U-Report – Ensuring Young People’s Voices are Heard and Valued
Engaging Young People in the Development of Youth Action Plans in Novi Pazar and Ljubovija
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Novi Pazar, Ljubovija, December 2025 - “My motivation was to make sure that our voices, the voices of young people, areheard, and to help improve my city, to make a change,” explains Ensar Alickovic, a 16-year-old student at the Technical School in Novi Pazar, as he begins the interview about his participation in surveying his peers in Novi Pazar through the U-Report platform.
“I found out about it through the Youth Office and social media. I kept seeing posts about U-Report on social networks, and it really caught my attention. Then, one day, an invitation appeared at school to take part,” Ensar says.
He approached his peers drawing on the knowledge gained during a UNICEF-held training at the Youth Office, organised within The Joint UN Programme ‘PRO – Local Governance for People and Nature’, implemented by UNOPS, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNEP, in partnership with the Government of the Republic of Serbia and with financial support from the Government of Switzerland. Ensar explained the survey to other young people and encouraged them to spend ten minutes sharing their views on education and available programmes in their city, through just a few clicks on their smartphones. They assessed opportunities for volunteering and employment, identified barriers, and shared opinions on whether Novi Pazar offers enough spaces for quality leisure time, how much young people can influence local decision-making, how much attention they pay to their health, and how accessible professional advice and support are to them.
One hundred and fifty kilometers to the north, in Ljubovija, the same questions were answered by Sanja Gligoric, a 23-year-old participant. She also learned about the U-Report survey through the Youth Office and heard that the needs and wishes expressed by young people would be included in the new Youth Action Plan.
“It took me just a few minutes to complete the survey,” Sanja says, noting that she was initially sceptical. “Before, we had filled in questionnaires and never knew what happened afterwards. This time, it was clear that UNICEF was behind it, and that the results would be included in the Action Plan,” explains a 23-year-old from Ljubovija.
Ensar shared the same doubts at first and the same reassurance. While he surveyed others, he also completed the questionnaire himself.
“I think Novi Pazar needs more cultural events and more workshops for young people – activities that motivate us and help us grow,” he suggests, describing the changes he would like to see.
Sanja explains what young people in Ljubovija feel is missing. “What Ljubovija needs most is a space for young people,” she says, adding that she would like the youth to be more involved in decision-making, with more volunteering and employment opportunities. “After completing my education, I started working. I want other young people to stay in Ljubovija, find jobs here, and help bring the town back to life,” Sanja emphasises.
What Sanja and around 130 young people in Ljubovija shared was conveyed by the Youth Office to the local decision-makers. Based on the U-Report survey results, the Youth Action Plan was adopted.
“The survey showed that young people have the strongest need for a Youth Center. We are thoroughly preparing this project, and we hope to be successful in the call for proposals. Our goal is to have a completed Youth Center within the next two years.” explains Lazar Sajic,Ljubovija’sYouth Office Coordinator.
In Novi Pazar, concrete actions are expected once the draft Youth Action Plan is finalised and adopted by the local authorities. Amra Sabotic from the Youth Office, who worked with U-Reporters, says they are very satisfied that more than 1,300 young people from Novi Pazar shared what matters most to them.
“Young people emphasised the importance of talking more about mental health and youth activism. They want better information about activities offered by the Youth Office and other institutions in Novi Pazar. Employment is also a key concern, along with the need for programs that offer practical workshops and hands-on training, to help them access jobs and additional education more easily,” Amra explains, highlighting the key findings of the survey.
UNICEF’s U-Report, a digital platform that enables large-scale, inclusive and anonymous consultations with young people, including those from vulnerable groups, has shown that young people’s voices matter and that they can be active agents of change in their communities, conclude representatives of the Youth Offices in Novi Pazar and Ljubovija.
“It is definitely one of the easiest ways to reach young people, especially since schools were open to cooperation. Young people who received the training were able to survey their peers directly, which made it much easier for us to gather meaningful insights” Amra Sabotic adds.
“The responses were honest and spontaneous, and we believe this proved very effective among young people in Ljubovija. We plan to continue using this approach, because it is the best way for them to clearly express what they want in our small community at this moment,” adds Lazar Stajic.
“I’m glad that our opinions were taken into account. I’m really happy that we did something good for this municipality and for young people who live here. I hope our expectations will be fulfilled and that the Youth Centre will be built in Ljubovija,” concludes Sanja Gligoric.
