Two online workshops were held within the WBAA project “Make your way”

The two online workshops organized by the project coordinator Nebojsa Ratkovic on October 18th and 19th provided participants with free psychological support and showed them the mechanisms and the ways in which they can get volunteer opportunities and employment.

Every individual in the process of getting an employment has its own path and there is no pattern to necessarily follow. Through these workshops, every interested individual has been given the opportunity to recognize opportunities in terms of finding a good chance for herself or himself.

The region of the Balkans is especially sensitive when it comes to the independence of young people during and after graduation. For every young person, the period after completing their studies is especially challenging. The need to find a job and financial security and stability are inevitable. The frequent need to volunteer to acquire knowledge that will be functional, as a way to get a permanent job, is a common option today. The consequences of such events in young people can often contribute to increased stress, fears, anxiety and depression. Dealing with such emotions often requires professional support to help you overcome the situation.

In addition to support in this regard, this project was especially useful for students who are just starting their education, moving to another country to start their studies and planning their future. The workshops were dedicated to gaining knowledge about volunteering, finding a job and dealing with unpleasant emotions that this period of life brings. Attendees learned how to recognize and control unpleasant emotions in a way that they become grounded in the present, to be constructive, and for a person to learn from them. Acquisition of such skills is especially important because the current situation in which we find ourselves differs significantly from the usual patterns of living. The virus pandemic brings with it a special challenge in finding business and mental security and leads to our emotions becoming more pronounced and visible.

The project was mostly focused on the following three goals:
● Strengthen the links between higher education & the labour market to ease school-to-work transition and increase employability
● Exchange and share knowledge, experiences, contacts among Western Balkans alumni within a multinational and intercultural association
● Unify alumni within countries and across the Western Balkans region

To ensure the sustainability of the project a network was created with participants who will actively share experiences in the future. Strong contacts established during the workshops will result in a constant exchange of experiences that will be of multiple benefits and will enable the connection of many active and socially responsible people from the region. They will have the opportunity, through this interaction, to learn from each other, but also about each other. They will be presented with further opportunities for additional workshops, personal training and counseling.

Nebojsa Ratkovic, Project Coordinator
19. November 2021

Text edited by service provider