Badminton Club Sertini Doboj, in partnership with the “Jezero” Environmental Association from Šerići (Živinice), is implementing the local civic initiative “Social Network = Badminton Network”, aimed at strengthening digital safety, social inclusion, and connections among children and young people through sport and non-formal education. At a time when children and young people are spending more and more time online and on social media, there is an increasing need to educate them about the safe and responsible use of digital technologies. Cyberbullying, misuse of personal data, hate speech, and other forms of online risks are becoming everyday challenges that young people face. At the same time, there is a lack of safe spaces where they can discuss these issues, learn from one another, and develop positive life values. This is precisely why the “Social Network = Badminton Network” initiative was created. It uses badminton as a tool to connect young people from Doboj and Živinice, create new friendships, and develop skills needed to navigate the digital environment safely. The project brings together sport, education, and mutual support in a unique model of working with young people.

The overall objective of the project is to improve digital safety and social inclusion among children and young people aged 8 to 25 through sport and non-formal education.

• increasing young people’s knowledge about internet safety and the prevention of peer and digital violence;
• development of healthy communication habits and responsible behavior on social networks;
• strengthening cooperation between organizations and young people from the Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH;
• inclusion of children and youth from marginalized groups in sports and educational activities.

During the implementation of the project, three sports and educational meetings will be organized, where participants will develop team spirit, cooperation and mutual trust through badminton, while through educational workshops they will learn about:

• basics of digital security;
• protect privacy on the Internet;
• recognizing and preventing cyberbullying;
• responsible use of social networks;
• positive online communication.

The project will culminate in a final event dedicated to networking, exchange of experiences, evaluation of achieved results and promotion of positive examples of responsible behavior on the Internet.

On May 23, the second sports and educational meeting within the project “Social Network = Badminton Network” was successfully held in Doboj, bringing together children and young people with a special focus on inclusion, togetherness and the development of healthy lifestyle habits.

Through badminton activities, teamwork, fair play and mutual support, participants developed social and communication skills, built trust and learned about the importance of safe and responsible behavior in the online environment.

A special focus of the second meeting was on the inclusion and involvement of young people with developmental disabilities. Joint sports activities showed that badminton can be a space of equal opportunities, support and connection for young people, regardless of their differences.

The second meeting is part of a wider project that involves at least 40 children and young people from Doboj and Živinice through three sports and educational gatherings. Through a combination of sports activities and educational conversations, the project contributes to the development of social skills, strengthening inclusion and raising awareness about internet safety and healthy communication among young people.

The direct beneficiaries of the project are at least 40 children and young people from Doboj and Živinice, while more than 150 people will indirectly benefit, including parents, teachers, trainers and the wider local community. Special attention is paid to the inclusion of people with disabilities and young people from other marginalized groups.

Through the realization of the project, it is expected:

• increased awareness of young people about digital security;
• better recognition and response to online violence;
• strengthening of social and communication skills;
• greater inclusion of marginalized groups;
• establishing cooperation and connecting young people from different local communities;
• development of a model that can be applied in other cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Badminton Club Sertini Doboj has been using sport as a tool to promote inclusion, healthy lifestyles and socially useful engagement of young people for years. After the projects “Game Changers” and “Badminton for Inclusion”, this initiative represents a new step in connecting sport with contemporary challenges of young people, especially in the digital space.
We believe that a secure digital future begins through conversation, education and togetherness.

That’s why we want to show that even a badminton network can become a strong social network that connects young people, builds trust, and creates a safer environment for growing up.