Testimonials of WBAA Projects Under the European Year of Youth (EYY) 2022

WBAA Projects in the year 2022 were implemented under the European Year of Youth (EYY). The global dimension of Erasmus+ is an integral part of the European Year of Youth, which encompasses reaching out to young people and cooperating with partner countries, organisations, and alumni networks worldwide.

Find out more about the European Year of Youth 2022 here and here.

Dejan Galovski: Job – Preparation and Application Simulation

The WBAA project: “Job – Preparation and Application Simulation” in the name of European Year of Youth 2022 is special because it addresses an important issue in the Western Balkans region – high rates of long-term unemployment and youth unemployment. By providing young people with training and resources for job interviews, the project helps them become more competitive in the labour market and increases their chances of finding employment. Additionally, the project’s focus on career development topics and real-life job interview simulations sets it apart from other initiatives, as it provides participants with a comprehensive understanding of the job application process. The project is a valuable resource for young people in the Western Balkans region looking to enter the workforce or change their current job.

Read more about the project here.

Nebosja Ratkovic: SkillUp

“SkillUp” Training was a unique online mentoring programme that provided potential Erasmus+ candidates and current Erasmus+ students with the opportunity to learn from experienced alumni and members of the WBAA community. Within the training, the mentors worked with students on project development, writing skills and engagement, creating better self-representation and nurturing an entrepreneurial spirit among the youth. Through this programme and four workshops, participants had the opportunity to connect with three experts who were leaders from different professions. They helped participants to improve their practical skills and knowledge, with the aim of increasing their chances of participating in any of the Erasmus+ mobility programmes. The project is in line with the European Year of Youth 2022 values as it supports young people to become active citizens, supports their personal, social, and professional development, and inspires them towards bringing positive change, which is especially important during the pandemic.

Read more about the project here.

Vesna Travica: Mentorship by WBAA activists & Problem solving (Decision-making training)

During my WBAA project on behalf of the European Year of Youth 2022, I liked the most that I had the opportunity to meet positive, ambitious, creative, intelligent and nice young people, which restores my faith that positive changes are possible in this world. Representatives of the Foundation Tempus and ESN Serbia provided information on programmes within the Erasmus+ framework 2021-2027 and other mobility programs for the European Year of Youth to prospective students to provide a clear picture of studying, internship and traineeship possibilities abroad. By organizing workshops, social activities and tours of Belgrade and Pancevo, we created a strong network of WBAA mentors and prospective Erasmus students.

Read more about the project here.

Sonja Sovljanski: GET READY FOR CAREER

The project GET READY FOR CAREER was special because of the achieved goal – strengthened capacity of the youth for future job/scholarship/internship positions through knowledge about self-assessment (awareness of abilities, interests, values, strengths and weaknesses), professional information (monitoring needs and trends in the labour or education market), skills for setting appropriate objectives, planning, decision making, problem solving and preparation for job interviews. The impact of the project activities was the increased skills and competencies of participants. The objective was reached by September 2022; at least 30 percent (the same participants who participated in more than 20 workshops) of about all 200 participants gained necessary career knowledge and experience that enabled greater self-confidence in navigating the education and labour market.

Read more about the project here.