Representatives of the Local Democracy Agency (LDA) Local Democracy Agency (LDA) Zavidovići held a meeting today with the Mayor of the City of Zavidovići, Erna Merdić Smailhodžić, at which the establishment of a Youth Office was discussed as a long-term and systemic solution for improving the position of young people in the local community.

Young people in Zavidovići, as in many other local communities, face numerous challenges – from limited opportunities for active participation in decision-making and a lack of space for developing their own initiatives, to the need for stronger institutional support. For this reason, an initiative has been launched to establish a Youth Office, which would serve as a hub connecting young people, local authorities, and organizations working with youth.

The Youth Office would act as a contact point for informing, supporting, and engaging young people in social processes. Its role would be to advocate for youth interests, organize non-formal education workshops, public discussions, research activities, and other initiatives that contribute to a higher quality of life for young people. At the same time, the Office would support the development of volunteering, youth work, and initiatives that contribute to the development of the local community, while promoting active citizenship, solidarity, and social responsibility.

The Mayor expressed openness and support for the initiative, recognizing the establishment of the Youth Office as a measure aligned with her vision of systematic support for young people at the local level, based on strengthening support for youth, their more active involvement in social processes, and creating conditions for young people to remain in the local community.

It was also emphasized that the establishment of the Youth Office represents a concrete and achievable measure that does not require significant additional budget allocations, but rather better planning and more efficient use of existing resources. It was further highlighted that the establishment of the Youth Office is fully grounded in the Youth Law of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which obliges local self-government units to ensure a minimum set of measures for working with young people.

Representatives of LDA Zavidovići expressed satisfaction with the constructive discussion and the willingness of the city administration to consider this initiative in the coming period, with the expectation that continued dialogue and cooperation will create conditions for concrete decisions in favor of young people.

The establishment of the Youth Office represents an important step toward strengthening young people’s trust in local government institutions, increasing their civic engagement, and creating a safe space for education, volunteering, and social involvement.