The Young Urban Achievers (YUA) is a collective that brings young people with initiative and dreams together and guides them in the process of setting up their own businesses and organizations.

YUA

The concept of the Young Urban Achievers (YUA) has been envisioned by a group of young people from the Netherlands, who believe in the perspective of youth to create changes for their own better future. The main idea behind YUA is to create opportunities and offer guidance for creative and initiative youngsters that come from urban areas with low amount of possibilities for self development.

Before YUA was established their members had been during their studies actively working in art-house cinema Kriterion Amsterdam, where they contributed a lot to the cinema art. In 2005 they made a visit to the Sarajevo Film Festival, where they were stunned by the fact that despite of great presence of the locals at the festival’s screenings and their interest in the cinema art, no art-house cinema existed in the city. Although that there exists a rich history in the Bosnian cinematography, the country’s war (1992 – 1995), has caused for the cultural sector to suffer immensely and nearly vanish. The hope to solve this situation could be obviously found in the city’s youngsters, who carried potential to develop creative ideas, but were lacking the place and guidance to bring them into realization. There was obvious that young Bosnians were longing for opportunities that would enable them developing their potentials and skills and gaining working experience and financial independency already during their studies, yet there were almost no such places for them in Sarajevo. This unfortunate set of circumstances created an opportunity for the YUA as an organization to be born and launch its first project of establishing the first Bosnian art-house cinema Kriterion Sarajevo. The idea was to offer support to young people in order for them to create their own possibilities that will enable them to use their talent and grow. They gathered together creative people of Sarajevo and joined their forces in the process of setting up a place that will gather people with creative and artistic ideas and provide them employment and other opportunities to develop. 

Principles

Our key principles are:

1. A demand driven approach. YUA strives to pinpoint the needs and priorities of local beneficiaries.

2. YUA believes in the strength and potential of students and youngsters. Although young people might lack means and experience, YUA believes that it is exactly this group in a society that have the potential and willpower to let new businesses be successful.

3. YUA sees local entrepreneurs as a condition for sustainability. A project will be most likely to be successful when it is run by local youngsters. They are the ones that have the knowledge and follow developments in their country.

4. YUA is convinced of the power of local and international cooperation. Two people know more than one. Through cooperation expertise is shared, visions are broadened and networks are strengthened.

Activities

A. YUA explores urban areas where young people lack possibilities to find suitable jobs to gain working experience.

B. YUA unites young people with initiatives, who would like to commit themselves to set up and run a self sustainable business or organization.

C. YUA generates the starting capital for new enterprises. YUA raises funds and subsidy, and guides local youngsters in applying for funds and finding investors for their plan.

D. YUA offers logistical support to young people in setting up new businesses and organizations.

E. In the initial phase YUA will guide and train young people to independently run a business. After the local business has proved to be self sustainable YUA will withdraw gradually.

Result

Young people earn their own incomes and gain working experience. Their chances on the labor market will be increased. Young people get the chance to support themselves and contribute to their society.

Job Cohen
Burgemeester van Amsterdam

"As the mayor of Amsterdam, I value this breeding place for active citizenship and support its constant contribution to the innovation of the city’s civil society."

Eddy Terstall
filmmaker, o.a. Simon

"'Sarajevo blijkt ook cultureel midden in Europa te liggen. Alleen is er weinig cultureel aanbod uit andere Europese landen. Kriterion bouwt een culturele brug'."

Bezoeker
na vertoning van Simon in Sarajevo

“Sinds de oorlog ben ik niet meer naar de film geweest. Via mijn nichtje kreeg ik de aankondiging van Simon doorgestuurd. Ik heb gehuild.”