The YUA-BKB academy is an interactive series of lectures & activities by leading Dutch and Bosnian experts in the field of (political) campaigning, media strategy, business & organization development and international relations. The trainings are unconventional and hands on and give the participants practical tools and knowledge to acquaint oneself with the art of campaigning and other topics.

The trainers are Dutch and Bosnian and all are leading experts in their field. The YUA-BKB Academy opens up and international network for young Bosnians and provides them with practical experience and skills. 

Goals

In 2000 the three owners of Dutch social campaigning company BKB founded the BKB Academy. Its purpose is to have young talent share in their know-how and to learn how to network. Every year they select a group of 25 students for a series of 10 courses in all the various aspects of campaigning and other topics. Now YUA and BKB have united their expertise and believe in young talent and started the YUA BKB academy in Bosnia Herzegovina. The YUA BKB Academy started in 2008 and continued with an expanded program in 2009. 

The role of YUA

YUA believes in the empowerment of young people. A lot of young people have great ideas about their society but lack the practical tools, space and network to realize their ideas. YUA aims to enable young people to use their talent and put their ideas into action.  While the educational system in Bosnia and Herzegovina is of high quality, it is highly theoretical and often uses passive learning methodology. YUA believes in learning by doing. With the YUA BKB academy, YUA aims to provide a possibility for young people to gain practical skills to transform ideas into action, to meet Bosnian and Dutch experts in an informal way and give talented youngsters the opportunity to meet likeminded people in their own country.
YUA is responsible for the PR in Bosnia, the selection procedure, and is also responsible for the logistics of the program. YUA furthermore briefs the Dutch trainers before every session and provides the Bosnian trainers for the sessions. Throughout the academy, YUA functions as the focal point for the participants furthermore.  

About BKB

BKB (Booij, Klusman en Van Bruggen) is a campaigning agency. They design campaigns for governments, corporate clients and civil society organizations. The three founders have all been active in the election campaigning teams of the social-democratic party in the Netherlands (PvdA), but have operated independent since the foundation of the company in 1999. Their customers range from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to DJ Junkie XL, from Shell to the Tibet Support Group Foundation. During the past years the Dutch BKB Academy was visited by some impressive guest speakers, ranging from current vice-Prime Minister & Minister of Finance Wouter Bos to Hans Anker (former member of Clinton campaign team),from Peter Mandelson, (Spin doctor Tony Blair, EU Commissioner) to Paul Turken,(founder one of the largest Dutch advertisement agencies). Apart from their commercial work, BKB is also active as trainers in the Alfred Mozer Foundation that supports (social-) democratic political parties in Central and Eastern Europe. They do so by organizing and financing training and schooling programs.

Previous workshops

• (political) Campaign strategies and tools. What do you need to set up a successful (political) campaign? What is your goal/message? How to use / play the media? In the first session you will learn how a campaign is designed, prepared and set up. And you will put the lessons into practice.

• Public speaking. How to present yourself? How do you get your message across for a big audience? What does it take to make people listen? The second academy session will give you all the tips and tricks to be confident in front of a group and you will learn by practicing how to excite and connect your audience.

• (European) Elections. What is happening during an election period? What is going on behind the scenes? What happens in Europe during the European elections? This session will take place during the European elections and give you all the insights in an (international) election period.

• Network and organization. How to build and use an (international) network? What does it take to set up an organization? To set up a successful campaign or organization you need to know how to broaden and use your network. How to draft a framework for your organization and raise funds.

• Negotiation skills. How to negotiate? What do you want and how to ask for that? To be able to succeed you need to know how to approach and negotiate your wishes and demands. In this session you will learn all ins & outs of (political) negotiation.

Participants

Academy participants are young people from all fields and towns of Bosnia and Herzegovina. People with original ideas, who take action, are innovative and who like to have an international angle. Participants are typically free-thinkers, involved, critical and creative. High grades or university degrees are NOT essential. Enthusiasm, dedication, creativity and initiative ARE.

Click here to see photos of the YUA BKB Academy 2008 and 2009.

Piet Meerburg
oprichter Kriterion Amsterdam

"We moesten het als studenten zelf doen, en dat hebben we gedaan. Ik vind het geweldig om te zien dat onze strijd van toen nu in Sarajevo navolging krijgt."

Bill Carter
auteur van het boek When Fools Rush In

"Art house Kriterion Sarajevo is a wonderful initiative that enriches one of the most inspiring cities of the world."

Nedzad Bekovic
filmmaker, o.a. Totally Personal

“Sarajevo heeft geen enkele plaats waar jongeren zich op hun eigen manier bezig kunnen houden met cultuur, ik hoop dat Sarajevo een plaats als Kriterion krijgt”