Training and certification of Youth Officers – About employment

”Youth officer” means a civil servant who has a professional qualification for youth work which certifies knowledge of youth policy and youth work (Youth Law of FBiH).

Although the Youth Officer position is an important segment of a youth policy, not all municipalities in BiH have a Youth Officer. 59% of municipalities in the Federation of BiH and 68% of municipalities in Republika Srpska have an employee whose competences encompass youth issues.

Being certified enables persons who are not employed in state institutions to apply for a Youth Officer position, with the proviso that they meet all the requirements of civil service agencies.

Youth Officers in local, city and cantonal administrative organs are registered in the online database of Youth Officers. State administrative organs are obligated to strengthen the capacities of all those engaged in youth work and youth activities. Youth Officers are intermediaries between administrative organs and youth and guarantee adequate support to youth, which can be seen in this video about the role of Youth Officers on the example of the Gender-responsive budgeting for youth initiative.

The process of employing Youth Officers in public institutions entails a written test and an interview, testing the competences of candidates who wish to engage in youth work and youth activism. The professional exam which is to be taken by youth officers prior to being appointed to the position tests the candidates’ skills and knowledge of youth policy. The catalogue of questions for the professional exam, as well as specialised literature, was developed by the Institute for Youth Development KULT and adopted by the Civil Service Agency in FBiH.

The catalogue of questions for candidates for the Youth Officer position comprises questions for the written test and the interview, and the candidates can prepare for the exam by using the recommended specialised literature on regulations in the youth field.

More information available below:

1. Question Catalogue for Youth Officer Professional Exam Completed

2. Cooperation Agreement with Civil Service Agency to Improve Youth Officer Position

3. Questions about Youth in State Officials Exam

4. Institute for Youth Development KULT Delivers Questions Catalogue to Civil Service Agency for Youth Officer Professional Exam in Government Institutions of FBiH

5. Agency and Institute for Youth Development KULT Sign Memorandum of Understanding in Area of Youth Policy Development in Government Institutions in FBiH

6. Meeting of Agency Director with Jasmin Bešić, Executive Director of Institute for Youth Development KULT