Over 80 percent of young people in Kalesija say they feel deeply connected to their community, and 46 percent have no plans to leave. Still, since 2021, some 570 young people have left, making up 44 percent of all residents who have chosen to build their lives elsewhere.
These figures come from a study on the position and needs of young people, carried out by the Institute for Youth Development KULT with the support of the Youth Association Trik from Kalesija.
The results and analysis were presented as part of the process of drafting Kalesija’s Youth Strategy, offering members of the coordination body and working groups valuable insight into the views, aspirations, and challenges of local youth.
Like their peers in Vogošća, Ilidža, Bugojno, and Doboj, young people in Kalesija highlight access to quality education, practical knowledge and skills, and a safe, supportive environment as their main expectations and priorities.
In their responses, they also stressed the need for greater investment in cultural and artistic programmes, youth organizing, and more meaningful involvement of young people in decision-making. These insights will serve as an important reference point for shaping Kalesija’s future youth strategy.
The first step in developing the strategy is a situational analysis, which, alongside identifying youth needs, maps existing policies and support mechanisms in areas such as education, employment, social and health protection, safety, culture, and sport.
During the second meeting on the Youth Strategy, held on 15 October 2025, participants discussed the key challenges the strategy will address and then moved on to defining its vision and strategic goals, which will guide concrete actions for and with young people in the coming years.
“The analysis gives us a clear picture of the needs of young people in our community. Combined with an overview of what is already in place, it helps us design realistic and effective measures to improve their position,” participants noted during the meeting.
The forthcoming youth strategy of the Municipality of Kalesija will outline a clear direction, specific steps, and measurable outcomes aimed at strengthening the position of young people and creating an environment that encourages them to grow, develop, and stay in their community.
These activities are part of the project “Designing, Developing and Adopting Youth Policies”, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Institute for Youth Development KULT in partnership with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), the Youth Council of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Network of youth centers for animation, development and training of Republika Srpska (M.O.C.A.R.T.) and the Association of Secondary School Students in BiH.
