The Youth Strategy for the City of Gradačac will be informed by the Analysis of the survey on the position and needs of young people. The decision to conduct a survey on the position and needs of young people shows the commitment of the City of Gradačac to improving the lives of the youth in their community.
The survey was carried out in partnership with youth organizations from Gradačac (Youth Council of Gradačac Municipality, Association KULT Gradačac, Youth Association Futura, and the Gradačac Local Team of the Association of Secondary School Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the Institute for Youth Development KULT.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT surveyed young people in Gradačac in the period from February to March 2024. 369 people between the ages of 15 and 30 were randomly selected to participate in the survey. Below, we highlight some of the major insights from the analysis of the position and needs of young people in Gradačac.
In the field of education, available data shows a noticeable drop in the number of students enrolled in primary schools. The same trend is noticeable in secondary education, where the number of enrolled students decreased from 1,412 in the 2019/2020 school year to 1,353 in the 2022/2023 school year. The decrease was particularly steep in general high schools (gimnazija).
Although the City offers several types of scholarships to young people, research data indicates that nearly 67% of young people do not have a scholarship of any kind. This suggests a disparity between the available scholarships and the actual needs of young people. Young people have a positive perception of the quality of education, as over 50% of them believe that their education provides the knowledge and skills required for employment or further education.
About 33% of the young people surveyed answered that they did not have practical classes during their formal education. This indicates a lack of opportunities available to young people, which is reinforced by the fact that 24% of them lack practical experience and consider that to be the biggest gap in formal education.
There has been a noticeable decrease in the number of unemployed persons since 2019. The Analysis also shows that one out of five young people (21%) is employed in the profession they were educated and trained for, highlighting the need for better alignment between the labor market and formal education. According to the survey results, a majority of young people (over 40%) view starting their own business as the ideal career path, with nearly half of the respondents expressing a desire to pursue entrepreneurship if given the opportunity.
Data shows that over 70% of young people live with their parents in a shared household, indicating the difficulty of moving out and living independently. This is caused by various factors, such as the complex economic situation.
Analysis of health trends among young people in Gradačac led to some important insights. A significant number of young people do not regularly undergo physical exams (20% never had one). This indicates a need to raise awareness about the importance of preventive exams and health education among young people. Also, a significant number of young women surveyed (over 32%) have never had a gynecological exam, highlighting a concerning lack of health care attention among young women. The research results also indicate a low level of sports participation, with 39% of young people not engaging in any sports or recreational activities.
There is also a noticeable low level of satisfaction among young people with the support of local authorities for sports and cultural activities.
Another data point that merits immediate attention is the fact that 35% of young people are dissatisfied with the work of law enforcement in the city. The reasons for this should be investigated further by communicating and cooperating with young people.
The City Council unanimously adopted the Draft Youth Strategy 2024-2027 at the end of June. This is a big step forward for all young people from Gradačac, who can expect their quality of life to improve in the years to come.
For more information on the position and needs of young people, see: Analysis of the Survey on the Position and Needs of Youth in the City of Gradačac.
Leave a comment