When knowledge is shared, communities grow. A great example of this is Ilijaš, where youth officers gathered for the Job Shadowing Program: Local Practice, Shared Knowledge! With support from the FBiH Ministry of Culture and Sports and the Embassy of Sweden in BiH, seven youth officers from Banovići, Banja Luka, Kiseljak, Hadžići, and Vukosavlje spent two days learning from a municipality that has invested systematically and consistently in young people for many years.
The hosts, Adha Masnopita, Secretary of the Municipal Administration, and Enisa Mešetović, Senior Advisor for Education, Youth Affairs, and the NGO Sector, introduced participants to the functioning of municipal departments, models of cooperation with youth and civil society organizations, and the wide range of youth support programs Ilijaš has developed and implemented over time.
“We are genuinely proud to be the first local community to host this kind of program. This was more than just an opportunity to showcase what we do. It provided a space for all of us to learn from one another, share ideas, and strengthen cooperation between municipalities. I believe initiatives like this will help create stronger and more sustainable youth policies across BiH,” said Enisa Mešetović.
During the two-day visit, participants had the opportunity to learn in detail about the work of the Department for Social Affairs and Local Communities, municipal youth-support mechanisms, and Ilijaš’s collaboration with youth organizations and educational institutions. On the first day, they met with the youth organizations Iskoristi dan – Carpe Diem and the Bosna Scout Troop to discuss youth participation in community life, the challenges they face, and ways to strengthen the youth sector.
On the second day, the group visited the Nedžad Ibrišimović Secondary School Centre, where they toured the youth space open to all young people in the municipality, the practical instruction classrooms, and the school sports grounds, and learned about ways young people engage in school and community activities.
This was followed by visits to the Cultural and Sports Centre and Radio Ilijaš, which implement various programs for young people. Participants saw firsthand how facilities are used and adapted to meet youth needs and how local institutions contribute to creating a supportive environment. They also appeared as guests on Radio Ilijaš to share their impressions and discuss the importance of the program.
“This program helped me see, through concrete examples, how Ilijaš works with young people, how support mechanisms function, and how important good coordination between sectors is. It inspired me to try introducing similar models in my own community, especially in supporting youth organizations and youth mobility,” said Anela Mujić from the Municipality of Banovići.
The final part of the program was dedicated to reflection and group discussion. Participants highlighted how valuable it was to see a municipality that has, for years, invested consistently in youth programs and services, from youth mobility funds and scholarships for pupils and students to strong financial support for youth organizations.
“The greatest value of this program lies in the people and their openness to share experiences and learn from one another. I am sure the results of these visits will be visible very soon, through new initiatives and projects in our local communities,” added Dragana Simić from the Municipality of Vukosavlje.
The conclusion of the two-day visit was clear: programs like this show how essential experience-sharing and joint learning are for developing effective, sustainable youth policies. Youth officers expressed that they were inspired by Ilijaš’s examples and interested in adopting similar mechanisms in their own municipalities.
For years, the Institute for Youth Development KULT has been strengthening the capacities of youth officers, given their crucial role in creating and implementing youth policy. The Job Shadowing Program: Local Practice, Shared Knowledge! was created to support their professional development and networking, and create more opportunities to share their own experience and learn from others.
The program continues at the end of October with visits to the City of Banja Luka and the Municipality of Centar Sarajevo, continuing the process of learning, cooperation, and building a stronger network of youth officers throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
