What is SPAJALICA (Paperclip)?

SPAJALICA is an educational-entertainment centre for young people opened by the KULT Association in Ilidža. It offers a possibility to young people to upgrade their knowledge acquired at school and to meaningfully fill their free time without spending a lot of money for the activities they are interested in

Why do we need a Youth Centre?

If we look at what is being offered to young people regarding their non-formal education and spending of their free time in the nearby environment, we have to admit that this is inadequate and insufficient for young people’s needs. There is no place where young people can get expert advice and recognise their potentials and ambitions.

What activities do we offer and to whom?

For the time being, SPAJALICA is not an open type centre; this means young people cannot go and stay there without being included in some of concurrent activities. There is a three-month programme, which is publicised on time. Those wishing to attend courses and participate in other offered activities may apply via the web page, or in person in the Centre.
The Centre regularly conducts inquiries in its target group in order to adjust the offer to community needs and beneficiaries’ wishes as much as possible. The offer includes not only standard courses, such as foreign language and computer courses, but also some non-everyday training, e.g. making of jewellery, carving in the wood, communication skills, photography courses etc.
Having regard that our Association deals in provision of non-formal training to young people aimed at their more active involvement in community processes, individual topical workshops are also offered, as well as one year training of youth leaders - ‘Learn, Think and Act!’, which is accompanied by the Volunteering Diary™, which is a KULT’s invention.
The Centre is also becoming a counselling centre for certain areas. We offer counselling to girls, but soon other aspects of counselling will be offered too.

How is SPAJALICA financed?

SPAJALICA is a self-sustainable project of the Association and does not have a donor who finances activities or running costs for the facility.
Activities offered in the Centre are paid by beneficiaries or those who order services. This means that young people can effectively and meaningfully spend their free time with minimum costs. Our prices are approximately KM 1 per hour.
As the Municipality of Ilidža is the first municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina to adopt the youth strategy with appertaining budget, the Centre has undertaken to carry out many activities from the very beginning of the implementation of the document. Consequently, beneficiaries do not pay for such activities. If, for example, trainings co-financed by an organisation or a level of authority are delivered, those attending them pay only the part of expenses which is not covered. This means that the Centre is of half-commercial type, because socially marginalised and endangered groups of young people are in its focus and it fights that they use the activities free of charge. Most of such programmes are financed by the Municipality of Ilidža, from the youth budget.

How does SPAJALICA see itself in the future?

The Youth Centre SPAJALICA is currently in a test phase and it is attempting to find its place within the community and environment in which it is located. Many circumstances on which KULT has no influence are not in favour of the fast development of SPAJALICA we would like to see, but some development certainly exists.

By the time, SPAJALICA will become a recognisable meeting place for young people coming not only from the Municipality of Ilidža, but also from other places, as it also has accommodation capacities. It will be a partner to numerous local and international partners in the implementation of joint initiatives and projects and it will develop programmes that will be also applicable in other communities. It will become a resource and information centre and an initiator of local youth activities. It will also be a hotbed for youth leaders and persons that have recognised their potentials here and improved them by meaningfully spending their time in the Centre.

What is the KULT Association?

The Youth Association KULT, registered at the State-level with the Ministry of Civil Affairs and Communications of Bosnia and Herzegovina, has been active since its foundation in 2002. Following only a few local projects and activities in Sarajevo, our activity has been spread to three more towns in Bosnia and Herzegovina: in addition to Ilidža, we have our offices in Tuzla, Brčko District and Gradačac. Our cooperation with authorities is highly effective and is based on partnership relations. In all the places in which it has its offices, KULT attempts to carry out activities which target groups need on the spot. In order to determine the focus of our work, we have planning workshops every year.
KULT does not want to be merely an implementer of projects, but also to actively participate in authorities in which decisions related to children and young people are taken. Thus, we have our representatives in the following authorities: Ilidža Youth Council, Tuzla Canton Youth Commission, Youth Counselling Committee within the Office of the Head of Ilidža Municipality, Youth Counselling Committee in Gradačac, Commission for Coordination of Youth Issues within the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and in several working groups whose work pertains to entire civil society. In all these authorities we pledge for the improvement of the young people’s living status and long-term, strategic planning of the resolution of their problems and satisfaction of their needs, which are defined in planning workshops and through enquiries.
Our global objective is to develop an open society, starting from the municipal level, in which citizens are involved in all decision-taking processes in the public life. For this reason, KULT trains citizens, primarily young people, in possibilities for their involvement and how they can establish partnership with authorities with a view to finding joint solutions in their communities.
Through various non-formal trainings and additional trainings, consultations, monitoring, upbringing, courses, seminars, planned games, workshops for resolving problems, round tables, brochures, handouts etc., we help young people, associations, informal groups and other interested persons to become recognised members of the society, who are ready to take over responsibility and plead for the improvement of the living status.
KULT is a member of the Youth Network of Bosnia and Herzegovina and, within it, it is responsible for non-formal education.