OIA B&H Published �Local Governance and Youth� Manual

15 November 2006

The Youth Information Agency (OIA) published its manual on development of local youth policies, �Local Governance and Youth�. The Manual aims to assist the bodies and institutions of local government to create effective youth policies and develop successful cooperation with the youth and youth organizations, in order to improve the status of youth on local level.

The creation of local youth policies should be the aim of every local government in Bosnia and Herzegovina that aims to regulate, in a systemic manner, its care for the youth and their needs.

For those reasons, OIA, together with its partners, started the project for Support to the Development of Local Youth Policies in B&H. A working group was created with representatives of B&H cities and townships that worked on preparation and collection of resource material for this Manual. Also, it undertook analysis of experience, practices and needs of other cities and towns and youth organizations in B&H.

These activities resulted in the Manual, which is a compilation of concrete steps (elements, documents and procedures) for development of local level youth policies.

The Manual is intended for local authorities (mayors, members of municipal councils, youth commissions, youth advisory boards, youth issues officials and other local institutions) and the youth (youth groups and organizations, youth councils and other youth networks, student organizations, political party youth organizations).

The Manual is published by OIA B&H, the leading national organization in the field of youth policy development, with the support by the Swiss Office for International Cooperation (SDC), in cooperation with the Independent Bureau for Humanitarian Issues (IBHI), Open Society Foundation B&H, Care International and Mott Foundation.

The complete Manual will be available on-line, on www.PORno.ba youth portal.