On Thursday in Sarajevo, the fifth and sixth generation of youth leaders were awarded certificates for completing the „Learn, think and act“ training. This activity is part of the project „Youth participation in the strategic development of local communities”, implemented by the Institute for Youth Development – KULT. Project is co-financed by the European Union in the amount of 90,000 Euro.
The goal of the project is to encourage young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina to understand and assert their rights in society, to participate in decision-making that affects them and to work proactively to raise living standards in their communities.
Speaking at the award ceremony Natalia Dianiskova, Head of the Operations section for social development, civil society and cross-border cooperation at the EU Delegation to BiH, pointed out that the EU’s „Youth in Action“ programme, which is part of Strategy Europe 2020, is designed to counter the effects of the global financial crisis and as such reflects the importance placed by the EU on youth development policies.
„The main goal is to increase youth employment, by improving education and by enabling young people to travel to other EU countries to study and work,“ Dianiskova said.
With 50 percent unemployment of young people and in the midst of a severe economic downturn, conditions experienced by young BiH citizens have deteriorated, prompting the EU to act, Dianiskova said. The EU has allocated more than 600,000 Euro to improve education and employment prospects for young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to help young citizens become more actively and constructively involved in their local communities.
Nejra Zulić from a youth organization in Vogošća, one of training graduates , said she had acquired a number of new skills in the past 18 months. „Now that I have the certificate I’ll be able to put into practice what I’ve learned and motivate young people to participate in solving problems in society”. „All that I’ve learned I will try to apply in my youth centre in Vogošća, because I want to change my surroundings.“
Jasmin Bešić, Executive Director of KULT, explained that young people have had the opportunity to acquire knowledge through 13 theoretical modules. He said the training involved practical fieldwork and offered an opportunity to learn about communications, working in stressful conditions, and putting together successful projects.
