About 500 young people between the ages of 18 and 35, who are long-term unemployed, will have the opportunity to participate in training for acquiring new skills and professional orientation. The “Your Job” project, funded by the European Union, aims to increase the employability of young people in the cross-border area of BiH and Montenegro, both through professional orientation, quality professional guidance, first work experience and entrepreneurial practice, and through encouraging dialogue between young people, organizations civil society, companies and public institutions.
In this regard, a three-year project to support the employment of young people and the creation of new employment opportunities in the border area was presented today in Sarajevo. Project manager in BiH and Montenegro, Miroslav Valenta, Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as representatives of the Delegation of the European Union in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Mrs. Edbera Biković, program manager for IPA cross-border projects were talked about projects tasks.
“The European Union has allocated significant financial resources for development and employment incentives. Including the cross-border cooperation program Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro with 8.4 million Euros for the period 2014-2020. for joint projects in the employment, environmental protection and tourism sectors. Regional cooperation is an important model in solving common issues such as support for youth employment. We expect that such opportunities created by EU-supported projects will be recognized and have benefit for citizens,” said Mrs. Edbera Biković, program manager for IPA cross-border projects.
“The Your Job project is part of a broader effort by the European Union, Caritas and our partners to support employability and employment opportunities for young people. These and similar projects try to make it easier for young people, as well as other vulnerable groups, to enter the labor market by strengthening their competencies and skills, providing timely professional orientation, providing first work experience and starting their own company. These efforts will be complemented by the gathering of a wider coalition of non-governmental and governmental organizations in order to point out the necessary systemic reforms in the field of employment,” said the project manager for Caritas BiH, Mr. Miroslav Valenta.
Through the project, 12 counselors will be educated for the so-called “competency passport”, which will work directly with young people and local businesses on a daily basis. Also, as part of the project activities, young people will receive business counseling to start their own, sustainable business through self-employment, and with the help of a counselor, establish contacts with employers and complete an internship, i.e. their first work experience. The project will also work on establishing a dialogue for harmonizing needs and resources between civil society organizations, companies and institutions.
Fifty participants from organizations dealing with youth employment programs from the project region, representatives of donors and other partner organizations took part in the conference.
The European Union, through the IPA II BiH – Montenegro cross-border cooperation program, finances the “Your Job” project with around 360,000 euros in grants. It is implemented by Caritas Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with partners: Mozaik Foundation and Association for the Development of Competences “S.K.I.L.L.S.” from Sarajevo (BiH), as well as with Caritas of the Archdiocese of Bar and Business Start Center Bar (CG).
Source: IPA II CBC programme Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro website