The Municipality of Kalesija has officially launched the process of developing its Youth Strategy with the first meeting of the coordination body and working groups. This marks the beginning of work on a key document that will shape local policies, programs, and support measures for young people. With this step, Kalesija joins a growing number of municipalities that recognize the importance of a structured, long-term approach to youth development and active youth participation in decision-making.
The working groups bring together representatives from various institutions, organizations, subject-matter experts, NGOs, and young people themselves, reflecting a strong commitment to inclusive decision-making. The diverse expertise and perspectives of all participants will contribute to a high-quality strategy, as they all work toward a shared goal: making Kalesija a better place for young people to live, work, and thrive.
Participants learned about the legal framework that requires municipalities in the Federation of BiH to adopt youth strategies. Particular focus was placed on provisions of the FBiH Youth Law, which mandates that every municipality must have a youth strategy and defines a set of institutional and programmatic measures that local governments must provide, including youth centers, dedicated budget support, trained youth officers, advisory bodies, and systematic monitoring of youth policies.
The methodology for drafting the Strategy was also presented, with an emphasis on ensuring that the document is realistic, actionable, and focused on actual needs, rather than being a purely formal exercise or including overly ambitious measures that cannot be implemented within the Strategy’s timeframe. The Strategy will include clear responsibilities, timelines, and feasible measures tailored to the local context.
A field survey is currently being conducted with 377 young people from Kalesija to gather data on their needs and priorities. The findings will serve as a foundation for developing the Strategy, ensuring that youth voices are directly reflected in future policies and actions.
With this initiative, Kalesija is taking an important step toward systematically developing youth policy and recognizing young people as a key resource for the community’s future. This process is supported through 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. It is based on a methodology built around actively involving young people and relevant institutions throughout the process.
