International Youth Day: the importance of youth engagement in the community
August 12, 2024
![a person holding a sign](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-08/iyd_spsc_2024_3024_x_1701_px_web_zajednicka.png)
Youth involvement in various socially beneficial projects plays a crucial role in shaping the future of communities. They bring new energy, innovative ideas, and perspectives necessary to tackle contemporary challenges. Active participation in the community contributes to their personal development and helps them gain new experiences and adopt best practices.
Celebrating International Youth Day highlights the significance of these activities and encourages greater youth involvement in social and volunteer initiatives. On this day, we celebrate their commitment, dedication, and contributions to the community, aiming to motivate positive changes in all aspects of life.
The project "Sustaining Peace and Social Cohesion in Bosnia and Herzegovina through Enhanced Inter-Municipal and Inter-Entity Cooperation on Local Services" (SPSC), funded by the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on behalf of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has engaged a total of 18 volunteers in nine local communities. These volunteers actively support centers for social welfare and social care services. Through this initiative, the SPSC project directly contributes to the maintenance of peace and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Volunteering, especially in centers for social welfare, is of immense importance. Through volunteer work, young people gain invaluable experience, develop empathy and responsibility, and actively contribute to improving the social community.
Challenges and Inspiration Through Field Visits
Jovana Vračar and Dušana Banjac, young volunteers from Ribnik, gained new acquaintances, experiences, and improved their skills through their engagement at the center for social welfare. They emphasized the importance of field visits, which provided them with additional inspiration for their future dedication to their fellow citizens in the community.
"Through our work and activities within the project, I realized that all nine local communities face very similar challenges. Therefore, communication between us involved in the project to exchange experiences and gain new knowledge was of great importance. I hope that after the project's completion, all local communities will maintain contact and continue further cooperation to strengthen social cohesion and create a better society for all of us," stated Dušana Banjac.
![graphical user interface, website](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-08/dusana_banjac_web.png)
Dušana Banjac
Through field visits, young volunteers have the opportunity to directly impact individuals' lives by providing them with support and assistance in difficult life situations.
"We had the task of conducting a field visit to deliver food packages. During that time, we visited an elderly man living with his sister. It took us quite a while to reach their home. When you see where people live and how they function without basic necessities—electricity, water, phone—you encounter something you haven't experienced before and realize the hardships of their daily lives. Through conversations with them, you can feel their sadness and their inability to take action, due to both their age and the fact that they are miles away from the rest of the community or any help. When you're in those situations, you wish to provide more than what you're actually able to and ensure that no one is left isolated from the rest of the community," emphasizes Jovana Vračar
![graphical user interface, website](/sites/g/files/zskgke326/files/2024-08/jovana_vracar_web.png)
Jovana Vračar
Through such initiatives, International Youth Day can become an inclusion catalyst, contributing to the creation of a fairer and more sustainable society for all generations, ensuring that no one is left isolated from the rest of the community.