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.
One of our employment mentors is Naida Duvnjak – Šehović, psychologist and psychotherapist. Naida has dedicated more than 20 years to the development of human resources, with a special focus on shaping organizational processes, and through that dedication, she has become a true enthusiast of the process of developing people and empowering them.
“Through my daily work with people and organizations, I’ve seen the greatest impact of my efforts in processes that demanded high levels of creative adaptation, proactivity, change, and clear direction. The values that guide me in life are rooted in the belief that by providing a support system through sharing knowledge, I can create new perspectives, both for others and for myself,” says Naida.
Through various roles and working with different target groups, Naida gained valuable experience as a mentor. However, it was this process that truly solidified her commitment to working in the job which is now recognized under the title of employment mentor. She draws motivation from the feedback and happiness of her mentees, who, through the employment mentoring process, uncovered their hidden capacities and potential that they were previously unaware of.
Naida emphasizes that the employment mentoring process effectively tackles the root of the problem and provides concrete solutions, which is the main driving force behind her involvement in this process. This approach focuses on identifying the mentees’ capacities and offering a well-rounded support system built around clearly defined plans and goals. As a result, mentees become better prepared to enter the labor market, secure employment, and work towards sustaining long-term careers.
“Through mentoring, we get to the heart of the issue and discover pathways that empower mentees to effectively steer their efforts and move closer to their goal—employment. Given that we already have success stories among the mentees, with some finding employment while participating in the program, we can confidently say that the employment mentoring approach addresses the core of the problem and identifies solutions and opportunities,” says Naida.
Given the changes in the labor market and the mismatched expectations between job candidates and employers, Naida believes that employment mentors, in collaboration with relevant institutions, should be integrated into the employment process.
Inspired by her work with mentees, who have consistently shown gratitude and a strong motivation to improve their skills in preparation for the labor market, Naida has a message for others who work with young people: “Be patient, be their guide to the opportunities that await them as they mature, and let them know that you are their beacon in moments of darkness“.
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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