Clubs and schools run the actual sports activities and bill their recognised J+S sessions through the cantonal office.
The education structure for leaders:
- Leader Course – Entry level: foundational training to become a J+S leader
- Continuing Education – Regular mandatory training to maintain J+S recognition
- Expert Training – Advanced level: experts accompany and assess leader courses
- Cadre Trainers – Highest level: responsible for training the experts
Each sport has its own J+S programme with sport-specific content — the structure, however, is identical across all sports.
Youth + Sport & Swiss PGA education
Golf has been an official part of the Swiss Federal Youth + Sport (J+S) programme since 2010. The Swiss PGA education integrates J+S qualifications directly into the training pathway, enabling apprentices to gain recognised youth coaching credentials alongside their professional education.
J+S Leiterkurs Golf is completed during the education programme and qualifies apprentices to lead junior golf activities independently. J+S Expertenkurs and the Swiss Golf Trainer A qualification are accessible as part of the Swiss PGA programme.
All J+S courses must be registered via the Y+S coach at the club. If no Y+S coach is available, please register directly with the cantonal sports office or contact: marcel.meier@baspo.admin.ch
