PUBLIC HEARING HELD IN THE CITY OF NOVI SAD ABOUT THE DRAFT OF THE LOCAL ACTION PLAN FOR YOUTH POLICIES

The draft version of the 2015–2018 Local Action Plan for Youth Policies of the City of Novi Sad was presented today in the Novi Sad City Assembly. Members of the committee for creation of this document and a large number of representatives of youth organizations attended the central event within the public hearing. The attendees were addressed by Mr. Predrag Svilar, member of the City Council in charge of sports and youth, who expressed his satisfaction with the fact that young people have been actively involved in the development of the Local Action Plan.

- Support of young people is of great importance in the adoption of this document. They can best recognize the problems they are facing and those they want to be involved in solving. Therefore, we involved in the document creation process all those who applied, and it is also very important to us to hear the opinion, reviews and suggestions of representatives of youth organizations. After the completion of the consultation process, I expect the City Council to adopt the draft in the first upcoming session and to soon have it in front of the councilpersons of the Novi Sad City Assembly – said Predrag Svilar, adding that the Local Action Plan also defines the launch of a Youth Center, where the organizations implementing the Local Action Plan, as well young people who are not formally organized, will have an opportunity to present their ideas and carry out a number of activities.

The Local Action Plan for the youth policies of the City of Novi Sad is a document to be adopted by the Novi Sad City Assembly, which regulates: active involvement of young people in social life, provision of equal opportunities to all young people, informing of young people, encouragement and appraisal of tolerance, democracy, exceptional achievements of young people, support and development of formal and informal education, encouragement and stimulation of employment and self-employment of young people and youth entrepreneurship, improvement of safety of young people, sustainable development and heathy environment, health protection and improvement of young people’s heath, and other initiatives benefiting the young population. The committee for creation of the Local Action Plan grouped the needs of young people into nine categories: youth education, youth employment, youth health, youth culture and leisure, volunteer work and youth activism, youth safety, youth informing, young people in the environmental protection and sustainable development, social policies for young people.

Public hearing about the draft of the 2015-2018 Local Action Plan for Youth Policies of the City of Novi Sad is open until 23rd February 2015. The draft of the new Local Action Plan for Youth Policies of the City of Novi Sad is available at the official website of the City of Novi Sad (www.novisad.rs) and the City Administration for Sports and Youth of the City of Novi Sad (www.sio.novisad.rs). All those interested can send their remarks and suggestions by email to lapns2015@gmail.com

Novi Sad, 19th February 2015