Youth strategies must not be forgotten or left to gather dust in desk drawers – they need to be implemented continuously. This was the key message of today’s seminar “What Comes After Adopting a Youth Strategy?”. The seminar brought together youth officers and professionals working on youth issues within government institutions. Its purpose was to review and analyze the situation across local units of self-government as well as higher levels of government where youth strategies are already being implemented.
The seminar placed particular emphasis on understanding the impact of youth strategies, not only on young people in local communities but also on broader community development. This portion of the seminar highlighted successful examples of implementation, showcasing the efforts of various municipalities to effectively implement priorities, measures, and actions set out in their strategic documents and action plans. A key discussion point was the range of challenges youth officers face during implementation, along with possible solutions.
One significant challenge participants noted was the lack of relevant data on youth, as well as limited capacity for monitoring, reporting, and evaluating youth strategies.
During the seminar, participants also explored the importance of monitoring and evaluating youth strategies as an essential part of tracking implementation. Youth officers shared positive practices and examples from their own institutions, including how they approach the monitoring process.
One of the participants, Ms. Samira Drakovac from Goražde, expressed her appreciation for the seminar and stressed the importance of monitoring and evaluation in youth work: “It was extremely useful from the perspective of working within local government. Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting remain among our biggest challenges. There are always dilemmas, but sharing good practices and learning about the tools introduced during the seminar, which we’ll be able to use in the future, will definitely help us achieve better results. These tools and software will also help us identify what hasn’t worked well or where we’ve fallen short of our goals, so we can improve our approach to youth.”
An especially engaging part of the seminar was the presentation of new initiatives from the Institute for Youth Development KULT. Participants were introduced to the “Youth-Friendly Local Communities” initiative, aimed at recognizing the efforts of municipalities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in implementing youth policies. Through this initiative, local self-governments will have the opportunity to become certified based on the success of their youth policy implementation (laws, measures, programs, and activities) that contribute to making their communities better places for young people. Participants also learned about the improved Integritet.ba platform, designed to track the implementation of youth laws at all levels across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Tatjana Letić, a youth officer from Bijeljina, shared her impressions: “Participating in the seminar ‘What Comes After Adopting a Youth Strategy?’ was incredibly valuable for me personally. I received guidance and examples of good practice from other municipalities, including ways to overcome challenges so that young people in Bijeljina can fully benefit from the programs outlined in our Youth Strategy.”
Youth officers provide crucial support and assistance to youth organizations and young individuals, helping them navigate daily challenges and empowering them to contribute to community development. That’s why they are among the most important local partners with whom the Institute for Youth Development KULT collaborates intensively. Together, we work to improve the position of young people through the development of new youth policies and the implementation of adopted strategies. Their dedication to youth issues and commitment to creating a better environment for young people clearly show why they deserve continued support and opportunities.
