The basis for creating a strategy for the youth of the City of Gradačac is the Analysis of the results of the research on the position and needs of the youth . The decision to conduct research on the position and needs of young people in the area of the city and the development of a strategy for young people indicates the commitment of the City of Gradačac, as the bearer of this process, to improving the position of young people in this area.
The research was carried out in partnership with youth organizations from the Gradačac area (Youth Council of Gradačac Municipality, KULT Gradačac Association, Futura Youth Association and the Gradačac Local Team of the Association of High School Students in Bosnia and Herzegovina) and the KULT Youth Development Institute .
The Institute for Youth Development KULT conducted a field survey of young people in the city of Gradačac in the period from February to March 2024. In the area of the city, 369 people were surveyed who were selected by the method of random selection of young people between the ages of 15 and 30. In the following, we highlight some of the most significant results of the analysis of the position and needs of young people in Gradačac.
In the field of education, according to the available data, there is a noticeable decrease in the number of students enrolled in primary schools. The same trend is noticeable in secondary education, where compared to 2019/2020. year, when 1,412 students were enrolled, that number in the 2022/2023 school year. was smaller and amounted to 1,353. The highest rate of decrease in the number of students was recorded by gymnasiums.
Although there are several categories of scholarships that the City awards to young people in the community, according to research data, almost 67% of young people stated that they do not receive any scholarship, which may indicate that there is a disparity between the scholarships that are available and the actual needs of young people. Young people have a positive attitude towards the quality of education, because over 50% of them believe that education provides them with the knowledge and skills needed for employment in the profession or further education.
About 33% percent of young people, who were surveyed, answered that they did not have practical classes while attending regular education, which indicates the lack of opportunities available to young people, which is also confirmed by the data that 24% of young people point out the lack of practice among the biggest shortcomings in education. .
In the field of work and employment, there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of unemployed people since 2019, and the analysis of research results shows that one in five young people (21%) is doing the job for which they were educated , which indicates the need for additional linking of the labor market with formal education . According to the research results, most young people (more than 40%) see their own business as the best place to work, while almost half of the respondents expressed their desire to start their own business if they had the opportunity.
Data that attracts attention is that over 70% of young people live with their parents in a joint household, which indicates the difficulty of housing independence for young people , which is caused by various factors such as the complex economic situation.
Analysis of health trends among young people in Gradačac reveals several important aspects. A significant number of young people did not regularly perform systematic examinations (20% of respondents never performed a systematic examination), which indicates the need to strengthen awareness of the importance of preventive examinations and health education among young people. Also, a significant number of young women who were surveyed (over 32%) have never had a gynecological examination, which is a warning regarding the care of their own health among young women. The results of the research indicate a low level of playing sports because 39% of young people do not practice sports or recreational activities in any way.
The low level of satisfaction among young people with the support of local authorities for sports and cultural content is also noticeable.
Attention should also be paid to the fact that 35% of young people expressed dissatisfaction with the work of police services in the city area, and it is necessary to find out the reasons for dissatisfaction through cooperation and communication with young people.
It is worth highlighting the information that the City Council unanimously adopted the Draft Strategy for Youth 2024-2027 at the end of June. , which represents a big step forward for all young people from the Gradačac area in improving their position in the coming years.
For more information on the position and needs of young people, see: Analysis of the results of the research on the position and needs of young people in the city of Gradačac .
Source: mladi.org
