Michelle Blaya works as a research assistant at the Department of Psychology at the University of Córdoba. Collaborator of the SPEY project, she is in charge of assisting on the planning and creation of the activities based on up-to-date scientific literature, and program outcome assessment.
1) What made you join the project? What would you highlight?
I joined the team in late 2019 as a last year Master’s student. My interest in research was growing and I was just starting to focus on the field of radicalization, which I find fascinating. When my advisor, Manuel Moyano (also part of the team) told me about SPEY and asked me if I would like to collaborate, I could only say yes.
I am not only interested in academia but also in making a tangible impact. Because of that, SPEY was the perfect opportunity for me to apply my knowledge and be helpful. In fact, that is my highlight: SPEY puts together scientific knowledge and field experience, creating a strong program that can lead to real change in the life of the participants and society as a whole.
2) Sport, youth and radicalization: 3 powerful words, how do you contribute to the project and from what point of view / experience?
I have been collaborating in the development, monitoring, and evaluation of the program. As a part of the academic side of the team, we collaborated establishing the indicators and milestones of the intervention process. My experience mostly comes from the field of psychology, as my bachelor’s, MA, and ongoing Ph.D. are focused in that field. Since I started participating in the SPEY programme, I have had the opportunity to engage in more actions and educate myself in the field of radicalization. And, as a young person who used to practice sport at a competitive level, I am personally aware of how useful sports are for conveying positive values.
3) How has the pandemic affected the development of this task? Are you achieving your goals?
The pandemic hit hard, as I had many plans for when I finished my Master’s that were completely shut down by the lockdowns. Yet had the opportunity to move to a different country for a few months, keep learning, working, and improving my skills, and even applying for a Ph.D. program in the US. I am currently studying in South California so I could say that I made good use of my time. I can confidently say that working on the SPEY programme kept me grounded and with a focus on what I really wanted to do.
Although everything had to stop also for the participants and trainers on the field, we did a great job and we were able to flourish despite the restrictions – what, we all know by now, is something to celebrate!
4) From your experience in other European projects, what accomplishment do you feel most proud of?
As mentioned before, I feel extremely proud of the fact that, despite all the added difficulties that the pandemic put in our hands, we were resilient. Although we have not been able to meet in person, I am grateful for the opportunity of participating in a project like SPEY and be part of this great team. I find that having the points of view and insights from people from all over Europe is a huge asset. Not only were we able to complete a program in an already difficult field, but also do it during the most unforeseen circumstances.
About the SPEY project
The SPEY project (Sport for the Prevention of Extremism in Youth) started in February 2020 led by the Union of Sports Federations of Catalonia. The project, co-financed by the European Commission, has a duration of 30 months, and has the support of 7 countries and 9 ‘partners’, including the Confederation of Sports of Sweden, the Union of Federations of Latvia, the International Council of Sport and Physical Education of Germany, the City Council of Gondomar of Portugal, the Ministry of Culture and Sport of Greece, the French ‘think tank’ Sport and Citizenship, and the University of Córdoba.
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