Status in national legislation

The definition of a youth worker is provided only in the BD BiH Youth Law. This still means that other two entities and the state level have not the definition of a youth worker.

The Association of Professional Youth Workers (APOR), at its founding Assembly held on June 7^th, 2008, gathered 11 youth workers from the PRONI Centre for Youth Development, Centre for Youth Education and Institute for Youth Development KULT. The founders of the Association of PYWs (APOR) chose their organization to be membership based and open to accept new youth work practitioners in membership status, not their organizations and/or institutions. The BiH Ministry of Justice, responsible for the registration of the associations and verifying compliance of the NGOs’ statutes with Law on Associations and Foundations in BiH, replied on the PAOR’s application two years later, in August 2010, asking for some amendments. As response to the Ministry’s letter, APOR has suspended the registration process and no major steps were undertaken since that time.   

The Institute for Youth Development KULT has managed to make certain move towards the recognition of youth work profession in FBiH trough their UMiD Initiative. 

Education, training and skills recognition

The education of youth workers within the PRONI model was taking place from 1998-2007 and it was organised as university courses at different levels under a contract training program provided by the Jönköping University. 

The first stage was a basic course, leading to a certificate in Leadership and Developmental Youth Work (Level A, 30 ECTS, and European Credit Transfer System) from Jönköping University. This course was designed as one year of part-time study. The aim was to produce youth workers able to operate in areas of conflict, and to make young people of different nationalities meet and work on reconciliation. The course document stressed that the tool of the professional youth worker is social education, which means that youth work is seen as a situation of learning. In different activities, the youth worker will emphasise dialogue to promote skills and values. Self-knowledge is another element in the education. The course consisted of four blocks and of practical work. During the residency activities, the students from different towns met to work together on reconciliation. Besides, the university programme aimed to educate and train professionals working with children and young people in order to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for individual and group work with young people in personal and social development, self-confidence, development of values and attitudes, communication, work on conflicts and active participation in building and development of the society.

The continued education (Level B, 30 ECTS) was also designed as a one-year part-time training. The students got a certificate in Leadership and Developmental Youth Work, Level B, from the Jönköping University. The focus of this education was preparation of the youth workers as trainers of other voluntary youth workers in conflict-ridden areas. The aim was to further develop skills and knowledge from the first level. The youth workers as trainers worked in the context of social education, which implies environmental work to facilitate for young people to grow. Another element stressed in this course was conflict transformation, understood as bringing people together to challenge their prejudices and stereotypical attitudes. As a third stage, a Level B plus course was awarded 5 Swedish Credits. The aim was to recruit local people as future trainers of youth workers. The participants were trained in lecturing and practise as mentors for students in Level B courses in group-work and practical work.

The Centre for Youth Education is implementing the Leadership and Developmental Youth Work education that is accredited with the 30ETCS in cooperation with the Jonkoping University. 

The Institute for Youth Development KULT is implementing Learn, think and act! initiative for youth leaders and municipal youth officers. 

The PRONI Centre for Youth Development, with the support of the Forum Syd Balkan Project, tried to localize this university programme in 2007. This effort resulted in the PRONI Academy of Youth Work that have become a recognised educational program in more than 20 municipalities and cities across BiH for awarding the youth work certificate. 

• PRONI Academy of Youth Work (PAOR):

PAOR is a unique PRONI Centre for Youth Development program that provides young people with knowledge in the field of youth work, youth activism and conflict resolution. The PAOR Academy consists of six modules over a period of eight months (six months of theory and two months of practice) and has three educational levels (PAOR A, B and B+). The goal of the PAOR program is to empower activists and youth workers to improve their implementation skills in youth work activities, primarily with young people who are members of the PRONI Youth Clubs operating within youth club networks in BiH.

The PRONI Youth Work Academy (PAOR) aims to standardize the training of youth workers in order to raise the quality of programs related to youth work to a higher level, so that future leaders of youth organizations and youth workers gain adequate knowledge, skills and experience, with the aim of raising the quality of youth work as a profession in BiH.

The curriculum of the PRONI Youth Work Academy incorporates theoretical achievements of scientific disciplines such as pedagogy, social pedagogy, sociology, psychology, social psychology, etc., but also over twenty years of practical experience of the PRONI Centre for Youth Development in leading and establishing youth organizations, youth centres and youth clubs. 

It is important to mention that, when choosing scientific theories and the practical part of the curriculum, we were guided by the latest achievements from the above-mentioned scientific disciplines, but also the principles and values of non-formal education and experimental learning as a methodology through which we implement our programs.

• PAOR – A level (Basics of Youth Work)

The Basics of Youth Work course aims to provide young people with basic knowledge in the field of youth work in order to contribute to the personal and social development of young people in BiH and involve them in various socio-political processes concerning young people. Given that young people in BiH are not sufficiently involved in socio-political processes that surround them, it is important that young people are involved in processes that surround them through youth work, which, among other things, involves a certain set of knowledge, skills and values, and thus contribute to the communities in which they live, and the country as a whole. Participants of the Basics of Youth Work course will acquire basic knowledge and skills to spread ideas and values of youth work in their communities and provide young people with an alternative to everyday life, but also enable other young people to spend their time usefully and creatively. 

BiH is still in the process of transition from post-war to peacetime and prosperous society, so we believe that young people must be used as a resource in the transition process, and, with a set of certain knowledge and skills, young people can certainly contribute to this process. Through the Basics of Youth Work course, the participants acquire the necessary knowledge and skills that will help them contribute to the building of a prosperous BiH with their ideas and attitudes.

The expected individual learning outcomes of the course participants are:

• Knowledge: Participants will gain basic knowledge about what youth work is and what it looks like in practice. In addition, they will have the opportunity to learn how to work with groups of young people and build a team, but also to deal with conflicts while practicing youth work. Given the rise of nationalism, radicalism and extremism in BiH, the region, but also in Europe, the participants will learn how to deal with these social phenomena as youth workers.

• Skills: During the Basics of Youth Work course, the participants will acquire the skills of organizing groups of young people in order to respond to the needs of young people in their community. In addition, they will acquire critical thinking skills, communication skills, problem solving skills and skills of analysing the socio-political situation in which young people find themselves in their community and will be able to find ways to respond to their needs together with other young people.

• Competencies: After completing the course, participants will be able to support and empower young people from their communities so that they can take full part in producing communities focused on young people. Additionally, they will be able to provide young people with a safe space and opportunities for learning so that they reach their full potential, but also to contribute to the development of the youth sector in their communities.

Modules that are covered during the Basics of Youth Work course: 

• Introduction to youth work;

• Youth work in practice;

• Individual work with young people;

• Basics of working with groups and team building;

• Conflict transformation;

• Radicalism and extremism among young people in modern society.

• PAOR B Level (Training for trainers in field of youth work)

The Training for Trainers in the Field of Youth Work course aims to provide young people with knowledge, skills and experience in the field of implementation of training in the field of youth work for future youth workers to contribute to personal and social development of young people in BiH in order to be able to educate future youth workers. Given that the PRONI Centre believes that young people in BiH are not sufficiently involved in the socio-political processes that surround them, it is important that through youth work, which involves a certain set of knowledge, skills and values, young people are involved in processes they surround them, and thus contribute to the communities in which they live and the country in general.

The participants of the Training for Trainers in the Field of Youth Work course acquire basic knowledge and skills and get the opportunity to educate new generations of youth workers to spread ideas and values of youth work in their communities and provide young people with an alternative to everyday life, but also enable other young people to become bearers of positive projects in their communities.

BiH is still in the process of transition from post-war to peacetime and prosperous society, so we believe that young people must be used as a resource in the transition process, and with a set of certain knowledge and skills young people can certainly contribute to this process. Through the Training for Trainers in the Field of Youth Work course participants will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills that will help them contribute to the building of a prosperous BiH with their ideas and attitudes.

The expected individual learning outcomes of the course participants are:

• Knowledge: Participants will gain basic knowledge about the training and how to plan and implement it. In addition, they will have the opportunity to learn what skills and knowledge are needed to conduct training, how to work with groups of young people and build a team, but also deal with conflict during the training implementation.

• Skills: During the Training for Trainers in Field of Youth Work course participants will acquire skills of planning, implementation and quality reporting from the trainings conducted. In addition, they will acquire critical thinking skills, communication skills needed for quality implementation of training, problem solving skills and skills for promoting tolerance and diversity in society and will be able to communicate well with young people and the public. 

• Competencies: After completing the course, participants will be able to support and empower young people from their communities so that they can take full part in establishing communities tailored to young people’s needs. They will also be able to conduct various trainings for young people in order to expand the network of youth workers, and thus spread the idea of youth work and the attitudes and values behind this profession.

The Training for Trainers in Field of Youth Work course consists of the following modules:

• Basics of training in the field of youth work;

• Promoting tolerance and acceptance of diversity;

• Communication with the public;

• Management and organization of work in the youth club;

• Protection and safety of young people;

• Conflict transformation (Advanced level).

• PAOR B + Level (Management in Youth Organizations)

The Management in Youth Organizations course aims to provide young people with basic knowledge in the field of quality leadership of youth organizations in order to create future leaders in the youth sector who will lead youth organizations in a quality way and strengthen the youth sector in BiH by doing so. Management in youth organizations has a complex and demanding role of caring for employees in youth organizations, their personal and professional development, but also to achieve the purpose and goals of the organization. In order to succeed, it is necessary to possess a certain set of knowledge and skills that we want to provide the participants with.

Participants in the Management in Youth Organizations course will acquire basic knowledge and skills to spread ideas and values of youth work in their communities, and quality management of youth organizations will strengthen the youth sector and its impact on the communities in which they operate.

The model of youth organization management that the PRONI Centre for Youth Development proposes with this manual, but also the course itself, is a model under the slogan "With young people, for young people", which implies the inclusion of young people in various decision-making processes in the organization. 

The expected individual learning outcomes of the course participants are:

• Knowledge: Participants will gain basic knowledge about what interpersonal skills are needed for quality management of youth organizations, and what management looks like in practice. In addition, they will gain the necessary knowledge on project preparation and management, as well as advocacy and lobbying to advocate for the needs of young people in their communities in a quality way.

• Skills: During the course “Management in Youth Organizations", participants will acquire skills of leading youth clubs, as well as human resource management in youth organizations. In addition, they will acquire the interpersonal skills needed for personal development, the development of employees and volunteers in youth organizations and youth club, as well as the communication skills needed to communicate with decision makers at different levels.

• Competencies: After completing the course, participants will be able to lead teams of youth workers and create programs that will strengthen the position of young people in their communities and beyond. In addition, the participants will work together with young people to define the needs of young people in communities, and in cooperation with young people will competently and responsibly respond to the needs of young people through their work.

  • Development of interpersonal skills

The Management in Youth Organizations course consists of the following modules:

• Project management

• Social media management

• Counselling skills in working with young people

• Lobbying and advocacy

• Human resource management.

Mobility of youth workers

There is no record of youth worker mobility in the country. BiH has the opportunity to participate in the Erasmus+ Youth program, which enables the mobility of youth workers from BiH through the projects of youth organizations.