REPUBLIKA E KOSOVËS/REPUBLIKA KOSOVA/ REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO

QEVERIA E KOSOVËS / VLADA KOSOVA /GOVERNMENT OF KOSOVA MINISTRIA E KULTURËS, RINISË DHE SPORTIT MINISTARSTVO ZA KULTURU, OMLADINU I

SPORTA/ MINISTRY OF CULTURE YOUTH AND SPORTS DEPARTAMENTI I RINISË/ DEPARTMAN MLADIH/ DEPARTMENT OF YOUTH

ZYRA E DREJTORIT/ KANCELARIJA DIREKTORA/ OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

Presentation of the Youth Department throughout the Presentation of the Youth Department throughout the workshop development regarding workshop development regarding ,,Youth ,,Youth

Employment’’, at Grand Hotel in Prishtinë, on 16 Employment’’, at Grand Hotel in Prishtinë, on 16 September 2008.September 2008. prof. M.Sc. Fatmir HOXHA

Director of the Youth Department

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 2

Youth Status in Kosova Republic of Kosova a place with the youngest population which

promises a shiny future for the new state of Kosova.

Since 1999, youth status in Kosova refers to a unsatisfactory level of youth participation in public life, unsatisfying education (qualitative and quantitative), big unemployment, lack of provision of health services, human safety and cultural circumstances, of sport and other free time activities.

At the end of 2005, Unemployment reached the level of 39.7%. This level of unemployment is the highest level in the entire Balkans region. In comparison with the average unemployment scale in the European Union, unemployment in Kosova is about 4.5 times higher. As per ILO-s records of 2004, youth unemployment reaches 49.5%; from which 45.7% are women and 52.8% man, however some other statistics tell that youth unemployment level could be even higher.

In Kosova, above 50% of the population fall into the 0-30 age group (youngest population in Europe). 25% of the 15-24 age group is concentrated in the capital city

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 3

From them, 57,2 % are pupils/students, whereas 70 % live in homes/ 3 room apartments with an average of 6,5 family members per family

21 % do not use computers (56,5 % women, 63,3 % in rural areas)

Main concerns Education and Employment!!??

34 % plan to change place of habitation (67% from rural areas)

50,9 % think with optimism about their future (in particular pupils/students)

150 active youth NGOs (around 30 Youth Centers),

85,6 % located in urban areas

14,4 % located in rural areas (mainly minority NGOs)

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 4

Desired vocations:

26,2 % Business

22 % Journalism

18,6 % Medical Doctor

17,4 % Artist

16 % Teacher

Information Sources:

92,2 % TV-Radio Information

56,9 % Newspapers

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 5

Role of the Youth Department; Mission

Youth empowerment and creation of a supporting environment for social and personal development.

Aims

Creation of opportunities for promotion, development and participation of youth in the active social life.

Provision of equal services for youth, which enable development of life skills and social values by respecting individual features.

Promotion of universal/social values emphasizing individual identities.

Increase of awareness and of opportunities for responsible youth decision making.

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 6

Departmental Programming Policies for year 2008

Networking and Public Information for the Youth Sector

Youth promotion and empowerment of Youth NGOs

Youth Policies

Informal Education

Participation and Youth Integration

Health Education and Prevention

Youth Employment

For the realization of youth policies for year 2008, amounts of 250,000.00 € and 80.000.00 (following the budget revision of the Consolidated Budget of Kosova), have been allocated to the Youth Department.

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 7

Developed Project Documents;

Draft law for Youth Empowerment and Participation

(a decision has been signed for establishing a working team for re-drafting the law).

The draft law addresses these needs; participation, vocational capacity building, volunteerism)

Kosovo Youth Action Plan Draft -2009-2012

(a decision has been signed for establishing working teams for the KYAPD review).

The YAPD Project addresses the policy objectives in the following fields:

education, employment, health, human/social safety and of culture, sport and recreation. )

Youth Employment Action Plan

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 8

Programmes developed by the Department in relation with partners SIP-fund – a fund for marginalized youth integration and participation,

with special emphasis on youth with limited skills, youth from rural areas, minority youth, etc.

EDYK Programme on Youth Empowerment and Development in Kosova (DoY & GTZ)

InfoPika www.infopika.org before, presently a youth portal,

Development of Local Youth Policies,

Assistance in establishing and empowering the Local Youth Networks,

Mobile Youth Services (for year 2008 a mobile bus and 8.000.00 €)

Youth Month 2008, this is the seventh year as the most comprehensive activity in the Youth Sector in entire Kosova, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport/ Youth Department (MCYS/DoY) and in partnership with Municipal Departments for Culture, Youth and Sport, other ministries of the Government of Republic of Kosova, youth organizations and other international partners. Many activities of this traditional event will be run with a joint motto “Our destination - EU”

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 9

Programmes developed by the Department in relation with partners

Post-conflict fund of the World Bank

Consisted of four pillars:

Performance improvement and sustainability of existing youth centers;

Start-up of two resource centers for students;

Business start-ups for young entrepreneurs;

Strengthening the implementation capacity of Youth Department

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 10

During the year 2007 in collaboration with MEST, MLSW to establish a National Center for Carrier Guidance. Besides supporting the Youth Departament with equipment, this department is also being assisted with a part time official working in this center. It is anticipated that in the upcoming years to establish similar centers in the regional level.

In close collaboration with UNDP and the United Nations Volunteers program, a two years project has been composed in order to support the realization of the Kosovo Youth Action Plan 2007 – 2010. This projects amounting 334.000,00 US Dollars is being financed by UNDP and it was achieved to hire 6 volunteers which cover Kosova regions. In delivering this project, a particular assistance is being provided by the Municipal Assemblies.

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 11

Youth Department Partners EU Mission in Kosova

GTZ

UNICEF

UNDP

UNFPA

ILO

IOM

World Bank

Doctors of the World – Marseille

ETF( European Training Foundation)

MLSW

MH

MEST

MESP

MLG

MRC

MTI

Association of Municipalities

KYN

Youth Organizations

BSPK, etc.

Business Community

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 12

How will the Department intervene in realizing the Employment Policy

Performance improvement and sustainability of existing youth centers.

Development of activities in two resource centers for students.

Development of vocational capacity building programme in collaboration with MLSW.

Creation of a fund for business start-ups of young entrepreneurs.

Business start-ups for young entrepreneurs.

Youth Portal will take care of provision of youth information in regards to issues dealing with the Employment Policy

Presentation of Youth Department Slide 13

Conclusion

Youth are not a problem to be solved, yet they are a key to problem

solving!

Thank You!