Information providers / counseling structure

Non-formal learning refers to learning that takes place outside the time of the compulsory teaching and learning curriculum. It can take place in school, in the form of extracurricular clubs and outside formal education, for example in sports teams. Because the goals of non-formal education are broad and varied, a range of non-formal learning activities is available.  In BiH, awareness-raising about the value of non-formal and informal learning and quality youth work is primarily conducted by civil society organisations, particularly youth-focused NGOs, youth councils, and regional networks. These actors actively promote lifelong learning, skills development, and youth participation through structured programmes and public campaigns.

Key initiatives and activities include:

• Annual campaigns by umbrella youth organisations, such as the FBiH Youth Council and the RS Youth Council, which promote youth work and learning outside formal systems through social media content, videos, public events, and workshops,
• Projects under Erasmus+ and RYCO (Regional Youth Cooperation Office), where organisations organise youth exchanges, training courses for youth workers, and study visits focusing on recognising competences gained through non-formal learning,
• Information campaigns and toolkits on youth rights and learning opportunities, disseminated by the EU Info Centre in BiH and UN agencies, which include components on soft skills, entrepreneurship, and digital competencies learned through informal education,
• Online portals and platforms (e.g. infoMladi, mladi.org, hocu.ba, and mrezamira.org) serve as resources for young people to access information on mobility, training, volunteering, and youth work opportunities.

The FBiH Employment Institute, RS Employment Institute and BD BiH Employment Institute offer various services related to the career development. One of them is support for education of employed and unemployed people. 

Also, there are publicly recognised organizers of these activities which may include nongovernmental organisations, cultural institutions, associations, universities, career centers, consulting and training centers, private schools and other institutions registered for educational programs implementation.

Taking into consideration the suggestions of educators, the international association "Interactive Open Schools" Tuzla created a conceptual solution and established a base of teaching materials and practices under the name Virtual Education Centre of Formal and Nonformal Education. The FBiH Ministry of Education and Science recognised and supported the initiative and gave a recommendation for the use of available resources.

Awareness raising initiatives

Awareness-raising about the importance of non-formal and informal learning in BiH is primarily driven by civil society organisations, particularly youth organisations, youth councils, and thematic networks. These activities are implemented continuously through both online platforms and in-person events, using interactive and educational methodologies tailored to young people.

Awareness campaigns typically include workshops, peer education, public events, social media outreach, and collaboration with local communities. Despite these ongoing efforts, there is currently no involvement or initiation of such awareness-raising activities by top-level institutions in BiH.