The latest addition to our Youth Perspectives blog is from our very own Dilara Ozcan, an SSI intern from Loughborough University who is revamping the mental health resources on our website. Combining her design expertise with her background in artistic swimming, she’s creating our new Well-Being Hub — a holistic online platform for anyone in sport seeking support in disclosure, seeking remedy, or gaining access to resources. Read Dilara’s post to find out more about her work, and her experience working with us at SSI.
As someone who comes from an artistic swimming background, I’ve experienced moments in sport that didn’t always feel safe, but, at the time, I didn’t have the awareness to recognise that. It took distance and growing up to truly understand that what I once considered “normal” actually wasn’t. Now, with a deep passion for user-centred design and uncovering the real pain points behind challenges, I was given the opportunity to work with Safe Sport International (SSI) to revise their Mental Health & Sports cards from 2023. This was not only a design task for me, but it was a meaningful way to connect my personal experiences with my design practice.
My Role and Approach
Rather than simply updating the cards, I wanted to approach the task holistically. I began by asking: Who is SSI’s target audience? What are they truly looking for when it comes to mental health guidance? My goal was to go beyond the surface and align the content with the actual needs of athletes, survivors, and their support systems, like parents or guardians.
My Process and Research
First, I reviewed the existing SSI content and conducted a market analysis to understand what other organisations are offering and to whom. From there, I identified SSI’s primary users: athletes and survivors, along with their close circles. To gather deeper insights, I moved into primary research, conducting interviews to understand real experiences and running polls to collect broader data. Through this process, I uncovered several key patterns:
- Many athletes aren’t fully aware of the signs of unsafe sport environments.
- Even when they suspect something isn’t right, they often ignore it due to ambition or pressure.
- There’s hesitation to seek support; people fear being judged or believe their issue isn’t ‘serious enough’.
- Athletes feel more open when they see others like them share similar experiences, which reminds them they’re not alone.
What I Discovered
My secondary research highlighted the strong link between unsafe sport environments and long-term mental health issues. Meanwhile, my primary research confirmed that awareness and openness are still major gaps. Many athletes want to speak up, but don’t know how, when, or to whom.
What I Created
With these findings, I redesigned the Mental Health & Sport cards into a more holistic format by adding product value and turned it into a Well-Being Hub. The goal was to move beyond the definitions of mental health issues and create a space where users could explore key topics like awareness, support-seeking, and recovery at their own pace. I created the content by ensuring our target users feel safe, relatable, and encouraged. I focused on helping people feel understood, not judged. The hub now acts as a go-to resource for guidance and reassurance, aligned with SSI’s tone and mission.
Being Part of Safe Sport International
Working with SSI has been incredibly valuable. I had the chance to contribute ideas in ideation meetings, receive guidance from experts like Neal Anderson, and exchange feedback with experienced team members and former interns. It truly felt like being part of a team that listens, supports, and grows together.
Thank you for that opportunity.
Dilara Ozcan
About the Author
Dilara Ozcan is a UX and Service Design master’s student at Loughborough University, having graduated in Industrial Design from METU in 2024. She has experience in UX design and has collaborated with companies on various projects, applying user research to create tailored solutions. She is dedicated to creating inclusive and accessible solutions that improve user experiences in sports and beyond.
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The Safe Sport International Youth Perspectives blog welcomes contributors between the ages of 16 and 30. If you’d like to write an article, please fill in our contributor’s form.
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Articles and opinions published on the Safe Sport International Youth Perspectives Blog are the independent work of the authors. These contributions may not reflect the official stance of Safe Sport International and are published to spark conversations on safeguarding issues in sport.
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