The seminar titled “Youth Participation in Decision-Making Processes: The Role of Youth Commissions in Improving the Position of Young People” underscored the importance of youth participation in shaping decisions that affect their lives. Participation is not only empowering but also enables young people to understand, access, and exercise their rights, develop their own modes of engagement, and express their ideas and voices.
Establishing youth commissions in municipal and city assemblies in Republika Srpska and municipal and city councils in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the key mechanisms for the institutional inclusion of young people in decision-making processes.
At the same time, strengthening cooperation between youth offices and existing youth commissions can significantly contribute to developing sustainable youth policies and programs.
“Nearly every local community in BiH struggles with how to involve young people in decision-making. Youth voices are essential for creating policies that will truly benefit them. This seminar means a lot to me because it provided concrete guidance on overcoming obstacles in developing youth policies. Also, the examples of good practice and experiences from colleagues in other communities are incredibly valuable,” said Tatjana Letić, an employee of the City of Bijeljina.
Youth participation is not a goal in itself, but a means of achieving positive change in the lives of young people and building a better society.
“The seminar content was presented in a clear, well-structured, and professional way, with a strong emphasis on interactive learning, which really helped deepen our understanding of the topics covered. The information and experiences we share are an important resource that I know will improve our work with youth and help achieve long-term positive results in our communities,” said Nedžad Vuk, an employee of the City of Mostar.
The training aimed to empower youth officers and local government representatives to recognise key mechanisms for involving young people in decision-making.
Through the exchange of experiences and good practices, participants gained the knowledge and tools needed to establish and strengthen collaboration with youth commissions and to bring youth issues to the top of the legislative agenda. The Institute for Youth Development KULT recognizes the challenges youth officers face daily and remains dedicated to supporting them as they continue to improve their skills and knowledge.
We look forward to new steps and joint efforts to improve the position of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina!
