2020 survey results: Recommendations from the community

sportanddev conducted its annual survey to learn how we can better serve our users and gain insights into the state of sport and development . This article focuses on the ways in which sportanddev can improve as a platform for its users. A previous article detailed how users view and value the role of sportanddev while a third article highlights views on the broader sport and development sector.

sportanddev recognises that we can always improve our work, and that this needs to be informed by the diverse range of stakeholders that use the platform. Hence, we asked users to answer the key question: What could sportanddev improve on?

Recommendations

Respondents provided valuable feedback on how sportanddev can improve. The following key themes emerged (this is not an exhaustive list):

• More critical views and analysis of the sector, highlighting the challenges and limitations of sport-based programmes and policies as well as successes, best practices and lessons learned
• Improved website with better accessibility, functionality, visual appeal, user experience and interactivity (on this note sportanddev has launched a process to upgrade the current site)
• Support for communities of practice (e.g. by region and/or thematic area) in sport and development, including the ability to host groups and capacity building initiatives
• More information about grants and funding/resourced opportunities
• More toolkits, resources and other learning materials (on this note, sportanddev has created an open access online course on sport and sustainable development, in collaboration with partners, which has attracted learners from across the world)
• Increase collaboration between practitioners, academics and policymakers – bridge the gap between theory/policy and practice that continues to exist in sport and development
• Feature content from a greater diversity of actors, including marginalised individuals and groups (such as people with disabilities and refugees) and those from the Global South

Topics and trends

We asked users to provide feedback on what issues the platform should cover in an article series. Some suggestions included:

• The role of sport in a post-COVID world and how actors can best prepare for a new reality (NB: sportanddev has launched a section with news and resources related to the COVID response)
• Greater focus on the role of sport in the economy and how to engage national actors
• Sport and social justice, including racism, and how sport can play a transformative role
• Gender and equity in sport, including women in sport and the inclusion of vulnerable groups
• Integrity and transparency in sport, including issues of governance and safeguarding
• Guidance on monitoring and evaluation (M&E), including impact measurement and research

These recommendations only highlight a part of the survey responses. For greater detail on the responses, please see the full 2020 survey results document here. 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the survey. We are community driven and your feedback is important to us. While we are not able to promise to implement all suggestions made – some are dependent on financial resources – we take all suggestions seriously and will carry out as many as possible. To provide feedback throughout the year, please email [email protected].