Employment mentors provide key support to mentees in identifying their strengths, motivating them and preparing them for navigating the labor market, finding a job and staying employed. As an innovative approach within the social protection system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, employment mentoring offers numerous benefits. These include the development of a platform and the creation of a roadmap for further strengthening institutional support and supporting the economic development of local communities.
Amina Džaferović is an employment mentor, coordinator of the Business Community Department, and career counselor at the Nahla Center for Research and Education. Amina’s work focuses on the economic empowerment of women through education. She not only helps mentees develop essential skills but also inspires them to take charge of their careers and reach their full potential in the job market.
Amina’s greatest motivation comes from the opportunity to inspire positive change in the lives of others. That is what sparked her desire to become part of the employment mentoring process.
“Mentoring, for me, was an opportunity to help young women recognize and develop their potential, boost their self-confidence, and begin their careers. I wanted to contribute to a greater goal—creating positive change in the lives of others and in our society as a whole,” says Amina.
Through working with her mentees, Amina experienced personal growth and learning.
“I learned how important it is to adapt your approach to each mentee and how small but consistent steps lead to big changes and reaching goals that once seemed unattainable“, she says.
This rewarding experience inspired her to continue her own development while supporting others on their path to success. Amina’s biggest inspiration comes from her mentees—their drive to grow, their courage in recognizing their weaknesses and insecurities, and their determination to work on themselves.
“Watching them grow, seeing their confidence develop, and witnessing them facing challenges and persevering, gives me strength and reminds me of the importance of supporting others,” she says.
Although Amina is deeply passionate about her work, being an employment mentor is not always easy. Especially when it involves encouraging her mentees to make independent decisions.
For Amina, the process of employment mentoring is crucial and represents a key step towards the development and progress of our country. It helps the more vulnerable among us to actively engage and contribute their unique skills and competencies. “This process not only empowers and prepares individuals for employment, but also fosters long-term personal and professional growth, providing mentees with concrete tools to succeed and be ready for any other challenges,” says Amina.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT is implementing the project “Social Mentoring for Youth in BiH” within a broader regional project, “Social Inclusion of Disadvantaged Groups in the Western Balkans (SoRi III),” which is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Institute is developing a social mentoring approach for work integration, based on the methodology created by the Association for Research, Communication, and Development PUBLIC from Skopje.
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