Having someone to guide and support them on the path to employment and personal development can make all the difference in a young person’s career and future. That’s exactly what employment mentors do. They’re not just there to help with job hunting, but also to provide encouragement, support, and inspiration. Through an innovative approach known as social mentoring, employment mentors are helping transform individual lives while strengthening communities and laying the foundation for sustainable youth support systems in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Almir Agić is a 22-year-old from Ilijaš. Above all, he describes himself simply as a human being.
“In essence, I am a person. I’m someone who feels the world around him deeply and authentically. I am an activist, a poet, an advocate for freedom of expression, a journalist, and an aspiring photographer. I am the author of a collection of poems called A Cactus in a Field of Orchids, which is a book about forbidden love, vulnerability, and resistance. I fight for a space where Roma youth have the right to visibility, dignity, and a future. Through my work in NGOs, the media, and on artistic platforms, I try to leave a mark on the world. It’s not necessarily a big one, but it’s a truthful one,” says Almir.
When asked why he chose to take part in this process, he says he believes in genuine, human support. He is convinced that no one should be alone in their personal and professional development, and is certain that mentorship would help him face challenges more confidently.
“I saw mentorship as an opportunity for growth, but also as a safe space where I could freely be everything I am – a poet, an activist, a son, brother, friend, a human being,” he explains.
From the very beginning, his relationship with his mentor was special.
“Enisa Mešetović wasn’t only my mentor. She was, and remains, a true friend, offering silent strength, finding the right words to soothe a restless soul, simply guiding me on my path while I take my own steps with more confidence. She taught me how to trust my inner voice, but also how to sometimes turn the volume down and channel it into something real: projects, verses, public appearances. She recognized my potential even when I struggled to find words, and then showed me how to see and accept it myself. She was a shoulder to lean on, a compass, a guiding hand. She was everything a true friend and mentor should be. Above all, she was human,” says Almir, adding with a laugh: “On a scale from 1 to 10, we’re somewhere around 15.”
Throughout this process, what mattered most to Almir was the feeling that he wasn’t alone: “That continuity of support, the conversations and understanding meant so much. When we don’t know which path to take, having someone to rely on means the world. Being seen and accepted means even more.”
Almir is currently translating his book A Cactus in a Field of Orchids into English and preparing further promotional events. He says the book is his main focus and that it would not exist without the mentorship process. He is also preparing to travel to Bradford, where he will present his short film as part of the Here We Stand project. At the moment, Almir is working on an exhibition about the Roma community within the Furaj Mir project and is the subject of a documentary for BHRT.
“None of that would have happened without the book. And without mentorship, there would be no book. Everything I do feels like a big challenge, but mentorship gives me strength, clarity, and balance, allowing me to carry all these stories with pride rather than as a burden,” he says.
Alongside all this, he is actively seeking employment where he could apply his experience in media, culture, and youth work. He believes that the knowledge and skills he has gained on his journey, including the mentorship, can benefit an organization or project.
He always believed in the importance of his work, but thanks to mentorship, he now believes in himself.
“Mentorship helped me build confidence, to see myself more realistically, with all my strengths and weaknesses, and to accept them. Now I have more peace and more courage not to give up, even when things are hard and others do give up. Mentorship gave me a more optimistic view of myself and of everything I do. It created strength where once there was only restlessness,” Almir explains.
Finally, he has a message for all young people: “The path we walk is often difficult and full of obstacles. The seas we sail are often troubled. Darkness can be frightening. But even so, in our minds we see the destination. If, on that journey, we have someone beside us – someone who has already walked the untrodden road, and swum against the currents – then we realize that it’s possible, we realize that it’s worth continuing. And then everything becomes much easier.”
