The Institute for Youth Development KULT and the Coordination Body and Working Groups for developing a youth strategy within the Ministry of Education, Youth, Science, Culture and Sports of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton held their first meeting, marking the start of developing a comprehensive youth strategy that will systematically address the needs of young people in the canton.
By launching this process, the BPK Goražde Government and the Ministry of Education, Youth, Science, Culture and Sports clearly signal their commitment to creating a comprehensive strategy through partnership with relevant institutions and organizations. This strategy will identify youth needs and challenges in the region while providing adequate solutions.
Developing a youth strategy is a structured process that rests on clearly defined priorities and action plans in areas important to young people. An effective youth strategy must be built on credible data about young people’s circumstances and needs. For this cantonal strategy, data was collected through interviewing 368 young people in the Bosnian Podrinje Canton about their problems and needs. The Institute for Youth Development KULT conducted this survey with support from the Goražde Youth Council.
“Through our field survey of 15-30 year-olds, we gathered valuable insights into their needs and perspectives. Young people highlighted challenges in education, the misalignment of formal education and the job market, lack of practical training, and safety and healthcare concerns. They also emphasized the need for more cultural and sports activities and different approaches to social welfare, particularly regarding housing,” Institute representatives noted.
Understanding existing institutional responses to youth needs is essential for creating a comprehensive strategic document. Therefore, the first task of the thematic working groups is to gather data on the support and programs the canton provides to young people in education, employment, social and healthcare services, and safety. This will be followed by reviewing and analyzing support for encouraging young people’s social engagement and participation in decision-making through youth organizations, activism, and volunteering, as well as building excellence in culture, arts, or sports. The situational analysis will reveal how well young people are informed about existing support measures and how often they engage in and benefit from exchanges with peers from other parts of BiH, the region, and the world.
Amina Salić-Bezdrob, expert advisor for youth, science, culture, and information at the BPK Ministry of Education, Youth, Science, Culture, and Sports, emphasized that this marks the canton’s first comprehensive youth strategy. The Ministry aims, together with all stakeholders in the development process, to identify and address key challenges facing young people in the Bosnian Podrinje Canton.
