Young people in the municipality of Doboj Istok will soon have a youth strategy, which is a key document that will define the direction of youth policies and provide a framework for addressing the most important issues affecting their daily lives.
Developing a youth strategy is a complex process, made even more challenging by the limited availability of statistical data on youth, which slows down evidence-based policymaking. Despite these obstacles, by involving young people and a wide range of stakeholders, Doboj Istok is shaping a strategy that will serve as both a roadmap and a foundation for creating better living conditions, greater opportunities, and a safer future for younger generations.
The strategy will respond to the key needs of youth through three strategic goals:
- better education and employment by strengthening local capacities, fostering entrepreneurship, and aligning education and the labor market,
- accessible and quality health and social services, with a particular focus on mental health, safety, and prevention,
- development of cultural, sports, and educational programs, as well as greater youth participation in community life and decision-making processes.
The vision guiding the Development Team and working groups in drafting the Strategy is clear: Doboj Istok aims to be a community that provides opportunities for youth, improves the quality of life, and creates space for culture, sports, and civic engagement, all in pursuit of a safe and prosperous future.
At the third meeting of the Development Team and working groups held as part of the Strategy drafting process, the focus was on designing responses to the challenges and problems affecting young people in the municipality. Youth pointed to the lack of government support for education and training, misalignment between education and the labor market, limited opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship, and high unemployment rates among young women as just some of the obstacles they face. Particularly concerning is the lack of support for mental health, as existing institutions lack the capacity to provide counseling services, while the demand for mental health support among youth continues to rise.
Young people also stressed the shortage of cultural and sports activities, the lack of spaces for gathering and organizing, the underdeveloped culture of volunteering, and their sense of having little influence on local decision-making. As many as 63% of youth believe that their opinions rarely or never impact decisions made by municipal authorities.
Based on these findings and analyses, the working groups have begun shaping the priorities and measures that will form the core of the future strategy. Through the joint work of experts, youth representatives, and institutional stakeholders, the priorities will be realistic, while the measures and activities to achieve them will be well-defined, measurable, and feasible within the competencies of the Municipality. Future steps include developing specific strategic projects, enabling the community to see the first results and changes in practice.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT is able to support the Municipality of Doboj Istok in the process of developing their youth strategy thanks to the project “Designing, Developing, and Implementing Youth Policies”. The project “Designing, Creating and Adopting Youth Policies” 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.
