As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, marginalised young people (aged 15 to 30) from alternative / institutional care and families at risk of separation in the cities of Gračanica and Tuzla are exposed to health risks, and also to the risks of not having enough money to buy food, pay rent and utilities, risk or fear of job loss or inability to access life skills, employability and vocational education programmes to remain competitive in the labour market. Considering the current situation with the COVID 19 pandemic, the number of young people in need is increasing (according to the records of centres for social work, the number of young people who need help has increased by 30%). The project would provide financial, material or educational support to 50 marginalised young people from alternative/institutional care and families at risk of separation to overcome the difficulties they face due to the pandemic caused by the COVID 19 virus, thus increasing their employability and life skills at the same time.

Through the project, we want to achieve the following:

1. Marginalised young people have quality access and benefit from comprehensive and quality information on socio-economic development, skills development and employment opportunities
2. Marginalised young people strengthened their life skills and employability skills, gained practical work experience and overcame the existential crisis caused by COVID19.
3. Increased awareness of the community about the needs of marginalised young people from alternative and institutional care, about their capacities, skills and motivation for work and the needs to start an independent life.

The project includes 50 young people aged 15 to 30 in Tuzla Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are socially excluded, with low incomes, who do not have the opportunity to become independent and to improve their economic status, and 1,000 young people who are at social risk will be indirectly included in the activities through partners which will be strengthened by this project.

The project was financed by Stichting Kinderperspective (Child’s Perspective) from the Netherlands, which approved grant funding of the activities carried out in the YES Centre.