Haris Salkić is a young entrepreneur launching his own company called HAS Robotics, where he will develop and produce robotic arms for educational purposes. He already developed a prototype and called it HAS One. Haris says that he will eventually start making industrial robots, and his ultimate goal is to produce robotic arms that will be used in medicine.
During their first module, the new generation of youth leaders taking part in Learn, Think and Act! learned about teamwork and leadership.
Interactive work, non-formal education methods and experiential learning helped the participants learn the basics of leadership, think of themselves as youth leaders and consider their roles in the team and the way the team communicates.
“As far as the first module is concerned, I think this is the motivation I very much need, and I’m learning about the things I’ll need going forward. Training 14 generations of youth leaders is no small feat, and that’s the main thing that intrigued me and led me to apply.” - said Arslan Arnautović from Cazin.
When asked about his expectations from UMiD, Arslan said that he expects the training to transform him and teach him some new ways of reaching his goals when it comes to the position of youth in the Una-Sana Canton.
The first module was held from December 5th to 7th, 2019, at the Educational-Leisure Center for Youth SPAJALICA in Ilidža.
More than 300 young people completed the UMiD training, and this generation is the 15th. The participants are 25 young people from 21 local communities from across Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The training Learn, Think and Act! is an officially recognized form of non-formal education that provides youth with various competencies that will make them competitive on the labor market. It consists of seminars, practical exercises and volunteering.
All participants grow into active citizens who take the necessary steps to change the society they live in, assert their opinions and actively participate in decision-making in their communities.
PUBLIC CALL
for the training Learn, Think and Act! for Young Political Leaders
(UMiDp) Generation 3
Public Call number: 17.01.0-N2.1-4182
PUBLIC CALL SUMMARY
Institute for Youth Development KULT is issuing a call to take part in the youth leader training called UMiD for young political leaders (UMiDp). Once the Public Call is closed, the Institute will select participants of the UMiDp training, comprising three 5-day modules focused on three areas - 1. political system in BiH and how to navigate it, 2. creating a political image and 3. public advocacy and negotiations aimed at addressing young people’s problems and needs, and implementation of local civil initiatives (LCIs).
Planned schedule for the UMiDp modules:
The schedule is tentative and the Institute reserves the right to make changes. The Institute will notify the participants about the venue in advance. The modules will start at 9:00 am and end at 6:00 pm, except on the first and last day, to accommodate participants arriving and leaving the training.
Application criteria
Documentation
The application consists of the following: 1) Curriculum Vitae (CV), 2) proof of membership in a political party, 3) completed application form.
Applicants are welcome to submit additional documents that they consider relevant for the evaluation process.
Application
Application deadline: The Call is open until 10:00 pm on Friday, 12 January 2020.
Applications are submitted via an online form that can be accessed at: http://mladi.org/myURL/umidp3generacija
Questions can be asked via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Subject: Question, 17.01.0-N2.1-4182) or by phone to +387 33 778 765.
The complete text of the Public Call (in Bosnian) is available here.
Building a future in BiH may not be easy, but it’s certainly possible if you’re willing to be patient and work hard on making your ideas come to life. Youth from Jajce are proof it can be done. With the help of the Institute for Youth Development KULT and the Municipality of Jajce, and with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in BiH, they successfully launched their own businesses.
One of them is Samed Glamočić, a physical therapist who graduated from university and interned in the General Hospital before trying to get a job. But, finding employment proved to be a struggle.
“Then I saw the program the Municipality was offering in cooperation with the Institute for Youth Development KULT, inviting us to apply with our business plans. I already knew what I wanted to do because I’m a physical therapist by profession, and I’ve also been to some other trainings, so I decided to write a project proposal. I submitted the proposal at the end of 2018, and the results we published in the beginning of 2019. Then I started the process of launching my business, and registering it”, said Samed.
Thanks to this program, Samed opened his “Relax Studio” offering physical therapy, massages and cupping, an alternative method popular around the globe. He is just starting out, but people are already showing interest in his services and are curious to learn what cupping is.
“It’s a completely natural treatment. It’s a medical regulatory method, that uses vacuum to extract biological toxic waste that accumulates in capillary blood. Cupping restores balance to the human metabolism”, says Samed.
Although he is convinced that he would have eventually found a way to start his business, this program was the impetus he needed to get going. Despite the fact that youth are leaving BiH, and he himself had considered it, he says is not the type of person who can thrive abroad.
“I want to stay here, no matter what it takes, this is where I want to make a living. I never categorically rejected the idea of leaving, but I would only leave for professional training, not permanently. I’d like to experience something new, a training abroad, but I want to work here.”
His message to young people is to work hard if they want to stay in BiH.
“They won’t achieve anything if they just sit on their hands. You have to give it a try, and see where you go from there. Working constantly and being patient is crucial. Success won’t come overnight. You have to be patient, and you will eventually reap the benefits of your hard work”, says Samed.
Another young entrepreneur we talked to shared similar advice. Arnes Hadžić graduated from a Secondary School of Commerce and used the funds from this program to open his own bakery. He says this is a good idea because he’s located close to a school, several local businesses and a road.
“I registered my business at the end of July and started paying all the salary contributions. I adapted a space for the bakery in my family house. I did most of the work by myself. I will be working alone in the beginning, and then maybe hire another person to work half-time if I need help. I went to Tešanj for training and I think that experience will be useful for running my business”, says Hadžić.
He never contemplated leaving the country, because he’s convinced he can succeed in BiH, which he’s already proved. Thanks to this program, he said he finally got the courage to start his own business.
“I faced some challenges and difficulties when I was buying the machinery, which is why I’m running late. I’m sorting it out though and expecting to start my business soon. It takes a lot of effort and patience, and you also have to be realistic. You have to be persistent, sometimes a little bit annoying. I kept trying for three years, and finally, my attempts have worked”, says Hadžić.
Haris Burek shares this opinion. He applied with a completely different idea during the previous call, but today, after refining his idea and vision, he succeeded in implementing them. He graduated from a high school for construction trades, got a job at a construction company, and then applied for this program.
“I decided to start a construction business, GP Konstruktor. I registered the business 6 months ago and now I have two employees. When I heard that another craftsman will stop working with stone and is selling his machines, I bought them from him and launched my business. I also make tombstones, and I’m the only one who makes them for all the religions in Jajce, Mrkonjić Grad, Šipovo and Jezero”, says Haris.
He says he’s thrilled with the results. He didn’t expect success to come so quickly, but it’s already clear now that thanks to the variety of services he offers he doesn’t have to worry about competition.
He never thought about leaving because of the love he feels for his country.
“You won’t find this air, this water, this food anywhere else. Everything is genetically modified outside of BiH. You can’t grow some vegetables for yourself, the quality of life isn’t there. Life is more about money and things. There’s also the spiritual aspect, the quality of life.
He wants other young people to know that the first step is the hardest, but if they’re brave enough to take it success is guaranteed.
“I’ve always wanted to start my own business, and this incentive gave me the boost I needed to go on. I always had a goal in life, and that’s the key to everything. Have a goal, dare to reach for it and you’ll succeed."
This new young entrepreneur says he’s completely dedicated to his work.
“Even when you’re sleeping you’re working. Wherever you are you leave an impression on people and they’ll come to you if you have a smile on your face. You are the reflection of what you do.”
After only six months his business is self-sustainable, which is a major success. The only difficulty he’s facing currently is the transportation of large and heavy machinery, but he believes he will overcome that obstacle in time too.
Despite all the difficulties, challenges, doubts and fears, these young entrepreneurs prove that success is possible if you’re dedicated to developing your idea. Of course, all this requires support, which luckily they got from the Institute, Municipality of Jajce and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in BiH.
One thing can be said for sure - their success ultimately depends on their willingness to fight for their place in today’s society. On the market, among other people, in the world. These young people prove that success is built on having faith in your idea.
The Institute for Youth Development KULT held the #YOUTHinkBiH event celebrating International Volunteer Day on December 5, 2019 and promoting the work of young leaders, youth workers and Youth Officers over the past year. The event included more than one hundred young people and representatives of various institutions whose purview includes youth issues. The participants offered concrete solutions to the problems they identified in their local communities. Three of the best proposals will be provided with mentorship and financial support by the Institute over the course of next year. All three ideas concern environmental protection; one group will put up Eco Boxes in supermarkets, the second will build Eco corners, and the third group will set up waste collection hotspots that will be used to eventually turn waste into secondary raw materials.
“Eco Box is an initiative designed to raise consciousness about selective waste disposal. Eco Boxes will be used to sort waste that will be recycled, and citizens will be rewarded with discounts in supermarkets”, said Kenan Suljić from Srebrenik, a member of the group behind the Eco Box idea.
The #YOUTHinkBiH event was intended to reward the young people whose volunteer work throughout the year contributed to improving the society and quality of life for all. Over the past year, the Institute supported dozens of initiatives and businesses launched by young people that were presented during the event.
“Today, the Institute has 30 employees, and it all began with volunteering. So, I know that volunteering is the foundation for success in anything you do. I’m grateful to these young people for improving our society, and to those a bit older who spend their time working with youth. I wish you a happy International Volunteer Day from the bottom of my heart”, said Jasmin Bešić, Executive Director of the Institute for Youth Development KULT.
Today’s event was organized with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden in BiH. The Embassy’s Program Officer, Nedim Bukvić, said he was pleased to take part in today’s event, and believes that youth work is important not just for youth, but also for institutions in charge of creating better conditions for youth development across BiH.
Fourth High School in Ilidža hosted four workshops for primary and secondary school students in the municipality of Ilidža, which included a panel discussion Life Without Violence. Around 80 participants had an opportunity to learn about different forms of violence, with a particular emphasis on peer, gender-based and cyber violence. The workshop was followed by a panel discussion with citizens from the municipality of Ilidža. The two panelists were Nermina Vehabović-Rudež, psychologist and psychotherapist and Hamida Memišević, member of the Committee for the Protection of Human Rights, Petitions and Proposals of the Municipal Assembly of Ilidža.
“In less than two hours we learned about all the kinds of violence. We don’t get to hear about this topic much, and this made me realize how important it is to talk about it. Cyber violence was a particularly relevant topic for us, since we’re at an age where we’re constantly exposed to it”, said Rijalda Ragipović, student from the Fifth Primary School Ilidža.
In front of an audience of 100 citizens of Ilidža, Vehabović-Rudež talked about the importance of encouraging the entire community to recognize and report violence. “It’s important for professionals to be able to recognize violence - doctors, teachers or the police - and to react”, said Vehabović-Rudež, adding that the police must respond to all reports of violence, even if it’s means responding to the 50th call from the same family.
During the introduction, Azra Jahić, Chairwoman of the Commission for the protection of Human Rights, Petitions and Suggestions of the Municipal Council of Ilidža presented the results of a survey conducted by this Commission. Results of the survey showed that 47% of people in the municipality of Ilidža believe that women should not have the same legal rights as men.
All the implemented activities are part of the Gender Action Plan of the Municipality Ilidža and the global campaign 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.
