4player in English

International players - how can we help?

While being a professional athlete in Denmark you might still want to develop personally, do higher education or look to get a job next to the sport.

Furthermore there can be mental strains and/or stress related to your sports career - e.g. performance pressure, injuries, career circumstances, loneliness, loss of identity, gambling etc.

In 4player we've made an overview of our various options for international players in Denmark, and we're ready to help and provide guidance within both education & development, job & career as well as mental health.

 

Who is 4player?

4player is an organization started by the Danish Football Players Association, providing second career guidance and support to both current and former elite athletes and helping them transition from an active sports career to a second career.

4player has a holistic focus, providing support and guidance from an early stage in the sports career – e.g. support in taking an education next to the sport – to the actual transition, career guidance and landing on your feet after the sport. This includes help to finding education and personal development opportunities, and getting a job next to or after the sport. 4player also focuses on the mental health along the way, for players to have a good life – all life.

Members of the Danish Football Players Association, the Danish Handball Players Association and the Danish Elite Athletes Association are entitled to help and support from 4player. In case you need help and guidance from your local players union (in your country of origin) we will also help to get in touch with them.

 

 

Education and development

The battle for reaching or staying at the top takes up a lot of time – and it can seem impossible to also look towards education and self-development outside the sport.

But it is actually possible to also keep the brain fit-for-education without compromising on your ambitions in the sport, so that you are prepared for the life waiting when the active sports career ends.

Below we’ve gathered a list of various options for you if you’d like to look towards education and development next to the sport.

NOTE! The options listed below are besides “normal” higher educations at local educational institutions such as universities. Therefore, feel free to also look into which educational institutions are near you, and what international offers they might have (note that non-EU citizens will have to pay tuition fee).

 

Coaching course

4player cooperates with Copenhagen Coaching Center, who offers an accredited  coaching course (5 ECTS), in which you will develop and expand your personal skills and learn the basics of coaching.

This coaching module equips you with the techniques and train your skills to ask questions and build your communication capacity at all levels.

Based on practical and theoretical perspectives we discuss and use the coaching dialogue for immediate understanding and use in your professional context. For example, when leading and guiding personal performance and development among team members and employees.

Learn more about the coaching course here

 

FIFPro Online Academy

In cooperation with the world player’ union in football, FIFPro, University College of Northern Denmark (UCN) offers the option of studying Sport Management online

Sport Management is a degree, where you will be able to combine your passion for sport and events with a deeper understanding for the business mechanisms within the sport- and event sector. This is for you if you would e.g. like to work within the serviceindustry or ‘behind the scenes’ in the sport-/event industry.

The Sport Management degree actually consists of two seperate degrees; first a two-year “Service, Hospitality & Tourism Management” degree with specialization in Sport & Event. Here you will gain competences within development, daily operations, coordination, management and marketing of services within sport and event. Afterwards you’ll be able to apply for the 1½ year top-up programme in Sport Management, that dives even deeper into the sport and event industry.

Notice!

  • This programme is a “normal” higher education – just set up online. It is therefore free of charge for EU citizens (besides an initial application fee), whereas non-EU citizens would have to pay tuition fee.
  • Primarily for football players (current or previous) – although athletes from other sports might also apply depending on the number of applicants
  • Limitied number of spots in the programme

Read more about the FIFPro Online Academy here

If interested contact Jesper Thorup (4player) at mail jesper.thorup@spillerforeningen.dk or phone +45 61713199

 

OpenLearn

On OpenLearn you can access a wide selection of free online courses. Regardless of whether you’re interested in sports, economics, innovation, language or marketing there are options available through OpenLearn.

How to use Openlearn:

  1. Go to OpenLearn using this link
  2. You will be presented with eight major topics to choose from – for instance: Health, Sports & Psychology, Languages, and Money & Business
  3. Make your choice under ‘Course title’. You can choose courses of three different levels: Introductory, Intermediate and Advanced.
  4. You now have access

 

Future Learn

On Future Learn you can access short free online courses, Microcredentiels and Programmes, or online degrees which both requires a paid fee.

How to use Future Learn:

  1. Go to Future Learn using this link
  2. Browse the course list to find something that you’d like to learn about and pick a course
  3. Sign up with your email or facebookand you are ready to start
  4. Suggestions for short courses: FinancielCourse link, Digital Marketing link
  5. Suggestions for Microcredentialsand programmes: Sports Coaching link

 

Got questions? Reach out to us!

The 4player team is ready to help and answer any questions you might have. Remember, we offer online counselling sessions or sparring. These can be motivational, clarification or transition conversations etc. You can find our team here

 

Job and career

Both current and former elite athletes have some unique competences achieved in their sports career, but creating a new identity and transitioning from being an elite athlete to a second career isn’t an easy task.

4player help the athletes in preparing for a career change and finding them a suitable job next to or after the active sports career – e.g. by pairing them with 4player partner companies, who have an interest in the athletes and the unique skills they bring from the sport.

Career path guidance

When looking towards a potential career path after the active sports career, it can be difficult if your primary focus so far has been on the sport.

In 4player we’ll help you to find a direction, and we’ve developed a career path model that can help you along. This process seeks to ensure, that you make a serious and thorough decision with regards to your next job and career.

In the clarification process we’ll focus on finding you the right path and job, which – without previous experience – can otherwise be difficult to identify. In the clarification process we’ll focus on:

  • Personal traits, values, ambitions and the balance between work and family
  • Skills and motivating factors
  • Guidance regarding the obvious options – is the easy choice also the right one?
  • Insight to your own job profile
  • Creating a CV, followed by feedback and guidance
  • The job seeking process, and narrowing down companies
  • Guidance regarding the application process and job interview

If you’d like a clarification talk, feel free to contact the 4player team. You can find our team here

 

CV-database

As a member of the union it is possible for both former and current elite athletes to create a CV in 4players CV-database. The database is unique as it is exclusively for elite athletes, emphasizing the special competences coming from elite sports.

Creating a CV is a good process and tool for also reflecting on yourself and your competences. Furthermore, 4players partner companies can access the database and potentially contact candidates with regards to recruitment.

You can create your CV here

 

Got questions? Reach out to us!

The 4player team is ready to help and answer any questions you might have. Remember, we offer online counselling sessions or sparring. These can be motivational, clarification or transition conversations etc. You can find our team here

 

Mental health

Life as an elite athlete can be linked to mental stress and mental issues both during and after the sports career. It can e.g. be caused by performance pressure, injuries, career circumstances, loss of identity, loneliness and/or gambling issues – or by events in your life moreover.

4player is ready with guidance and support to help you prevent and take early action, if you experience any mental issues during or after the sports career.

Guidance and support

In 4player we’re ready to help you with guidance and forwarding to professional help. We have established a network of professional counsellors and therapists, so you – as a member – can get immediate and optimal help. We are ready to have a confidential talk with you. We can guide you, if in doubt. We can ease you, if you need help, as we will ensure that you get the correct professional counseling or treatment as quickly as possible. 4players team have complete client confidentiality and are trained in mental first aid. You can contant 4players team all working days between 08.30 – 16.00 (GMT +1).

See contact information

 

Anonymous helpline

If you wish to talk to an authorized psychologist due to mental issues requiring treatment, without first talking to 4players team, you can use 4players anonymous helpline. Our helpline is run by the psychologist house, Encounter, who are ready to help you. Here you will quickly be granted a session/consultation based on your needs and issues. By using the anonymous helpline you will remain anonymous to 4player, but not to Encounter and the treating psycologist. Encounter have client confidentiality and comply with the laws of the healthcare system. You will be asked to state your social security no., so that Encounter anonymously can verify your access to counseling cf. the conditions below.

4players anonymous helpline is open all working days from 09.00 – 15.30 (GMT +1) on phone no. +45 53 700 400.

 

In need of immediate help

If you find yourself in a critical mental condition, where you experience serious mental issues and/or have suicidal thoughts, you should immediatly contact your own doctor, doctor from the emergency service, psychiatric department or Livslinien. You can use the app ‘Akuthjælp’ (Danish) to find the appropriate public treatment offer in your region. Download the app on your phone for either iOS/iPhone or Android

 

Your access to support

4players offers and guidance in mental health are for members (active and former) of Spillerforeningen, Håndbold Spiller Foreningen and DEF-sport. Offers and conditions for paid psycology treatment varies for different member groups. Psykology counsellings can be granted by 4player or our psykology-partner, Encounter, for mental issues requiring treatment. The conditions apply both with referral from 4player and when using the anonymous helpline. Members of Spillerforeningen can be granted 3 paid counsellings. Goldies members of Spillerforeningen (former players) can be granted 3 paid counsellings in up to 5 years after ending the sports career. Players that are covered by the collective agreement in football, but who are not a member of Spillerforeningen, can be granted 1 paid counselling. Members of Håndbold Spiller Foreningen and DEF-sport have access to mental treatment by psychologist to a reduced price, but with some self-payment. It is also possible to be referred to a psychologist through your own doctor if your doctor assess, that your issues are within the criteria of being reffered. You can get a public grant for the treatment. Such treatment can involve waiting time.

Do you have questions?

If you have any questions or would like to get in touch with 4player, fill in the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also see our team and contact any of us directly via the button below.

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