This year’s basic training for youth officers brought together representatives from various local communities in BiH with the aim of improving skills in working with youth. The training program covers topics that are key to the work of officers, and during the last module, the focus of the training is on communication, meeting organization and monitoring of youth projects.
During intensive workshops, participants spent 25 working days improving their skills and acquiring the knowledge necessary for more effective work in the field of youth issues, so that officials would be prepared for direct work with the community, youth organizations and young people directly.
“Personally, I was most impressed by the topic of communication with young people via social networks. We talked about different styles and types of communication used on social networks, and how they can help us in our work in the city administration. The way in which social networks enable quick and efficient interaction with young people, as well as how to adjust the communication style to be as effective as possible, was very useful and inspiring for further work. Through the lecture on verbal and non-verbal communication, we analyzed different situations in which communication can be more or less successful. Knowing how and in what way different types of communication function can significantly improve our interpersonal relationships and work in administrative bodies, and in this case, work with young people. The training is crucial in my further professional development because it helped me better understand the specific challenges that young people face. Through practical examples and case studies, I learned how to better analyze the situation of young people in the local community and develop strategies that can bring them real benefits,” says Mirza Mešković, expert associate for social protection in the Department for Culture, Sports, Youth and Social Protection of the City of Tuzla.
The training was further enriched by a meeting between the officials and the Assistant to the Federal Minister of Culture and Sports, who spoke about the role of youth in creating a youth strategy in the Federation of BiH. He emphasized the importance of consultations with various stakeholders and shared details about the next steps towards adopting a youth strategy, as well as the initiative to establish a Youth Council of the Federation of BiH. During the conversation, he expressed satisfaction with the ideas and proposals of the youth officials, emphasizing their key role in strengthening youth participation in decision-making processes.
” The Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports has been successfully cooperating with the Institute for Youth Development KULT for many years, especially in the implementation of Basic Training for Officers. The partnership with the Youth Council of the Federation of BiH and the Institute for Youth Development KULT in the preparation of the draft Strategy for Youth of the Federation of BiH is also of utmost importance to us. This strategic document, which should soon be considered at a session of the Government of the Federation of BiH, is of crucial importance for improving the position of young people. The role of youth officers in promoting and supporting the implementation of this strategy is extremely important. We look forward to continuing cooperation with this group of officers and hope for additional strengthening of their capacities in the coming period,” said Salkić in a conversation with youth officers.
A particularly inspiring part of the training was the visit to the Teslić Youth Center , where the officers had the opportunity to talk with the young people and the initiators of this center. The exchange of experiences and ideas showed how important it is to listen to the needs of young people and support their initiatives in a way that is accessible to them, and that even in small communities there can be special steps that can serve other communities as inspiration.
“This training is truly an example of good practice, especially for me as a young program officer at the Youth Center in Banja Luka. I was enabled to develop professionally, gain knowledge, and receive various examples of experiences and recommendations for further work. In the last module, I learned various ways to develop presentation skills, as well as organize meetings in innovative ways. I would also recommend everyone to be part of this training and become modern and versatile officers in their local community,” says Nada Vasiljević, independent professional associate for program activities at the Youth Center in Banja Luka.
Through interactive sessions and exchange of ideas, participants concluded how important such trainings are for their professional development and improvement of work with youth. One of the key messages of the training was that youth officers play an irreplaceable role in connecting local communities and young people, but also in creating space for their development and participation.
This training was another step forward in strengthening the network of youth workers, whose commitment and enthusiasm show how, working together, we can create better opportunities for young people in our country.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT has been organizing and implementing youth officer training and certification programs for officers working with youth in city, municipal and cantonal authorities for many years. The training program consists of 120 working hours, divided into five mandatory modules, which will be held from June to December 2024 in various cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The training is conducted in partnership with and with the consent of the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports and with the support of Sweden in BiH.
Source: mladi.org
