About twenty young people aged 14 to 18 from the “Mladost” Children’s Home in Bijela successfully completed a cycle of four inspiring trainings within the project “Path to Independence: Empowerment and Integration of Children and Youth”, which is implemented by the Network for European Policies – MASTER with the support of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family and Demography.
The workshops were held during September and October 2025, and were led by trainers Andrea Popović and Andrijana Radović, MSc, who, through an educational, practical and motivational approach, helped young people to discover their potential, develop self-confidence and acquire the skills needed for an independent life.
The first training was dedicated to career counseling and entrepreneurship, where participants learned about planning for the future and developing life skills important for independence. During the second workshop, through exercises such as the “Barometer of Values” and the creation of the “Bridge of Success”, young people explored their values and set personal goals.The third training was focused on the development of creative business ideas, during which the participants designed their own projects in the fields of tourism, fashion, catering and technology. The final workshop “My career guide” symbolically rounded off the process – each participant received a personalized guide that reflects his talents, interests and professional ambitions.
“The goal of the project was to help them recognize how much they can do, how much they are worth, and to encourage them to be the leaders of their lives. Their enthusiasm reminded us all how important it is for society to believe in the potential of every young person.” pointed out trainer Andrea Popović, executive director of MASTER.
“Through this project, we wanted to provide them with knowledge, but also the motivation to recognize how much they can do and how much they are worth,” added Andrijana Radović.
Through the workshops, key competences for life were developed – communication, social, entrepreneurial and team skills, while young people learned how to make decisions, recognize opportunities and build a sense of responsibility and self-confidence.
Nevertheless, the success of these workshops also showed that additional and systemic state support is necessary for young people in Bijela – through employment programs, mentoring networks and continuous education, so that they have equal chances for development, integration and progress.
As a continuation of the project, at the end of November, a camp will be organized for young people from the “Youth” Home, which will further strengthen their independence, skills and relationships through joint activities and informal learning.
The MASTER project “Path to independence: empowerment and integration of children and youth” once again confirms that investing in young people means investing in a fairer, stronger and more humane Montenegro.