Youth officers provide crucial support and assistance to youth organizations and young individuals, helping them navigate daily challenges and empowering them to contribute to community development. The Institute for Youth Development KULT is dedicated to enhancing the role and promoting the empowerment of youth officers, so we can work together to improve the social standing of youth and give them more opportunities.
Bulend Biščević has been working at the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo for eight years. In addition to having a distinguished career in sports, he chose to complete his university education and then focus on understanding the needs of young people and finding solutions to their problems. This is why he believes his formal education was crucial for his career: “As a former athlete, I felt it was important not only to secure some income but also to pursue an education and get a university degree. I believe that investing in education throughout your life is important, and this is the thought that guided me. It’s nice when people recognize your efforts in something, but when you add theory to frame your practice, only then do you realize that you were missing a piece of the puzzle. However, I didn’t stop at formal education. I pursued additional education through various courses and seminars to keep learning and better understand the needs of young people,” he says.
Mong the many training courses and seminars Bulend attended is the Basic training for youth officers conducted by the Institute for Youth Development KULT. During the training, he not only learned new information but also made new acquaintances and friendships. He notes, “The experience provided by the Institute, including its approach and methodology, was excellent. To develop a strategic document, we need to have adequate data. The Institute’s work is a good example of sharing information, and besides, the Institute has an excellent network of young people all over the country, which is also very useful for us youth officers. Through the training I went through, I met numerous youth officers from all over the country and I think we are all moving towards the same goal, which is to improve the quality of life for youth so they stay in the country. But this journey is really challenging.”
He believes that exchanging experiences with other youth officers is crucial, as it allows them to learn from and support each other. “Cantonal youth officers organize informal gatherings, each time in a different local community, continuing the cooperation we started thanks to the Institute. After the training, we organized ourselves with the support of our mayors and deputies. In addition to exchanging experiences, we assist those who need support, especially those just beginning to develop a strategy. We talk about the current situation on the ground and advocate for young people. Shortly after the training ended, some municipalities in the Sarajevo Canton began developing their strategies. We provided them with advice and continue to support each other and share experiences. We’re always in touch, not only through work but also through social media, and this training for youth officers has really taken off in the right direction.”
Regarding work and communication with young people, he says: “We revitalized the Youth Council, established a network of associations, and actively engage with young people. We participate in their panels, meetings, and informal gatherings to stay connected and involved.”
He speaks about his work with love: “The role of a youth officer extends beyond the Municipality building—it’s essential to find ways to connect with young people, earn their trust, and engage with them to achieve meaningful results. Reaching young people is difficult, but we connected with them through youth groups and associations. Young people become active when it’s necessary, and the first step in youth activism is for them to take the initiative themselves—rather than waiting for someone else to do it for them. They have to fight for themselves from the beginning, and we all have to work together to make sure that the young people are fully engaged.”
Regarding the development of the Youth Strategy for 2022-2026, he notes that, as a youth officer, he and his colleagues recognized the need to develop a new strategy. “Together with the Mayor of the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo, Mr. Hasan Tanović, we took on this task. In a short time, we revitalized the Youth Council, conducted a survey on the position and needs of young people with the support of the Institute for Youth Development KULT, and ultimately developed our youth strategy. After two years, I can confidently say that the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo has become a truly positive environment, especially for young people,” he says.
He reflects on the role of the youth officer in the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo: “I think that the Municipality of Novo Sarajevo is a positive example. There is extensive communication with young people, with a strong focus on their needs. The Municipality is dedicated to youth and includes funding for youth in the budget. Additionally, the local development service has hired an external associate to work directly with young people. The Children’s House also has a hub where young people come to learn and carry out various activities. In a way, these are all the results of our efforts as public servants. Through our dedication and work, we strive to provide young people with the necessary conditions to encourage their involvement in the local community. Sometimes our work is very challenging because young people are often uninformed.”
Regarding future plans, Bulend says: “We will strive to stay on this path despite changes in the Municipality. Our priority will remain working with young people, supporting their activism and mobility, and co-financing taxes they pay when purchasing their first property, among other initiatives. That is, first and foremost, my personal wish, and I’m confident that the people who are with me on this journey feel the same.”
He encourages young people in BiH to become more active, noting that there is often a lack of youth activism and participation. “When we plan budgets, I would like to see young people more involved in talking about their needs and being better informed about what they can achieve in their local communities. I want us to reach a compromise. I want youth officers and young people to meet halfway and for youth to be more informed about the responsibilities of the local community and to be active. In general, I find constructive criticism very useful as it helps us improve. I think this country has great potential, and if we maintain this mindset and work hard, everything will work out in the end,” says Buland.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT designs and delivers youth officer training courses and certified courses for expert youth work associates employed in city, municipal, and cantonal administrations. The training program consists of basic and advanced training. The basic training program qualifies participants to fulfill the duties of an expert on youth issues in public administration. Participants are expected to meet the criteria from the Rulebook on training procedures and certification of youth officers of the FBiH Ministry of Culture and Sports. Advanced training is available to individuals who have completed the basic training program and received a certificate. The advanced training builds on their skills and provides further professional development. The basic youth officer training program consists of multiple modules and lasts a total of 120 hours.
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