BACKGROUND

Junior Achievement Serbia (JAS) is the only accredited provider of entrepreneurship education services in Serbia.  It is a locally managed and funded entity affiliated with JA Worldwide, a global organization founded in 1919 in the U.S.  The overall goal of JAS is to enable the private sector to take an active role in preparing and inspiring the youth of Serbia to become contributing members of society and to educate young people in the field of entrepreneurship, financial literacy and business.  Since 2005, JAS has served more than 50,000 elementary and high school students coached by 845 JAS-trained teachers in 264 schools throughout Serbia.  In the school year 2013-2014 alone, JAS programs involved 11,362 students.  Through training in business and soft skills and practical real-life scenarios in which students establish and run their own companies, JAS increases youth employability and brings the education and business community closer together.  The overarching goal is to strengthen Serbia’s businesses and economy by creating a broad-minded generation capable of confronting the future and ready to succeed in a knowledge-based economy.

 

ACTIVITIES

  • Maximize reach by offering locally relevant  JAS programs;
  • Organize local, regional, national and international trade fairs and competitions for students;
  • Increase public awareness about entrepreneurship education and maintain JAS entrepreneurship education programs; and
  • Lay the foundation for JAS organizational sustainability.

 

RESULTS

  • First National Alumni Conference and the Annual 3-day JAS Teachers’ Conference organized;
  • Two regional Alumni Centers created in Nis and Novi Sad;
  • Four regional, one national and one international Business Challenge Competitions organized with the participation of 850 high school students from Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro;
  • National panel discussion on the importance of entrepreneurship education organized in September 2013 with 22 panelists and more than 150 guests;
  • Two hundred eighty-four new elementary and high school teachers engaged in the implementation of JAS programs in the 2013-2014 school year;
  • Four regional and one national Student Company Competitions organized with 75 student companies participating;
  • Qualifying round of the European Social Entrepreneurship Competition organized with the participation of 100 students;
  • For the second consecutive year JAS has been recognized by the European Commission as the national winner in entrepreneurship promotion in Serbia;
  • Organized the first-ever panel discussion on entrepreneurship education at the annual Kopaonik Economic Forum.

 

Project funded by:

U.S. Agency for International Development; USAID/Serbia

 

Project implemented by:

Junior Achievement Serbia

 

Key counterparts:

Serbian elementary and high schools, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Economy, business sector.

 

Where we work:

90 municipalities

264 elementary and high schools

11,362 students (in school year 2013/2014)

 

Project duration:

August 2013 to August 2015

 

Contact:

Junior Achievement Serbia

Svetogorska 5

Belgrade 11000 Serbia

E-mail: dostignuca.mladih@ja-serbia.org

Website: www.ja-serbia.org