2014
|FINAL PROJECT REPORT|
Youth Employment Awareness Initiative
- Mladi do karijere -
AUTHOR: Niall Ardill | December 2014
AKTIV: YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AWARENESS INITITIATIVE|2014|
Table of Contents
1.0 Executive Summary........................................................................................................... 2
2.0 Introduction……………………………………………………………………........................... 6
3.0 Background to the project…………………………………………......................................... 7
4.0 Project Implementation……………….…………………………………………………………. 9
4.1 Activity I: Public Forum: Access to Information……………………............................... 9
4.2 Activity II: Public Forum: Placing yourself in the Job Market…………………………… 12
4.3Activity III: Public Forum:Private Sector and Young People……….…………………... 14
4.4Activity IV: Public Forum: Labour Rights………………………………………………….. 16
4.5 Activity V: Study Visit:……………………………………………………………………… 18
5.0 Project Reach………………………………………………………………………………….… 22
6.0 Reaction of target group………………………………………………………………………... 24
7.0 Developments for Actors…………………………………………………………………......... 25
7.1 Beneficiaries…………………………………..………………………………………….25
7.2 Implementers…………………………………………….……………………………… 26
7.3 Donors…………………………………………………………….……………………… 27
8.0 Reccommendations……….……………………………………………............................... 28
8.1Short term impact………………………….…………………………………………… 28
8.2Medium term impact……………………………………………………………………. 29
8.3Long term impact………………………………………………………………………. 30
9.0 Conclusion.………………………………………………………………………………………. 32
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1.0 Executive Summary
This project, through informative discussion, debate, and an awareness driven initiative aims to
alleviate unemployment in north Kosovo through a number of objectives set out from the
planning stages. These objectives included:
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To initiate the public dialogue on the issues of formal youth employment.
To support proactive attitudes of young people on the issues of employment.
To initiative public-private-youth communication dynamics on the issues of regional and
local employment policies and practices.
To offer a forum for decision makers at central and local governance level, the private sector
and international stakeholders to learn the views, constraints and needs directly from young
people.
To initiate awareness among young people of the needs of employers, both private and
public sector in terms of the employability, skill level and the job readiness of young people
for the employment market.
To identify the main milestones for mid and long term efforts to improve the employment
environment for young people in northern Kosovo.
North Kosovo has suffered deepening unemployment and other social issues since the 1999
conflict. The lack of institutional support services, whether that is social welfare, employment
services or modern medical facilities and infrastructure have all contributed to considerable void
of investment in the region. This investment is not just absent in public services, but also in the
private sector where the lack of inward investment has reduced the number of employment
opportunities since the closure of the Trepca Mining facility. Therefore, there is a need for
interventions and projects devised to address issues related to socio-economionc
empowerment of vulnerable groups in the community. Through such projects, motivated,
educated and job-ready indiviudals will compete for positions across multiple sectors.
Additionally, such interventions such be devised to tackle the lack entrepreneurial spirit amongst
young people in the region as business creation is a further measure that can be used to
develop employment opportunities.
The project was devised to take the form of 5 events over a 3 month implementation period with
events taking the form of 4 Public Forums and a Study Visit. The topics and means of delivery
throughout the events were varied but a constant element was the creation of an environment
for young people to gain knowledge, discuss relevant topics and ask questions of stakeholders
related to employment issues. The Publics Forums covered a range of issues and these were
addressed by numerous guest speakers from the business sector locally, nationally and
regionally, municipal representatives, community stakeholders, professors and young people
who have gained employment through suport initiatives in the past.
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The 4 Public Forum events took place in Mitrovica north in two locations throughout the city,
allowing the implementors to attract a wider variety of individuals. The events covered:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Access to Information
Placing yourself in the Job Market
Private Sector and Young People
Labour Rights
These events were followed by a practical element to the project when a group of almost 40
people travelled to 3 locations in south Kosovo look at different business and job creation
practices. This trip included a visit to the Kosovo Association of Information, Communicaton and
Technology (STIKK) and Innovation Centre Kosovo (ICK) which is home to an ICT entrepreneur
incubator centre. Following this the group visited Stonecastle Vineyard and Winery, the largest
producer of wine in the Balkans and a demonstration of how an investment in new and modern
technology can help assist with business expansion. Finally the group visited Velika Hoca where
they were presented with a number of rural enterprises and examples of how they support the
local population.
There were a number of results derived from the events outlined above, in terms of
developments for the actors in the form of the beneficiaries, implementors and donors and direct
reccommendations for future interventions. These are outlined below:
Beneficiaries
 Direct knowledge gain on issues related to employment, advancement of understanding of
targeted issues, and increased awareness on problems related to gaining employment.
 Creation of new contacts and development of networks within their peer groups, private
sector and at a community level.
 Building trust and cooperation in a multi-ethnic setting through visiting south Kosovo and
developing an undertanding of job creation strategies on a wider Kosovo basis.
Implementors
 Creation of a profile as an organisation with an ability to implement such projects,
developing capacity and a better understanding on issues affecting vulnerable groups and
contact and newtwork expansion with community stakeholders and others working in this
area.
 Growing a network of young and motivated individuals that can be utilized in both current
and future projects related to community mobilisation, advocay and lobbying and other youth
issues.
Donors
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Knowledge gain in a number of areas related to developing programmes specifically for
youth and other vulnerable groups, a growing understanding of working in north Kosovo,
and the creation of contacts and networks in the region.
Affecting trust-building and cooperation among young people from north Kosovo and
counterparts in the south is a major milestone for any international aid agency working in the
region and GIZ should take credit for what has been achieved in this instance.
Reccommendations for future interneventions are outlined in 3 categories to assist with planning
of associated funding and ability to implement.
Short-term
1. The establishment of a consolidated and trusted online source of information on
employment issues, career and job opportunities, up-skilling and training programmes and
other related aspects.
2. Focused trainings with practical elements on a specific subject, sectors and industries.
3. With a growing network of ICT professionals developing in north Kosovo continued and
increased cooperation between STIKK, ICK and relevant actors will assist in sector
development and future job creation.
Medium-term
1. Career counseling service – a void in knowledge on the job application process and
preceedures involved exists among youth. A support service would include numerous forms
of assistance to young people in seeking employment.
2. Legal Advisory Clinic – a lack of basic knowledge and understanding exists among young
people on Kosovo legislation and frameworks in terms of laws surrounding employment and
issues that act as barriers to gaining employment, business creation and similar.
3. Youth Business Consultancy and Technical Assistance – there is distinct lack of consultancy
and technical assistance for young people developing their own enterprise. This lack of
support further inhibits an environment that is not culturally supportive of business
development and the creation of new enterprises.
Long-term
1. A multi-sector, or sector specific incubator centre located in north Kosovo is a feasible and
achievable objective in the promotion of business and the creation of employment in the
region.
2. The establishment of a relative industry association that can be used to focus activities in
the sector, and create a development framework for future expansion of businesses
operating in this area.
3. The creation of a youth lobby and advocacy group would be multi-faceted in terms of
capacity and focus on a cross-disciplined approach to address a range of issues.
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2.0 Introduction
With a depressed business environment, a lack of institutional and government support services
to entrepreneurs and a culture that does not encourage the development of new business or an
ability to expand businesses, employment opportunities in north Kosovo are not forthcoming.
Furthermore, when you consider such opportunities are further limited to vulnerable groups
such as the youth in society the difficulties surrounding youth unemployment levels are further
heightened. Such a vulnerable group, limited by their lack of experience in employment,
connections and networks in both the private and public sectors and possible naivety in gaining
employment along with many other similar issues, lack assistance through the appropriate
channels.
Kosovo, as a whole, has one of the youngest populations in Europe with more than 70% of its
population under the age of 351, and over 50% of those being under 252. With such
demographics there is a need to work with young people and assist them where needed to gain
suitable and appropriate employment and deter economic migration to other job markets. The
need for assistance in this area can be further understood when unemployment rates are
examinedfor those falling into the target group for this project, with those between 15-30 years
of age having an unemployment rate of 60.2%3.
When you consider north Kosovo, a total population of approximately 70,000 consisting of a
large young population many of whom are students highlighting an educated workforce but
lacks many of the key attributes for job creation. North Kosovo is home to 11 Serbian-state
faculties located within the 4 municipalities offering qualifications to a PhD level, and the
Serbian-state Više Technička Škola (Technical High School) in Zvečan and the privately-run
International Business College Mitrovica offering qualifications to a Bachelor degree level which
shows potential for business creation.
With no significant employment opportunities outside the public sector, both recent graduates
and other young people find it increasingly difficult to seek employment. The lack of private
sector development, with over 70% of companies classified as micro-businesses employing
between 1-94people offering few employment opportunitiesto vulnerable groups in the
community.This lack of job opportunities increases competition among applicants for vacant
positions, with many young applicants lacking basic knowledge of such processes and thus
placing them in a disadvantaged position. Furthermore, the lack of job experience, business
1
IBDE: International Business and Diplomatic Exchange. Country Report: Kosovo, March 2011.
Report: EU Assistance to Kosovo-Education for the Future.
3United Nations Development Programme, 2013.
4 Study: An inquiry into the economic situation of north Kosovo businesses, November 2013.
2
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environment and legal frameworks creates difficulties for those in employment also with many
not being aware of laws and basic rights as employees.
3.0 Background to the project
Against this background, and in order to develop a better understanding of the dynamics
surrounding both youth employment and unemployment and the factors that affect such matters
the Youth Employment Awareness Initiative project was developed. The project jointly devised
by the AKTIV, a non-governmental organization based in north Mitrovica and the German
International Development Cooperation (GIZ) and implemented by AKTIV during the months
from September to December 2014.
From the beginning the project outlined a number of key objectives that it wanted to achieve and
set out a number of steps for further interventions moving forward to gain increased momentum
in lowering youth unemployment in north Kosovo. Some of the main objectives of the project
surround offering young people an opportunity to interact in an open environment and discuss
the real issues that concern them and in turn youth unemployment in the 4 northern
municipalities. This public dialogue took place in various forms at all events held during the 3
month project with many interesting and worthwhile discussions.
Furthermore, the project aimed to offer a platform for young people to voice their concerns to
municipal officials and local community stakeholders about their needs in terms of employment
opportunities and support. This platform offered the young population of the region an insight
into the mechanisms that local institutions are utilizing to decrease unemployment numbers and
boost job creation while also giving the participants a view into other aspects of institutional
work.
And finally the project aimed to bridge the gap between the private sector and those seeking
employment. This happened throughout a number of the activities where the target group
interacted both formally and informally with entrepreneurs and those working in the private
sector, gaining a valuable demonstration of the values that employers deem significant in the
local, national and regional job markets.
These objectives outlined above, and other similar ones that will be highlighted later in the
report were identified through continued work in the field with young people, the business
community and other stakeholders with concerns in these areas. In addition to these objectives
the project was used to identify current support mechanisms in place in the north and their
potential to support young peoplein their job applications and through difficulties in early
employment. Furthermore, the missing spheres and mechanisms available to young people
were also identified.
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This all comes against a background of lacking institutional and governmental support services
for the unemployed and socially disadvantaged causing concern for many about their ability to
gain meaningful and long-term employment. Allied with this, a lack of regulated business
environment5 which does not actively support business expansion and thus, job creation, and a
poor legislative framework6 that is advantageous towards employers and those in positions of
power but does not offer support to those in lesser positions which can place those both seeking
employment and in employment in difficult positions.
5
6
Study: An inquiry into the economic situation of north Kosovo businesses, November 2013.
Study: An inquiry into the economic situation of north Kosovo businesses, November 2013.
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4.0 Project Implementation
Due to the short implementation period, originally planned as 4 months but unforeseen
circumstances saw the project implemented over a 3 month period from October to December
2014. The short lead in time could have caused some difficulties in terms of planning the initial
activities but these were overcome through the use of the experience of the project team and
resources of the organization, AKTIV.
From the outset of discussions between AKTIV and GIZ it was decided that the project would
take the form of a number of events held as Public Forum with specific topics, speakers and
discussion points with all events to be facilitated by one person to allow for continuation from
one event to the next.
Prior to the first event taking place, a short public awareness campaign took place in the two
weeks building up to the first Public Forum happening. This awareness campaign took place
across a number of platforms from traditional media and a social media presence alongside the
dissemination of leaflets and posters within the local community. Furthermore, through existing
contacts within the school system in north Mitrovica access was gained to final year students
from the Medical High School and the project was presented to them. The effectiveness and
reach of such a campaign is often difficult to measure, however the number and range of
participants in attendance at the first Public Forum showed that the public awareness campaign
was successful.
Initial planning of the events took place as early as possible with the logisticsof the venue,
materials, refreshments, and similar were organised accordingly. At events such as these, to
ensure a successful outcome and repeat attendance at future Public Forums we find it is
important aspect to create a comfortable surrounding that is both a learning environment and
relaxed atmosphere in order to encourage people to contribute to any discussions, debates and
give input.
4.1 Activity I: Public Forum: Access to Information
Date and Venue:
18th October, 2014 - AKTIV Art Centre, Mitrovica
Main discussion points:
The first event took place in the AKTIV Art Centre and was well attended by a broad section of
the target group. The event was facilitated by Professor Vladimir Dzenopoljac from the
University of Kragujevac. Vladimir has a large extent of experience working in both Kosovo and
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the region, working closely with the civil society, non-governmental, and private sectors in
business development, job creation, and company analysis. His ability to both facilitate and add
his expert and personal knowledge to the events throughout this project brought an extra
dimension to the success of the individual forums. Furthermore, each event was supplemented
by a guest speaker, in some cases up to 5 speakers were present. At the first event, Professor
Jelena Djokic, Economic Advisor to the Mayor of Zvecan municipality was present to discuss
youth development strategies within the municipal framework and answer questions from the
participants about the municipality’s role in job creation in north Kosovo.
The forum opened with introductions from Vladimir, and AKTIV with a brief overview of the
project and what it will entail over the coming 3 months. Following this Vladimir outlined the
agenda for the day, highlighting the guest speaker Prof. Jelena Djokic who will discuss
municipal youth development strategies – at this point Vladimir handed the floor to Jelena who
began by introducing herself to the participants. Prior to questions and discussion between
herself, Vladimir and the audience, Jelena gave a speech about a number of topics related to
youth employment and the role of local government institutions in creating jobs. The main points
of her speech were.
 Current market situation – difficulties in creating jobs due to local and greater economic
difficulties. Jelena highlighted that it was no longer the role of the municipality, or state
institutions to create employment for individuals but rather create the correct
environment to encourage investment and facilitate business growth. She referred to the
local market, the instable political and social spheres which constrain the development of
businesses in the region. However, she did highlight a number of success stories where
entrepreneurs are growing their businesses, offering employment and thus, showing that
there are opportunities for individuals to be entrepreneurial and find employment.
 As Jelena spoke about entrepreneurial development and the creation of businesses
leading to job creation a number of questions were asked related to grant aid through
the EU and agencies that have worked in the area of economic development. Jelena
spoke about this as possible source of start-up capital, however she did highlight that
many agencies wish to support businesses that have shown a degree of self-initiative
and have grown the business to a certain point and now wish to develop it further. Some
participants showed discontent for the application and decision-making process by these
agencies, highlighting distrust amongst many in north Kosovo and their lack of
transparency in terms of the final awarding of grants and other subventions. It was also
outlined by a number of participants that the application process for such grants is offputting and can generate a lack of motivation as it is a long process with little chance of
reward at the end. In spite of this, many participants did add that they personally would
be willing to participate in grant schemes, regardless of distrust, lack of transparency
and a long application process as a way of starting a business or creating a job where
they would be employed. It was further highlighted that assistance with the application
process, guidance and support along with accurate reporting from the aid agencies on
why applications are successful or not would be helpful.
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Self-improvement and resourcefulness amongst job seekers – Jelena highlighted her
feeling that many of those seeking employment have become disheartened, disillusioned
and unmotivated to find a job. This, in her opinion, may spur from a culture where people
expected to be given a job rather than have to compete for one. She continued by
discussing the large student population in north Kosovo, especially Mitrovica and Zvecan
stating that although many of these individualsclaim to wish to find a job, they do little to
find one even at the lowest level. This lead to a discussion amongst participants about
their employment, how they found their position and stories from others who were not as
successful in seeking employment.
Following Jelena’s speech and the discussion with participants, Vladimir returned to
continue the previously outlined agenda. He began by recapping on both the discussion and
Jelena’s speech on municipal development strategies for job creation before continuing to
talk about personal experiences when he first began to seek employment in Serbia and
abroad. He spoke about the difficulties that this included but also about the lessons learned
in the process and how rejection is not always a negative, and should be seen as a learning
curve on the route to establishing a career. He referenced some jobs he had in both the
service industry and retail he had as a student, pointing out they were important steps in him
gaining experience that allowed him to develop his career in later life. He continued with
discussing a number of topics related to the agenda, leading to a discussion that was multifaceted and very dynamic – the main areas covered were:
 The role of the labour market – definition vs. reality. The inefficiencies in the
application for grant aid, he compared it to similarities in the job market whereby in
many cases there is a lack of transparency in the process. He highlighted that many
jobs, although advertised or promoted were already promised to people connected to
the company, or related to those working there. He continued to say that although
this is very unfair on others applying it is the reality and culture that operates within
the labour market and therefore, job seekers must work harder to find employment.
 Inefficiencies of local government and constraints on job creation leading from the
earlier mentioned political instability and ineffectiveness of municipalities decisionmaking ability. The ongoing battle between public and private sector jobs, and the
culture of individuals seeking employment in an overburdened public sector where
job security can limit earning potential, an ability to develop ones career and gain
better work experience.
 The ‘hyper’ production of non-qualified and experience job seekers leading to
references about informal education and continued upgrading of job skills, work
related knowledge and relevant experience. Many present, although university
educated, did not continue with job relevant education post third level and were not
aware of opportunities in the local community to do so. Many of these courses,
language, practical skills, and similar are aimed at individuals who wish to add further
skills to their portfolio and put themselves in a more opportune position to get a
‘career’ job.
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He acknowledged that educated individuals may not want to work in jobs they find
‘meaningless’, however he noted that this job experience is more important than
none at all. He highlighted his own experience working in the service industry as a
student, detailing the professional skills he gained experience in; customer service,
interaction with service providers, administrative duties, quality assurance, stock
management, and many other not so ‘meaningless’ tasks.
Job application – know the process. Vladimir asked the participants about their
knowledge of the process and this spurned ongoing discussion about individual’s
lack of skills in actually applying for a job. He highlighted a number of aspects of the
process; company research in terms of developing job specific CVs and Cover
Letters rather than a generic model, presentation skills in terms of ‘selling’ yourself
and your experience during the interview process, identifying examples of scenarios
in your work experience that shows you are suitable for such a role within an
organization and so on. Much of this was new to many participants and thus
signifying a lack of knowledge about gaining employment through the traditional
channels.
4.2 Activity II: Public Forum: Placing yourself in the Job Market
Date and Venue:
1stNovember, 2014 at the CPT Resource Centre, Cika Jovina, Mitrovica
Main discussion points:
Vladimir returned to facilitate and add his expert knowledge on the areas of job creation and
business development while adding another dimension to the discussion amongst the guest
speakers, of which there were 5. The guest speakers at this event were Milos Golubovic, Bojan
Lalic, Milica Orlovic, and Ljubo Zekic who are all individuals who have participated in study
abroad programmes under different guises, internship abroad and worked abroad. There role in
this event was to inform the participants about the benefits of spending time abroad and how
this expansion of knowledge, perspective and cultural experience can assist in seeking work
and developing a career. Following this Dragana Milutinovic, from the Centre for Training and
Development gave information related to their informal education programmes and courses they
operate.
After introductions were made, Vladimir outlined the agenda for the day, the speakers and
topics for discussion. The first speaker was Milos, who explained that he is currently working for
Community Building Mitrovica, a job he felt he gained through his experiences studying abroad.
Milos studied Political Science at Boston University, where he experienced a very different
culture in the education system. He stated he felt the professors at Boston University showed a
higher respect towards students and are there to work for them as opposed to at the university
in Mitrovica where he did not experience this. This aspect of studying abroad showed him the
importance of have a good working relationship with all those you have regular contact with, as
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it allows a more fluent work practice and better cooperation across the board. Furthermore,
Milos’ study abroad led to him finding employment in the USA for a period of time, experience
which he felt no doubt contributed to him gaining a career job when he returned to Mitrovica.
Next to speak was Milica, who gained a scholarship and completed a Master of European
Studies: Transnational and Global Perspectives at the University of Leuven, Belgium. Milica
explained that the application process was time consuming but she felt that all ethnicities were
treated equally and therefore individuals should not be dissuaded by such a feeling. Milica
pointed out that the benefits of knowing a second language is important to study outside exYugoslavia, with a growing tendency of universities to offer Masters programmes in English
even in non-English speaking countries. She also noted that her scholarship was based on a
test plus her grade from her university in Mitrovica, therefore highlighting the importance of been
focused on this throughout your studies. When speaking about the main benefits, Milica spoke
of the importance of the overall experience, the contacts and networks that you develop during
time spent abroad and the international degree that is recognized worldwide. On returning to
Mitrovica, Milica felt she was now in a better position to apply for jobs than if she had not
completed the Masters programme in Belgium, and that it placed her apart from other
candidates that she would be competing against – she is currently employed at the European
Union Office in Kosovo, working in a role very much inline with the studies that she has
completed.
Bojan Lalic, who studied at both the state faculty in Mitrovica and the International Business
College Mitovica, was next to speak. During his time studying he needed to complete an
internship as part of his studies, which he undertook in Amsterdam to gain experience working
in an international setting. He found the experience of working abroad very worthwhile in terms
gaining a new perspectives on the workplace and the different culture that operates in this
environment in a different country. Furthermore, he tried to introduce a number of these
practices into his own work roles on returning to Kosovo. Additionally to his time spent working
in Amsterdam, Bojan grew his network of contacts and when it came time to conduct research
as part of his PhD studies in Psychology he was able to call upon these for assistance. He used
these contacts, along with references from professors at the University of Belgrade to gain a
place at the prestigious Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics near Amsterdam and gained
valuable experience during his time there. Bojan highlighted that although the reasons behind
his stays in the Netherlands were unrelated at the time, it was connections he established
during his internship that facilitated the research possibility. He continued by saying the
importance of developing both professional and personal networks that can assist in career
progression in the future. Bojan added that he agreed with Milos’ and Milica’s views that
opportunities do not come along very often and need to be taken advantage of, however he
added that in order to take advantage of a situation it is important to be in the right place to do
so referring back to what Milica said about university grades and language ability earlier. Bojan
is currently finishing his PhD studies at the University of Belgrade where he is also acting as an
Assistant Professor to Graduate and Masters programme students.
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The final speaker on the area of studying and interning abroad was Ljubo Zekic, who spent time
at the University of Viena. Ljubo, originally from Croatia was adamant that his experience during
his time studying abroad was a contributing factor in him gaining employment. The experience
he gained, both in living abroad and during his time studying gave him new viewpoints and an
understanding of a different culture, perspective and education than he believes he would have
earned in his home country. His belief is that this knowledge gained allowed him to apply for
jobs, and put him in a position to be successful in such applications that he would not have been
capable of previously. He has now worked for the OSCE in the area of Human and Property
Rights for a number of years and continues to work and build a successful career.
Dragana Milutinovic the Centre of Training and Development based in north Mitrovica joined us
after a break for refreshments to talk about some of the options available to local people in
terms of gaining new practical skills. These skills can be an integral part of gaining employment,
or greatly assist with promotion and developing greater responsibility for those in employment.
She presented the range of courses currently offered; business plan writing, English language
courses, assistance with finding internships, and opportunities to gain small business grants.
Additionally, she highlighted that these courses were regularly updated and new curriculums
and courses were introduced approximately every 6-9 months when current courses finish and
are reviewed. She said that many participants in the courses had used the knowledge gained as
a practical step in finding employment, and some continue to attend various courses to up-skill
and develop new abilities.
4.3 Activity III: Public Forum: Private Sector and Young People
Date and Venue: 15th November, 2014 at CPT Resource Centre, Mitrovica
Main discussion points:
Vladimir continued to facilitate the Public Forums, with this event concentrating on young people
and their role in the private sector, their ability to gain employment and the expectations of the
private sector in terms of what they need from their employees. At this event there were 3 guest
speakers, Radomir Velickovic from Lesak-Kom, Vidak Otasevic, an engineer at IPKO, and
Aleksandra Dzenopoljac, Chief Executive Officer of Cineplex. After initial introductions from
Vladimir, and an outlining of the agenda and the general area of discussion for the day, Radomir
was introduced to the audience.
Radomir, a local entrepreneur and owner of Lesak-Kom slaughterhouse located in Lesak, and 4
retail butcher shops located in Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic and Lesak. These retail butcher
shops give Radomir an outlet and point of sale for both his raw meat products and semi and
fully processed meat products. Radomir indicated how his business has grown from a small
number of staff to a company that now has up to 30 people employed and looking to expand.
He highlighted that his company is currently not working at full capacity due to issues with
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finding suitable markets to sell his products to. It was noted that for him to operate at a greater
capacity he would need to increase trade to south Kosovo, or to Serbia but there are restrictions
in place that are difficult to overcome in order for this to happen. However, the company
currently produces and sells more than 6,000kg of ‘Cajna Kobasica’ per month – the biggest
selling of his ‘home’ processed products. Radomir continued to explain how his company
expanded, with grant aid received from USAID under the Community Active Initiative Program
enabling him to purchase modern equipment and machinery making production and processing
more efficient. These established efficiencies in production were a major step in expanding
operations, and further funding from the EU Office in Kosovo allowed this expansion to happen
at increased rate. The new machinery offered the opportunity to increase product lines, speed of
processing, increased monetary savings throughout the production process, and quicker
production lead-time and delivery to customers. Difficulties in finding suitable employees in
terms of skill level, effectiveness in the workplace, and willingness to work at an expected level
in this industry are continuous issues. He continued by stating that he is currently looking for
staff members across a number of positions, from machine engineers, processing staff and
retail workers and gave information to the participants about how to apply, experience needed
and the expected salary. This led to a discussion between Radomir and the participants about
the difficulty in finding suitable employees, and the main issues that surround the employment of
local staff. He highlighted that there is a huge amount of hardwork that is needed to create a
successful business, and as the business expands there is more people relying on the company
for their livelihood and income. This deepened responsibility can be difficult to deal with but it
also acts as a motivation to continue to work hard, look for new opportunities, and continue to
operate the business at a high level.
Vidak, an electrical engineer with IPKO, a Slovenian mobile network that operates in south
Kosovo employing approximately 500 people was next to speak. Although originally from
Belgrade, he moved to Mitrovica to study and completed his education at the state faculty
located here before finding employment with IPKO. He now lives in Gracanica, and works
throughout Kosovo on various mobile network related projects. One of the issues that Vidak
highlighted was the large opportunity for those living in north Kosovo to work for companies in
the south, something that many residents from the north do not believe to be possible. He
continued to say that although he was employed to initially work in north Kosovo but due to
operational restrictions he was redeployed to south Kosovo with little or no difficulties in working
with ethnic Albanians. Although he does not speak Albanian, he and his co-workers
communicate primarily in English, and occasionally in Serbian with those who speak the
language. He pointed out that there are some difficulties for him to work in south Kosovo,
however, these are related to that fact he is from Belgrade and therefore must apply for a
Kosovo work permit and residency card. As a non-resident in Kosovo he does not have equal
rights to pensions, and some of the workplace laws are different to what he knew from Serbia.
He stated that his education was very beneficial to him gaining employment, and it was noted by
many of the participants that his salary increased depending on the level of education. During a
follow up discussion it was said that this should be encouragement to young people to complete
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their formal education as the benefits it brings will be long-term. Vidak said that continuous
upgrading of industry skills and knowledge is important in any sector, and at least twice yearly
he participates in trainings, workshops and forums to increase his knowledge and ability in
areas such as mobile technology, electrical engineering and other job related topics. This allows
him to compete with others for promotion opportunities and also when applying for future jobs
this continuous career development will stand to him.
To continue the topic of private sector and young people Aleksandra Dzenopoljac was next to
speak. Aleksandra is CEO of the Kragujevac branch of the Austrian-owned Cineplexx company
which operates across 33 cinemas across 8 countries. Aleksandra, whose career to date has
been very successful in terms of the jobs and positions since graduating from the Faculty of
Economics at the University of Kragujevac where she studied Marketing. She spoke about her
own experiences of seeking employment, and been a self-starter in terms of the jobs she has
held where she has a background in numerous areas including sales, banking, government
offices and marketing. She spoke that each of her roles has led to the next position, with
experience gained adding to her overall career knowledge enabling her to move up the ladder in
terms of career progression. She spoke about her current role at Cineplexx, identifying with the
young audience as many of the staff that work alongside her are of a similar demographic, both
in age and job experience. Cineplexx employs a large amount of part-time staff, students and
people looking to build experience and their CV in the private sector. She noted that they have a
very open policy to employment and will hire people not only based on previous experience but
also on personality and willingness to work hard. She added that continuous job searches are
essential in seeking employment, it is important maintain motivation, develop experience and
knowledge and concentrate on achieving goals that you set yourself. Aleksandra said it was
important to utilize any available tools in finding a job and suggested using the internet to
research companies and potential job opportunities, talk to people working in large
organizations, and creating contacts by attending trade fair, discussions and forums such as
Youth Employment Awareness Initiative.
4.4 Activity IV: Public Forum: Labour Rights
Date and Venue:29th November, 2015 at AKTIV Art Centre, Mitrovica
Main discussion points:
There were two guest speakers at this event, Nebojsa Vlajic, a local lawyer who operates under
both the Kosovo and Serbian systems and Atila Nagy from Subotica, a professor of EU Law at
the International Business College Mitrovica and has experience in workplace legal issues
through previous private sector employment. Vladimir continued to facilitate and add his own
knowledge on the topic.
Nebojsa spoke about his extensive experience working as a lawyer, his education and
background and the different types of law he has specialized on previously. Interestingly for the
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participants, he spoke about the changes that have happened in Mitrovica ,and north Kosovo as
a whole, since he started practicing law. To give a better understanding and context of the
current situation of implementing laws and legislation, he gave the participants an insight into
how the situation was when he was their age. He spoke that there was a respect and tolerance
of the law, especially in the workplace where people were treated as was expected, however,
he did note that corruption was present then as it is now. He continued by talking about various
laws and legal issues that people should make themselves aware of without getting too
technical and detailed, he addressed numerous questions about legal issues and demonstrated
to the participants a willingness to assist them with these matters.
Following Nebojsa, Atila spoke about a wide number of issues that could affect those in
employment. He initially spoke about the job application process and contract law regarding the
beginning of employment; he gave good practical examples that allowed the participants to
relate to the topics more easily. Workplace legal issues, and more common misunderstandings
by both employers and employees were discussed among the group and Atila fielded some
queries regarding specific situations that individual had encountered. Atila spoke of the situation
in Kosovo, looking at the workplace legal situation in north and south and comparing and
contrasting both situations. He spoke openly about the difficulties of implementing statutory
protective measures for employees, that the current political and security issues creates
difficulties for the relevant authorities to be effective. Atila spoke of peoples overbearing need
for employment leading to few objections from employees when they are asked to work outside
the law, or when situations exist that their rights are not being met. It was discussed that many
companies and businesses have taken advantage of the break down in many of the frameworks
that previously existed and abide by neither laws that fall under the Kosovo or Serbian system.
Legal issues surrounding pensions were discussed at length with many concerns among the
participants regarding the contribution their employers make on their behalf. There were a
number of questions for both Nebojsa and Atila related to this topic and the majority of
participants were actively involved in the discussion. Further discussions on fair practices in
employee recruitment, on contracts and the entitlement to be given one by an employer when
entering employment, leading to other topics such as codes of contact and other related topics.
The event finalized with a summary of the discussion followed by lunch and refreshments where
the discussion continued in a more informal setting. The event was the most interactive and
informative of the four Public Forums highlighting the importance and relevance of the topic to
young people in north Kosovo.
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4.5 Activity V: Study Visit: STIKK & ICK, Priština – Stonecastle Vineyards & Winery, Orahovac –
Rural Enterprises, Velika Hoća
Date and Venue: Wednesday, 10th Demcember, 2014 at Priština, Orahovac and Velika Hoća
Main discussion points:
The event, planned to for a midweek day rather than the weekend for the first time during the
project to accommodate the visits to various establishments was oversubscribed in terms of the
number of participants. A number of places were offered directly to the International Business
College Mitrovica for their students, giving them the opportunity to see the operations of varying
business models in operation, learn from this and compare it to the theoretical knowledge they
learn in the classroom. In addition to these participants, the project team used their usual means
of dissemination and attracted further participants in this way. At one point there over 45
participants confirmed to attend but due to personal reasons the number decreased on the day
and 38 people attended the trip.
Leaving Mitrovica early in the morning, the group travelled directly to the premises of the
Kosovo Association of Information, Communication and Technology (STIKK) and the Innovation
Centre Kosovo (ICK) in Pristina. Upon arrival the group were met by Vjollca Cavolli, CEO and
Bardh Kadiu, Project Coordinator from STIKK and Safet Rama from ICK, who welcomed the
group and thanked them for their interest in visiting STIKK and ICK. Safet began by introducing
himself as Incubator Manager at ICK, explaining the function of the ICT incubator centre that
they operate and how it promotes ICT entrepreneurship amongst young people not only in
Pristina but throughout Kosovo. The incubator centre offers residential opportunities to ICT
start-ups, giving them the opportunity to hold office space at minimal rental costs, receive
mentoring and support mechanisms, tutoring and consultancy on regular basis and attending inhouse skills based training that focuses on their needs. This capacity also extends to those not
resident in the physical ICK building, but located in other towns and cities throughout Kosovo
where they can still receive the aforementioned benefits of being part of the incubator centre.
Safet further explained the establishment of ICK, how they work to attract business partners in
conjunction with STIKK to offer companies opportunities to expand their level of operations, and
highlighted their level of commitment to creating a connections at a regional level.
Bardh continued by giving a background on STIKK, noting that STIKK was one of the driving
forces behind the establishment of ICK and they continue to work closely together. STIKK now
concentrate on a number of specific objectives such as lobbying and advocating to central
government regarding policy reform on aspects that affect the ICT sector. This policy reform
looks at a number of areas such as lowering, or eradicating tax on the import of ICT equipment,
the reduction of limitations placed on ICT freelance professional in establishing companies and
strengthening the abilities of existing companies to attract business from abroad in terms of
outsourcing and direct contracts. They also work to facilitate B2B business connections
between companies in Kosovo and Western Europe, primarily Germany and Norway where they
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have long established contacts. These meetings take place in a number of ways, through direct
company meetings but also with their attendance at trade fairs, conferences and other industry
events in both Germany and Norway. Bardh also spoke about the STIKK Training Academy
which offers high quality industry specific trainings to both companies and freelance
professionals throughout the year. These trainings, when discussed during the Q & A and after
during the tour of the premises and created interest among a number of participants currently
working in the ICT sector in the north. Furthermore, the costs associated of being a member of
STIKK, and residential and non-residential tenancies in the incubator centre were discussed,
and how this membership would assist start-up ICT entrepreneurs.
Following the presentation by both Safet and Bardh, and a number of follow up questions and
discussion points the group were invited to tour the premises and get more information about
the companies that operate from incubator centre. Safet guided us through the building,
highlighting a number of the companies and explaining the work they do, explaining the crosssector approach many take, and also explaining the funding they have received as both startups and to meet operational costs. During this time further discussions were had between Safet
and a number of participants regarding software development, 3D graphics abilities of gaming
companies, and other industry related topics. These discussions were very helpful for the
participants as they plan future possibilities in these areas, and it was noted by many the
openness and helpfulness of all at STIKK and ICK in addressing any questions they had.
Contact information was exchanged between Safet, Bardh and the participants so that further
questions or discussions can be continued and as we left the building it was highlighted that we
were welcome to return at any point in the future.
The group then continued south, where a break for refreshments was organised before moving
on to Stonecastle Vineyards and Winery. Here the group was welcomed by Artur Camaj,
general manager of the company who welcomed us and gave a brief background on the
company, its history and former existence as a state company before privatization in more
recent times. Artur brought the group on a tour of the extensive processing facilities, discussing
both the business aspects and the more technical aspects of processing throughout. It was
highly interesting and impressive to see a company of such size and operational capacity,
especially for students of agricultural sciences, marketing and international sales, many of
whom were present on the study visit. As we neared the end of the tour, we entered an area
used for packaging and it was here that a discussion started about the branding of the specific
products. It was explained that although the premium products are sold under the Stonecastle
brand, the company also cooperates with supermarket chains and other large retailers in
producing wine under their brands. Hence the reasoning behind the numerous brand labels on
display. He spoke about connections with wineries in Serbia and the region, how the Croatian
market is growing, along with Western Europe especially the German, Czech and Slovak
markets. He noted that the next growth phase of the company will come with the expansion of
these export markets as the home market is almost fully exploited. The influence the company
has on the local economy is significant, with over 220 full-time employees and an average
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yearly employment rate of 450 employees per day. This number varies day per day depending
on the time of year, harvesting and other production processes – the day of the study visit there
770 people working for the company. During a discussion it was also noted that company
indirectly is responsible for a large of employment with many companies established in close
proximity that offer support services to Stonecastle. Examples of these companies are logistics
and haulage, packaging and plastics, printing and brandingand catering services, all of which
benefit from Stonecastle being situated in this region. The company has invested heavily in
infrastructure over the past number of years, with over €15 million spent in new production
technology alone. Artur emphasizedthe need for new technologies in businesses of all sizes,
stating that production time and costs can be more than halved when the correct technologies
are introduced. The company is currently the largest producer of wine in the Balkans, with a
current capacity of over 500,000 litres per annum; additionally they have one of the top 5 wine
cellar storage capacities in Europe allowing them to age wine sufficiently before releasing it to
the market. The company has a land capacity of 2,900 hectares but also utilizes the production
of local grape producers and purchases their crop also if it meets the standards required. Artur
was very appreciative of the participants’ interest in the production process, both the technical
and business aspects. Likewise, the participants thanked Artur for the thorough explanation of
all questions and his hospitality in welcoming the group.
Following our departure, the trip continued to Velika Hoca, a small ethnic-Serbian village
approximately 20 minutes from Stonecastle. Upon arrival their we were greeted by Marko, a
priest from the local church who explained to us about the different rural enterprises that exist in
the village. He explained that there are a number of producers of cheeses and other dairy
products, meat products and fruit processing while the local monastery owns a small winery that
produces approximately 50,000 litres per annum. In addition to these enterprises there are a
number of craft workshops that produce furniture, household items, clothing, ornament, religious
icons and other memrobilia. Furthermore, there other small scale wine producers who operate
at more informal level and sell locally and to tourists. The area is often frequented by groups
from within Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and therefore this small scale industry has
grown into a feasible way for the local population to earn a significant income.
The existing monastery-owned winery has 10 processing chambers with a capability to produce
15,000 litres in each, but current production levels are at one third of this capacity. However,
Marko explained that new equipment is needed to reach such a capacity and that not all
chambers are functioning as needed to be used properly. He continued to say that along with
the wine sold locally, and within Kosovo, they also export wines to Serbia, Montenegro and
Bosnia where it is seen as a premium product and sells for a minimum price of €10 euro per
bottle. The emphasis in production is on quality and this ensures a constant demand for the
wine produced, allowing for planning of production, purchasing of raw materials and some
reinvestment in equipment and new technologies. The participants were eager to find if such
low level production was competive and capable of supporting a salary of individuals or a family
if such an enterprise was replicated in north Kosovo. The response in all cases was positive but
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certain elements may need to be adapted to cater for a different market, or different products
such as honey, or soft-fruit processing which can be produced in both quality and quantity in
rural areas of the north.
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5.0 Project Reach
From the beginning of the project, a number of types of promotional elements were used both to
promote the individual events and the overall scope of the project. This was done through a
numbers of means, both traditional and new media and methods of dissemination were used
such as internet and social media outlets.
There were 3 main outlets used as promotional tools and enabling the project to reach both the
intended targets and stakeholders in the community. The first of which was a radio promotion of
the project, outlining the main objectives and goals of the Public Forums, giving a short synopsis
of the events that will take place and directing listeners to the projects social media page for
more information. The radio promotion, on Radio Contakt Plus, ran for approximately two weeks
prior to the first Public Forum and continued for a further 5 weeks approximately after the first
event. It was played at peak listening times during the day to give it the optimum opportunity to
attract the greatest reach and response.
In addition to the radio advertisement, the distribution of various types of flyers and posters were
distributed in key locations through north Mitrovica, Zvecan, Leposavic and Zubin Potok
throughout the 3 months of the project. The flyers were created for the individual events and
distributed prior to each event outlining the agenda for the day, venue, time, location and again
reference to the project social media page where further information could be found. In addition
to these, there were flyers with general information about the project distributed periodically for
the duration of the project. Both types of flyers were distributed in educational institutions, cafes,
information points, offices, career fairs and other locations where the target group was likely to
frequent. Along with the flyers, the production and distribution of posters for each Public Forum
and the Study Visit was also completed. This allowed for a visible presence in locations where
flyer distribution was not possible such as busy commercial areas, street locations and
communal office space.
There was direct contact made with educational institutions in north Mitrovica and the project
was promoted to the students of each of these institutions. At the Medical High School, a
second level institution the project team presented the Public Forums to the final year students
prior to the first event. A good response was garnered from this and a number of attendees from
the school were present throughout the project events. With the state university and the
International Business College Mitrovica contact was made via the Students Union and
respective heads of departments who informed students about both the project and the Public
Forums. Prior to each event, an invitation was distributed amongst certain student population
and they were informed in this way. Again, this was a successful way to approach the target
group with individuals regularly attending the Public Forums and Study Visit from both
institutions.
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The use of multiple locations to host the Public Forums added a further dimension to the project,
enabling it to reach to a new and broader audience. Both the AKTIV Art Centre and CPT
Resource Centre regularly host various forms of events but usually attract two contrasting
audiences to their events. In using both locations the project was able to cross this divide and
attract individuals who regularly attend events at both the Art Centre and Resource Centre
which gave different inputs and perspective at discussion times. Furthermore, the spread of the
project to south Kosovo on the Study Visit allowed many participants to visit these locations for
the first time. It also created a comfort and willingness for many participants to openly discuss
potential cooperation with these organizations and companies and also creating contacts and
potential new markets for these companies in north Kosovo.
The cooperation between the project and a number of key stakeholders is a very important
aspect that should not be underestimated. The presence of municipal representative, business
owners, employees and management from significant national and regional companies, NGO
sector and community representatives at the Public Forums highlights their willingness to
support such initiatives. In the short, medium, and long-term if issues surrounding youth
employment are to be tackled at a local level, these actors are all significant in finding relevant
and successful interventions.
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6.0 Reaction of target group
Through their attendance at the events alone, it can be said that the reaction of the target group
towards the project was positive. However, if you look further into their participation throughout
the organised programme of events, the interaction and discussion both at the Public Forums
and online, their responsiveness and contact with the project team the success through just
attendance figures should not be underestimated.
At Public Forum events it is always a worry if participants are somewhat shy, wary,
uncomfortable speaking in front of crowds and people they do not know, however, the amount
of interaction and discussion throughout the course of these events was more than could have
been expected at the beginning. At times, the facilitator needed to interject to move the event
forward in order to keep it on track before returning to the discussion points at a later stage. This
dynamism and fast-paced movement of topics and discussion allowed for enjoyable,
entertaining and very informative set of events throughout the project, with numerous
participants commending the openness that such discussions allowed. Repeat attendees
continued debate from one event to the next, with many topics resurfacing over the course of
the project and new participants adding their input and opinion on matters related to it.
The knowledge gained during by participants about the topics, from the guest speakers,
Vladimir’s personal and academic input, and the Study Visit will all act as tools moving forward
to assist in gaining employment. What participants take from this is difficult to gauge and their
own personal ability to utilize this information is another issue, however, by creating such an
informative and educational platform a basis for advancement is established. Furthermore, it
was interesting to note that certain participants targeted specific events, and areas of their
interest that they wished to interact on. This showed that although some participants attended
all events, others identified with specific areas they needed and wished to gain additional
knowledge on and found these worthwhile. This is an important aspect of planning future
interventions or similar projects as it shows there is a need to organize individual specific events
rather than events than could be contrived as generalized or too broad.
Following the completion of the project events with the Study Visit in mid-December there has
been continual contact between the project team and a number of participants. This contact
relates to follow up issues raised during the events and shows a want of participants to receive
support in seeking employment and increasing job skill levels. This has included a number of
personal meetings, email and phone interaction and assistance has included finding contact
details of speakers at the events, assistance with CVs and job applications, requests to assist
with finding suitable study abroad programmes and other similar related topics.
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7.0 Developments for Actors
With any project that is implemented there needs to be a certain amount of development for all
parties involved. In this case these Actors have been broken into 3 categories, the
‘beneficiaries’ or target group and other community stakeholders, the implementers who this
case are AKTIV and the donors, GIZ.
7.1 Beneficiaries
Those who attended the Public Forms and Study Visit had numerous opportunities to interact
with others, discuss topics of mutual interest, debate and have their opinions heard. Throughout
this process individuals were encouraged to continuously develop a network and contacts in
areas of employment interest. However, it was identified that within their peer group, such as
the other participants in attendance it was also important to develop a network of contacts.
Through attendance at such events, individuals not only learned the benefits of creating these
contacts but had the opportunity to do so with their peers but also with industry representatives,
community stakeholders, municipal officials and other individuals who contact may be useful in
assisting with future opportunities.
The insight gained during this process allowed young people to gain a better understanding of
how industry and various job sectors operate. They also gained knowledge on the expectations
of employers and were able to have their concerns about certain areas of employment
addressed by an array of guest speakers from a cross-section of the business and wider
community. This insight was further developed for those who participated in the Study Visit
where they got to see this process in practice and ask direct questions in a company setting.
For those participants, many of which also participated in the Public Forum events this gave a
much better insight than the events where they heard about such practices rather than seeing
them firsthand. This demonstrates the need for direct interaction and opportunities, practical onthe-job experience for unemployed, both youth and other to assist them with gaining long-term
and career building job opportunities.
The project also undertook another dimension and benefit for young people from north Kosovo,
it allowed them to experience the reality of visting south Kosovo. For many participants on the
Study Visit this was the first time they had travelled to Pristina or further south than Mitrovica so
this was an important opportunity for them to see these places for themselves. This trip allowed
for numerous points of interaction with ethnic-Albanians, to speak openly in their own language
on the streets of Pristina and to be treated to hospitality and a welcome as guests into
organizations and companies of Kosovo Albanians that many would not have expected. This
further dimension acted as trust-building exercise and a show of cooperation between the two
communities to level that had not been expected at the beginning of the project.
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From what they have learned throughout the project those in attendance should become more
motivated, knowledgeable and more adapt to seeking employment. Thus, other beneficiaries
will include local employers, community stakeholders working on social issues, and
educationalists in third level institutions who should find a young population more willing to set
goals and work hard to achieve these. With further interventions and support to such a
vulnerable group will see more long-term benefits to this group of beneficiaries as the reach
expands.
7.2 Implementers
In terms of developments for the implementers, AKTIV, there are a number of wide-ranging
implications for the growth and increased capacity of the NGO. Through the organization of
such events, and peoples attendance at them, AKTIV is growing a network of motivated young
and interested parties who see a benefits in forms of debate, public openness, advocacy and
lobbying. This, along with their desire to continuously increase their knowledge on current
trends, these individuals are ideal candidates to work alongside on both other current and future
projects to a mutual benefit. These characteristics of a young person are greatly needed in the
NGO and CSO sectors and a growing number of projects relate to community mobilization, and
other community based activities.
In using the knowledge gained from the discussion and debates that took place at the Public
Forum, AKTIV can utilize this information to strengthen their own capacity in alleviating youth
unemployment and other social issues related to this target group. As part of AKTIV’s ongoing
strategies, economic empowerment of socially vulnerable groups is a key objective and by
participating in such a project as an implementer allows the organization to meet this. Ongoing
development of projects in related spheres, gaining new capacities and understanding of
surrounding issues, designing new phases of interventions to seek solutions to such are all
positive outcomes and developments for the organization.
Throughout the project, in organizing the Public Forum, the Study Visit and other aspects of the
project the team created new, and developed existing networks with trainers, facilitators,
speakers and municipal representatives that can be utilized on future projects. This is an
important facet of the AKTIV’s work, developing contacts with expertise and incorporating this
knowledge into the organization through consultancy or advisory roles, or as activity participants
so that both the organization and the community can benefit from their inclusion. Furthemore,
the ongoing development of connections with the private sector is another important
development as this grows connections that can be utilized in other projects related to local
economic development.
Finally, AKTIV’s role in such a project highlights to the local communities throughout north
Kosovo of the work the organization does and compliments the good work completed in the
past. Such a role can only benefit AKTIV as they move forward with other community initiatives.
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7.3 Donors
GIZ’s involvement as a project donor is an important step for the organization in understanding
such issues that affect vulnerable groups in north Kosovo. This project, looking at youth
unemployment issues and creating awareness of problems that exist is unprecedented in terms
of the GIZ portfolio with no similar project replicated throughout Kosovo. This further shows the
capabilities of GIZ to work, and successfully implement projects in conjunction with local NGO’s
in north Kosovo. This bodes well for future interventions or work in this region, and allows for the
new contacts and networks utilized during this time period to be called upon again in the
future.Through their support of this project, people from the local community will begin to identify
with GIZ and the work they are doing. This will give an advantage to future projects the
organization intends to support as the community will know of the track record and previous
work undertaken. Furthermore, with the dissemination of project information, the donor support
was highlighted in all cases leading to brand recognition and identity creation throughout the
north.
The ability to understand the issues and problems in north Kosovo that need to be addressed is
also important and through project support, leading to recommendations and accurate reporting
from the project team this is possible. Promoting such discussion and debate among young
people is a valuable stepping stone in achieving effective remedies in social issues like
unemployment and the related topics. However, this is a continuous problem and thus,
continuous steps need to be taken in order to tackle many of the problems that exist. With
knowledge, practical experience and informative sessions on important topics it is evident that
with this intervention GIZ has started project that has the potential to have a greatly positive
impact on young people in north Kosovo.
Finally, the responsibility of GIZ for affecting trust-building and cooperation among the youth
community in north and counterparts in the south is major achievement that many organizations
have failed to do on many occasions. This is an area that should be expanded in future editions
or developments of the Youth Employment Awareness Initiative.
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8.0 Reccommendations
Across all aspects of this project there were areas that were identified by the project team, the
participants, speakers and facilitator of areas where suitable interventions could be interjected.
Such interventions, if implemented and managed appropriately would lead to short, medium and
long-term alleviation of social issues they are targeted towards. To give a better viewpoint of
these interventions they have been placed into those three categories to better allow for project
planning and ability to implement.
8.1Short term
1. The establishment of a consolidated and trusted online source of information on
employment issues, career and job opportunities, up-skilling and training programmes
and other related aspects. Currently there is no such platform for this in north Kosovo
and the lack of such leads to an inability to find information for interested parties. This
platform would act as a means for all organizations, companies, both private and public
sector, education and government institutions to promote job and training opportunities
to the general public. An open platform such as this would give the public access to a
wider array of information and create greater transparency in the job application process.
A number of similar platforms exist in Kosovo, however, none of which are available in
Serbian language and platforms from Serbia do not focus on north Kosovo.
2. Focused trainings with practical elements on a specific subject, sectors and industries.
The generic nature of the Youth Employment Awareness Initiative project had both
positive and negative points in that participants were able to find out a wide variety of
information but it was not totally focused on any specific area. More focused or specific
trainings for smaller groups to meet the demand shown by these individuals who feel
they need to increase their abilities in certain areas is more appropriate solution. Ideally
this would be done over 2-3 days to concentrate and ensure maximum input of
information for the participants, and also include both theoretical and practical parts.
Practical input can be done through visiting best practice companies, study visits, and
putting in the practice the theoretical knowledge gained during the classroom sessions.
Such trainings should ideally take place in a location out of Mitrovica, such as Brezovica,
Kopaonik, Skopje or similar to ensure complete focus on the task in hand and enabling
the trainers to have a large amount of contact time with the participants. The number of
trainings could be set on yearly basis, with an event taking place approximately once per
month allowing adequate time for planning the event and all resources needed.
3. Continued and increased cooperation with STIKK and ICK. During the study visit to
STIKK and ICK a number of proposals and possibilities were discussed whereby
trainings would be opened to ICT professionals, both experienced and beginners from
north Kosovo. There are number of logistical and organizational aspects of this that need
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to be addressed before this could take place and ongoing support for such an initiative
would make it possible and open to more participants. This support, in line with other
GIZ initiatives aimed at increasing the formal structure within the ICT sector and
developing a cluster of capable individuals leading to the possibility of attracting
business growth. As ICT is a sector primarily driven by young professionals, this
intervention is in line with the initial initiative of decreasing employment in this
demographic while also boosting the entire sector in north Kosovo.
8.2 Medium term
1. Career counseling service. It was evident from the discussions throughout the project
that there is a need for such a service. It was discussed at a number of the Public
Forums and the participants agreed that this would be something they could utilize and
assist them in finding employment. A service like this could operate as a drop-in
information point, and as an appointment based service for focused assistance on
specific topics. The service could utilize in-house capacities and also include the
expertise of external consultants on a needs basis. The services that could be included,
but not limited to, are; CV and letter writing, job application assistance, identification of
missing skills and experience, up-skilling advice, interview coaching, guest speakers
occasionally of key issues, educational programme advice and similar. Such a service
could be operated in conjunction with educational institutions and work with current and
graduate student to build a career.
2. Legal Advisory Clinic. A regular clinic, based on a appointment system to offer free legal
advice to north Kosovo residents on issues related to employment and business. With
the ongoing integration of Serbian community into the Kosovo systems many are still
unaware of various laws, legislation and frameworks that affect them. With this lack of
knowledge, and a difficulty in accessing the relevant information many are left isolated
with little opportunity to access such advice. Participants, both those in employment and
not, identified a number of legal issues that they need further information on to allow
easier access to employment, and also information on their rights and legal protection
while employed. Such issues like documentation; personal ID, drivers licence, passports,
property and land ownership documentation, car registration, business registration,
employee fiscal number are some problems that people continuously have to deal with.
Furthermore, during the Public Forum other topics such as pension rights, import and
export regulations, business and NGO establishment, contract legality were all
discussed and therefore, are areas that could also be addressed. The use of in-house
expertise, local legal professional and consultancies could all be incorporated in such a
clinic to offer a number of wide-ranging services.
3. Youth Business Consultancy and Technical Assistance. The promotion of business and
entrepreneurship is one of the tools that can be utilized to alleviate social issues such as
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unemployment. By offering consultancy and technical assistance to both start-up and
existing businesses will offer a better opportunity for such businesses to grow, expand
and develop. The creation of sustainable and profitable businesses will not only act as
employment for a number of people, but inject much needed economic growth into north
Kosovo. The multiplier effect of new salaries and jobs been created in the community
would have a positive effect on more than those employed directly within a company that
receives support through consultancy or technical assistance. The creation of a
concentrated business development plan, assisting with access to finance, SWOT and
total business analysis, solution based recommendations and assistance with a
coordinated approach on implementation are just some of what could be offered to
businesses wishing to avail of the service.
8.3 Long term
1.
A
multi-sector, or sector specific incubator centre located in north Kosovo is a feasible and
achievable objective in the promotion of business and the creation of employment in the
region. This was noted by a number of participants during the visit to ICK and the
success of the incubator centre for the ICT sector. Such a business incubator could
operate across a number of levels, offering mentoring, consultancy and advisory roles to
the companies operating there. This, along with the in-built network of other businesses
surrounding them enables greater success rates and quicker expansion possibilities
giving business located in the incubator the best opportunity to help alleviate the
unemployment issue. The support services included can differ depending on the types of
businesses present, whether small scale processing or manufacturing, craft works,
professional services or similar and be tailored to meet the specific company needs
2.
The
establishment of a relative industry association that can be used to focus activities in the
sector, and create a development framework for future expansion of businesses
operating in this area. Further activity of this association can be used to advocate and
lobby relevant authorities such as local and central governments for better and more
appropriate policies that can influence the industry. The lack of any sector associations
in north Kosovo leaves a void across all sectors with little influence coming directly from
the businesses in the creation of local economic development plans. Such a sector
association would be appropriate in rural areas where many farmers, food producers,
and small scale processors operate individually with little joined up cooperation. Such an
association would increase capabilities and capacity of the members, through industry
development and allow better economies of production scale and in turn creating
sustainable and possible new employment.
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3.
The
creation of a youth lobby and advocacy group would be multi-faceted in terms of
capacity and focus on a cross-disciplined approach to address a number of issues. Such
a group could voice concerns directly to community leaders, municipal representatives
and institutions at a higher level, devise policies and advocate for better conditions on
social issues that affect young people. The group should work in close relation with
established youth organizations such as the student parliament and other youth action
groups. The focus of its attention can be broad ranging from employment and business
development to recreational facilities and cultural events, and other related areas.
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9.0 Conclusion
From the outset this project was seem as a pilot concept to gauge responsiveness and
willingness of the young population to engage on this topic, and their interest in expanding their
knowledge and skill-set. Considering this is a first of its kind project, it is important to take note
of such tangible measures as event attendance and interest among the target audience, levels
of interaction at the events, willingness of community stakeholders to participate, and follow-up
discussions that continue after the events. In all these cases there was a very positive reaction
from the target group and other individuals.
The organization of the Public Forum, and the Study Visit were relatively uncomplicated with
good cooperation now established between the project team, the guest speakers and private
sector companies. There was some small difficulty in finding suitable speakers for the Public
Forum on topics related to Labour Rights, the organizers would have liked to have further
speakers from the office that deals with unemployment but no representative was available to
attend. The Study Visit could possibility have caused some issues if companies were not willing
to receive a large group from north Kosovo for whatever reason but again, there were no issues
in this case either. The practical aspect that such a trip allowed was an important aspect of the
project, showing participants a number of good examples of potential employment and best
practice in operation.
It was evident that young people are disillusioned with the current state of affairs and a lack of
motivation is been derived from this by many causing frustration in seeking employment, and
finding suitable roles to build a career. This difficulty in finding employment is a major factor in
economic migration of young people from north Kosovo to neighbouring labour markets, thus
depriving the community of a certain amount of vibrancy, and youthful character. Furthermore,
there is still a remaining culture that a public sector job is more beneficial than a private sector
position or participation in an entrepreneurial venture. It was evident that many young people
are discouraged to engage in the private sector in terms of a business start-up as there is an
assumption of a corrupted system or a remaining stigma that corruption is present.
Continued intervention will assist to alleviate these problems and offer an opportunity to reduce
these social issues and future economic migration from the region, and hopefully drive
economic and social development. Targeted interventions, as outlined in this report can affect
and alter these issues across a short, medium and long-term period allowing for a structured
implementation period. A proviso to assist with job creation and youth business development
and allow individuals to realize their potential in terms of career development should be a key
objective of potential future projects.
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Finally, the project team would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who supported this
initiative and making the project a success.
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