LocationsYoung people in Bosnia and Herzegovina develop skills and build a brighter future within ReLOaD2
July 15, 2023
Young people throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina are working on development of their skills within the framework of the Regional Programme for Local Democracy in the Western Balkans 2 (ReLOaD2). On the occasion of the World Youth Skills Day, which is celebrated today on July 15, they say that they believe that new knowledge and competences are a long-term investment in their future and the development of the communities in which they live.
While the public in BiH is increasingly talking about the departure of young people from the country, hope for a brighter future is offered by young people who believe that they can be the initiators of change in their communities.
"I hope I can stay",believes Ivan Jozić, a student of history and archeology from Prozor-Rama, whose many friends have long since left BiH.
Although there are not many opportunities for employment in Prozor-Rama, a municipality in the north of Herzegovina, Jozić believes that this should not be an obstacle for young people to work on themselves in order to find their life and business path.
"You should make an effort and address the employers," says Jozić.
However, the enthusiasm of young people to improve their skills depends greatly on the opportunities available to them. New incentives for this population are provided by the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the framework of ReLOaD2, which offers a number of opportunities for the development of skills for young people within the youth component.
That's how Ivan found himself among dozens of young people from 13 partner cities and municipalities, who got the opportunity to strengthen their skills in different ways through this project.
Primarily, young people had the opportunity to express the problems they face in their communities through the interactive consultations of the Dialogue for Youth, which they then try to solve through the financial support for youth projects.
The youth officer of ReLOaD2, Emir Bašić, points out that through the dialogue, young people worked on strengthening communication skills, presentation, critical thinking, constructive discussion and argumentative discussion.
"Through the dialogues, we gather young people and representatives of civil society organizations that work with them to hear more about the challenges and try to find a solution through projects. We held more than 30 dialogue meetings with 600 young people in BiH. To ensure that their voice is heard, and to help find solutions, through public calls for CSOs under ReLOaD2, we support projects for young people, whether it is building an outdoor gym or building skills. So far, we have supported 35 youth projects,"Bašić said.
He adds that the inclusion of young people in decision-making processes is of key importance in order to improve the possibilities of their development, which can hardly be achieved without the presence of young people within local governments.
ReLOaD2 therefore provided the opportunity for internships in 13 cities and municipalities for about 20 young people throughout BiH, including three people with developmental disabilities. These young people are engaged for the first time on a part-time or full-time basis for six or 12 months, which will greatly contribute to the development of their business correspondence skills, timely planning, implementation of daily tasks and tasks, teamwork and the like.
"It is extremely important that all the skills offered to young people through this program are actually applicable, be it administrative or other jobs. Such programs are of great benefit, especially to people who do not have primary knowledge of how the administrative flow within any organization or company works", believes Faris Bečić from Sarajevo, bachelor of international relations and European studies, who is one of the interns at ReLOaD2.
Another activity dedicated to strengthening young people's skills within ReLOaD2 is the organization of certified trainings. 26 young people from Bosnia and Herzegovina underwent certified training in administration and an advanced course in using Microsoft Excel.
“All the new things we learned can be of great use to us at some point in our lives,"said Dajana Vilotić, a graduate in architectural engineering from the Municipality of Rudo, who was trained in administration.
Vilotić did not manage to get a job in her field after her studies, but she hopes that additional training will be a springboard for employment. He says that young people in Rudo are quite passive, which is why it is necessary to continuously motivate them to use their time for personal improvement.
Faris also points out that the most important thing is to arouse the interest of young people.
"Before, I didn't recognize the opportunities that were available to me, but I did a little research and discovered training that was available to me and free of charge. Young people miss taking that first step to become familiar with opportunities within their communities. What is sometimes a problem is the visibility of these opportunities, which is why we need to work on strengthening the channels through which information reaches young people,"said Bečić.
Conversations with young people as part of ReLOaD2 showed that their willingness to develop skills stems from their aspirations for personal growth, self-fulfillment and the desire to navigate the labor market more easily.
Youth who went through administration training and an advanced Microsoft Excel course were awarded certificates at a formal event held on July 5 in Sarajevo. Certificates were awarded to 26 young people, 18 women and eight men.
This event brought together young people from 13 partner municipalities and cities, as well as partners and representatives of civil society organizations. Through dialogue with experts, young people showed that they understand how having different skills and adapting to new digital tools are vital for securing employment and achieving their goals.
ReLOaD2, funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP, plans to conduct new trainings for young people in the future, which will be related to the areas of Google Analytics metrics, accounting and digital skills development.
