If properly understood and supported, mobility becomes the key to empowering young people and their active participation in society.
Instead of the usual story about young people leaving the country, a more positive view of mobility is taking shape – one focused on opportunities for learning, connection, and personal growth.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT champions this perspective and increasingly partners with local communities that recognize the importance of supporting youth movement for networking, independence, adopting new values, and fostering active citizenship.
The City of Tuzla has established the Youth Mobility Fund based on this vision, joining other communities across BiH that are commited to improving the lives of their youth. In partnership with the Institute, a working team – comprised of youth representatives, youth organizations, and the City Administration’s Department for Culture, Sports, Youth, and Social Protection – is developing the framework to support young people through this fund.
Guided by the Youth Strategy of the City of Tuzla, at a meeting held on February 28, 2025, the working group analyzed numerous activities in order to identify those that contribute most in the long term not only to the personal growth and development of young people, but also to the progress of the community as a whole.
Taking into account the diverse needs and priorities of young people, the working team considered several key directions that will shape future activities that can be supported by the Fund:
- Knowledge as a foundation for progress – Supporting non-formal education, additional training, science seminars, and learning opportunities that complement formal education.
- Fostering excellence – Allowing youth to participate in science, culture, and art competitions where they can demonstrate their talents and achieve meaningful results.
- Development of social skills and networking – Encouraging participation in summer schools, outdoor education, volunteer and environmental camps, and art colonies to to build connections and share ideas with other young people.
- Empowerment for social engagement – Strengthening youth organizing, civil society, and peace-building initiatives through best practices and active participation in social processes.
Youth mobility – an opportunity for personal growth and social progress
The Youth Mobility Fund can not only allow young people to travel and participate in various activities, but also to return home with new knowledge, experiences and motivation, and to share all that with their community, inspiring their peers to be proactive as well.
Lessons from communities with established support models will guide Tuzla in developing a Fund that helps young people realize their potential and drive positive social change.
With the financial support of the European Union, the Institute for Youth Development KULT, in partnership with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), the Youth Council of the Federation of BiH, 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, is implementing the project “Designing, Developing and Adopting Youth Policies”, which supports communities across Bosnia and Herzegovina in creating youth-focused mechanisms like the Mobility Fund, opening doors to new experiences and broader horizons.
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