Strengthening Youth Capacities for Faster EU Membership
On Friday, June 7, in Podgorica, MASTER organized the Forum “Aj rabotaj – let’s go to the EU” as the final activity of a project aimed at strengthening the capacities of young people over a 10-month period by helping them acquire knowledge, skills, and competencies for starting and developing their own businesses.
At the Forum, held in a full hall, key project achievements were presented to the public, including the Guide on Opportunities for Starting Your Own Business in Line with European Practice, a Camp for Young Entrepreneurs, and the Aj rabotaj Portal, where reliable information on running a business can be found.
The Forum was opened by Andrea Popović, Executive Director of the Network for European Policies – MASTER, who emphasized the importance of such projects in encouraging entrepreneurship among young people in Montenegro. Through the project activities, more than 100,000 young people were informed, and 30 young entrepreneurs were directly connected and supported. The project was carried out within the @reload_westernbalkans programme, funded by the European Union @evropska_kuca and implemented by UNDP @undpmontenegro in partnership with local governments, including the Capital City of Podgorica @glavni_grad_podgorica.
On behalf of the donor, Dženana Šćekić referred to UNDP research showing that most young people aspire to employment in public administration, while many are hesitant about entrepreneurship or unfamiliar with the procedures. “In line with this, we were pleased to support this initiative, which motivated young people to consider entrepreneurship and encouraged them to develop business skills.”
Ivana Saveljić, representing the Capital City of Podgorica, stated that it is a pleasure to work with organizations dedicated to youth and emphasized the importance of fostering entrepreneurship through innovative approaches aligned with European practices.
Panel participants also included: Marina Šaković – Ministry of Economic Development @mercrnegore, Spasoje Vujošević – Investment and Development Fund @investiciono_razvojni_fond, Bojana Kalezić – Secretariat for Support and Investments of the Capital City, Igor Goranović – @gconsultingpg, a lecturer at entrepreneurship workshops, and Željko Ivanović – a young entrepreneur.
MASTER works—now it’s your turn to work too.