The "Mikro mreža" citizens' association has launched an initiative in Gradiška aimed at strengthening the entrepreneurial capacities of young people in rural areas, with the aim of providing them with concrete support for staying and developing in local communities. The initiative, which was launched at the beginning of this year, was created in response to the increasing number of young people leaving the countryside and the need to create conditions for their economic progress. The campaign of this association put pressure on the local administration, which responded positively and directed part of the budget funds to support this category of society.

In meetings with the presidents of the local communities of Lijevča polje and Potkozarje, and then with young people from this region, representatives of the Micro network launched this initiative and came up with significant data.

"Through a previously conducted survey, we determined that more than 70 percent of young people in rural areas want to start their own business. However, the lack of funds and institutional support often discourages them. We started working in the field - we visited local communities, informed their representatives, distributed leaflets, talked directly with young people and presented them with business development opportunities. In the end, we managed to get the City Administration to acknowledge this initiative and include it in its development plans, which made a significant step towards concrete solutions,” said Bojan Trgić from the Mikro mreža Association.

As part of the initiative, the Gradiška City Administration has issued a public call for the allocation of incentive funds to business entities for 2025, with a special emphasis on young entrepreneurs and women from rural areas. Applications are open from September 24 to October 8, and funds are provided for starting new businesses, developing existing entrepreneurs and supporting female entrepreneurship.

"The City of Gradiška has been actively supporting the development of entrepreneurship for years, but through this initiative we have taken an additional step forward - young people from rural areas are given an advantage through a points system. Also, in response to the fact that only five percent of high school seniors plan to start their own business, the City is implementing training and mentoring programs using modern methodologies, where young people develop business plans and apply for support. The best among them get the opportunity to realize their ideas with the support of the local community," said Milana Šmitran from the Gradiška City Administration.

This initiative represents an example of good practice in cooperation between local government and the civil sector, with the aim of providing young people with a real opportunity for economic empowerment and staying in the countryside. All interested parties can contact the City Administration or the Mikro Mreža Association for more information and support in applying, and they can apply for the Public Call here.