(Pro)Youth Consultations on the Framework for the Development Strategy of Polish Sport – the Voice of the Young Generation in Shaping Sports Policy
On Thursday, the (pro)youth consultations on the Framework for the Development Strategy of Polish Sport took place, forming an important example of youth consultations on sports policy in Poland. The consultations were initiated by the Council for Dialogue with the Young Generation in cooperation with the Ministry of Sport and Tourism. They were conducted on the basis of Resolution No. 12 of the Council for Dialogue with the Young Generation of 22 January 2026 and constituted an important element of the participatory process accompanying the work on the strategic document for the development of Polish sport.
The aim of the meeting was to enable representatives of youth organisations, youth councils, civic initiatives, and young experts specialising in sport to submit proposals and comments on the Strategy Framework developed by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism.
Diversity of perspectives and genuine dialogue
One of the key strengths of the consultations was the presence of representatives from diverse backgrounds – public administration, non-governmental organisations, youth advisory bodies, and sports practitioners. Particularly important was the creation of space for young people to express their views, as they will not only be beneficiaries of the Strategy for the Development of Polish Sport in the future, but also its active implementers.
Such dialogue strengthens the principle of shared responsibility for public policies and aligns with the standards of good governance that we have been promoting for years.
Four key areas of discussion
The discussions held during the consultations were structured around four main thematic areas:
- health,
- community and national pride,
- human capital,
- systemic support.
Each of these areas was analysed from the perspective of the challenges facing Polish sport, as well as possible systemic and local solutions.
The potential of local sports initiatives
From our perspective, particular attention was paid to the role of local sports initiatives in achieving strategic objectives. Although this topic is included in the Strategy Framework, in the opinion of consultation participants – including representatives of ISG – it was addressed insufficiently in relation to its real potential.
Examples of projects such as the Youth for Sport and Society Leadership Programme demonstrate that bottom-up initiatives can effectively:
- integrate local communities,
- develop the competencies of future sports leaders,
- strengthen the social responsibility of sport.
Strengthening this area within the Strategy could contribute to a more balanced and inclusive development of sport in Poland.
Systemic challenges: referees and access to technology
Within one of the thematic blocks, a significant part of the discussion focused on the role of sports referees. Alongside provisions concerning their development through the use of modern technologies, participants highlighted the shortage of refereeing staff, particularly at lower levels of competition.
It was also emphasised that access to advanced technological tools is, in practice, limited outside the highest leagues, which should be taken into account when designing realistic and coherent systemic solutions.
Intergenerational dialogue as added value
An interesting proposal raised during the consultations was the idea of establishing an advisory body at the Ministry of Sport and Tourism that would not be limited solely to youth representation, but would also include representatives of various age groups and sports environments. Such a solution could strengthen intergenerational dialogue and improve the quality of public consultations in the process of implementing the Strategy.
Engagement of ISG and young experts
The consultations were attended by Mateusz Przybycin, a volunteer at the Institute for Sport Governance, who actively participated in the work of the discussion groups, representing the perspective of the young generation engaged in the development of sport and its systemic solutions.
Summary
The (pro)youth consultations on the Framework for the Development Strategy of Polish Sport demonstrated that open dialogue, diversity of perspectives, and the genuine inclusion of young people can significantly improve the quality of strategic documents. For the Institute for Sport Governance, this confirms that a participatory approach to sports policy is not merely a formality, but a real tool for building effective and sustainable solutions.
