The City of Cazin is one of the local units of self-government committed to supporting young people and regularly allocating funds to address youth issues. Recently, the Institute for Youth Development KULT, in collaboration with the City of Cazin, conducted a survey to assess the position and needs and inform their youth strategy. The Youth Council of the City of Cazin also played a crucial role in surveying and data collection.
The analysis of the position and needs of young people presents findings from a survey of 386 individuals aged 15 to 30 who live in the city of Cazin. Following the completion of field research, a comprehensive analysis document was produced, outlining key findings and recommendations for improving the position of young people in this community. The survey responses highlighted the needs and problems of youth in Cazin across various areas, including education, employment, healthcare, social services, culture and sports, activism and participation, and safety.
The analysis of the survey findings on the position and needs of young people forms the foundation for developing a youth strategy. Some noteworthy insights are shared below.
Data from the FBiH Institute for Statistics indicate that the City of Cazin has experienced a decrease in primary school enrollments over the past five years. In the 2022/2023 school year, Cazin’s primary schools had 4,064 enrolled students, down from 5,252 in the 2018/2019 school year—a 22.6% decrease over five years. A similar decline is observed in secondary education, with a 15.3% drop, or 316 fewer students, during the same period. This trend of declining student enrollment in both primary and secondary schools is evident in many communities across BiH, particularly in local communities in the Una-Sana Canton.
The city of Cazin awards scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students. The analysis reveals that a significant majority of young people (84.7%) reported not receiving a scholarship. This is largely due to the fact that the City does not offer scholarships for high school students, who represent a substantial portion of the surveyed respondents.
Young people note that practical training is inadequate, making the transition from education into the workforce more difficult. Despite one-third of young people reporting that they have practical classes several times a week, though not daily, 71% identify the lack of practical classes as the biggest gap in their education.
Also, 77.7% of young people reported never participating in any form of non-formal education, suggesting a potential gap in the availability of this type of education.
The analysis of the survey results revealed that nearly half (46%) of employed young people work in fields related to their education, which is a relatively high percentage. Additionally, one-third (30.1%) of young people believe that owning their own business is the ideal type of employment. Two-fifths of young people, or 39.4%, said they want to start their own business but are currently unable to do so for various reasons. Young people emphasize that they need more than just financial support to start a business. They also need training on entrepreneurship, advice and mentoring, market connections with customers, and help with legal matters.
Almost 82% of young people live with their parents in apartments or houses owned by their parents, or they live together with their parents as tenants.
A particular emphasis should be placed on youth health care, with a special focus on promoting regular health maintenance. Concerning data shows that two-thirds of young people in Cazin (67.1%) cannot recall their last physical exam, and nearly three-fifths of young women in Cazin (58.8%) have never had a gynecological exam.
According to the research analysis, young people in the city of Cazin are generally satisfied with the local government’s support for sports and culture.
The analysis also shows that nearly 65% of young people are not satisfied with the security situation in the city.
For more information on the position and needs of young people, see the Analysis for the City of Cazin.
The Law on Youth of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina mandates that all levels of government in the FBiH define, adopt, and implement youth strategies. The City of Cazin is among the government institutions that have recognized the need for such a strategic document. This strategy entails a comprehensive and systematic approach to addressing the issues and needs of young people. The accompanying analysis of a survey conducted on young people offers information on the needs and problems youth face, which should be addressed through targeted measures and activities throughout the strategy’s implementation period.
The process of developing a youth strategy in the city of Cazin is led by the coordinating body and working groups in cooperation with the Institute for Youth Development KULT.
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