Focus group held in Uzice: Young people share views on sport values
14.03.2025.
As part of the S.V.I.T.E – Sporting Values: The Teen Edition project, the Society Support Alliance, in cooperation with the Youth Office Uzice, successfully organized a focus group session aimed at exploring how young people understand and experience sport values in their daily lives. The session created an open and supportive environment for discussion, enabling participants to share their perspectives on sport, teamwork, fair play, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
What young people highlighted
During the conversation, the participants identified several core values they believe are essential both in sport and in everyday interactions, including: equality, mutual respect, discipline, responsibility, determination, teamwork, solidarity, empathy and competitive spirit. These values were described as key elements that help build positive relationships, strengthen cooperation, and improve personal development.
Challenges discussed
The group also openly reflected on obstacles that sometimes prevent these values from being fully practiced. Among the issues raised were:
- peer pressure,
- stereotypes and unequal treatment
- lack of support in competitive environments
- occasional ridicule, cliques and conflicts within teams
- limited financial or infrastructural resources
- demotivating coaching approaches and favoritism
- fear of mistakes and performance pressure
Their reflections showed how strongly social dynamics, coaching styles and team culture influence young athletes’ experiences.
Ideas for improvement
Young participants offered constructive suggestions on how to strengthen sport values in their communities. Some of the proposed ideas included:
- organizing team-building workshops and trust-building activities
- creating spaces for dialogue, empathy and peer support
- providing mentorship for new or younger players
- introducing sessions focused on communication and conflict management
- encouraging positive competition that emphasizes effort rather than only results
- promoting mental well-being and helping youth feel safe to express themselve.
A valuable step in the project
This focus group represents an important step in understanding the needs, challenges and perspectives of young people. The findings will contribute to shaping the international workshop and the co-creation of the educational memory/board game that promotes sport values across Europe.
