„Vijećko“ – Board game for improving youth organising in Federation of BiH
Recognizing that many young people often view anything related to politics, including laws affecting them, with a certain stigma, we identified the need for a change in approach when disseminating knowledge on such topics. Consequently, we have decided to work towards reigniting the youth’s enthusiasm for learning through a game—a pursuit that many abandon in childhood. Although focused on informing youth on the current legal framework for youth organising, critical reflection and inputs received from youth groups on the current make-up and the potential of youth organising were an important part of our mission as well.
In the process of developing the game, our aim was to incorporate elements from various well-known social games such as Risk, Ludo, Monopoly, pantomime, word associations, and Pictionary. By doing so, we attempted to make the game more relatable and appealing to young people, leveraging the familiarity of these games to facilitate a more engaging and effective learning experience.
The development of “Vijećko” was supported through Bosnia and Herzegovina Resilience Initiative (BHRI) project, implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM), funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation.
About us
Youth Council of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (YCFB&H) is the umbrella body for youth in the entity of Federation of BiH. It represents one of the three legally recognised youth structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our mission involves informing young people about the Law on Youth of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, enhancing their capacities and advocating for their improved societal status.
The aim
Creatively and innovatively familiarize young people with their rights and opportunities as stipulated by the Youth Law of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What was the process?
From the very beginning, the creation of the idea for a more innovative approach and work towards young people, came from the youth themselves. Through over 100 activities for young people in 2022, we collected opinions, information, listened to their needs and created content adapted to their interests.
Consequently, an experienced youth team composed of youth representatives of our structure across the entity of Federation of BiH as well as team members of our Secretariat were the main team for development of this practice. These young professionals came from different fields of interest – youth policies, culture and theatre, media, activism, youth work, etc. Led by two youth work experts from two different organizations who work with youth and had experience in creating strategic games, we developed a methodology which encourages critical thinking and tickles youngsters’ mind to involve and participate, but through the game. That is how the phenomenal practice called “Vijećko” as the abbreviation of the name of our youth organization in the Bosnian language, came to life.
What makes this approach truly innovative is that it stands as one of the pioneering games created on the subject of law and politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, being the first of its kind focused specifically on the Youth Law of the Federation of BiH. Having tested the game with over 150 young individuals, the feedback received has been more than satisfactory. Young people appreciate the fact that, through this game, they can finally engage and learn about topics that may not typically be alluring to them.
Gameplay description
The primary aim of the game is to effectively establish the Youth Council of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). Players are required to work together, employing collaborative strategies to secure a successful outcome. Failure to establish the Youth Council results in the game prevailing over the players. The focal point of the game is centred on the organizational dynamics of the youth in FBiH, thus providing an in-depth exploration of the concept of youth organizing.
The game features accompanying cards that highlight essential aspects of the FBiH Youth Law, shed light on the outcomes derived from youth policies in FBiH, and address ongoing challenges faced by young individuals. Prominent among these challenges is the pervasive issue of brain drain. The game has been designed to accommodate 3 to 8 players, with a targeted duration spanning between 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
The collaborative nature of the game fosters teamwork and strategic thinking as players collectively strive to achieve the establishment of the Youth Council of FBiH.
Future steps
Given that the game is still in the beta version, we plan to create a version in English available to all young people and flexible for testing at various events, but also to improve the current make-up and gameplay. Recognizing that many young people often view anything related to politics, including laws affecting them, with a certain stigma, we identified the need for a change in approach when disseminating knowledge on such topics. Consequently, we have decided to work towards reigniting the youth’s enthusiasm for learning through a game—a pursuit that many abandon in childhood. Although focused on informing youth on the current legal framework for youth organising, critical reflection and inputs received from youth groups on the current make-up and the potential of youth organising were an important part of our mission as well.
In the process of developing the game, our aim was to incorporate elements from various well-known social games such as Risk, Ludo, Monopoly, pantomime, word associations, and Pictionary. By doing so, we attempted to make the game more relatable and appealing to young people, leveraging the familiarity of these games to facilitate a more engaging and effective learning experience.
The development of “Vijećko” was supported through Bosnia and Herzegovina Resilience Initiative (BHRI) project, implemented by International Organization for Migration (IOM), funded by the Austrian Development Cooperation.
About us
Youth Council of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (YCFB&H) is the umbrella body for youth in the entity of Federation of BiH. It represents one of the three legally recognised youth structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our mission involves informing young people about the Law on Youth of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, enhancing their capacities and advocating for their improved societal status.
The aim
Creatively and innovatively familiarize young people with their rights and opportunities as stipulated by the Youth Law of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What was the process?
From the very beginning, the creation of the idea for a more innovative approach and work towards young people, came from the youth themselves. Through over 100 activities for young people in 2022, we collected opinions, information, listened to their needs and created content adapted to their interests.
Consequently, an experienced youth team composed of youth representatives of our structure across the entity of Federation of BiH as well as team members of our Secretariat were the main team for development of this practice. These young professionals came from different fields of interest – youth policies, culture and theatre, media, activism, youth work, etc. Led by two youth work experts from two different organizations who work with youth and had experience in creating strategic games, we developed a methodology which encourages critical thinking and tickles youngsters’ mind to involve and participate, but through the game. That is how the phenomenal practice called “Vijećko” as the abbreviation of the name of our youth organization in the Bosnian language, came to life.
What makes this approach truly innovative is that it stands as one of the pioneering games created on the subject of law and politics in Bosnia and Herzegovina, being the first of its kind focused specifically on the Youth Law of the Federation of BiH. Having tested the game with over 150 young individuals, the feedback received has been more than satisfactory. Young people appreciate the fact that, through this game, they can finally engage and learn about topics that may not typically be alluring to them.
Gameplay description
The primary aim of the game is to effectively establish the Youth Council of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). Players are required to work together, employing collaborative strategies to secure a successful outcome. Failure to establish the Youth Council results in the game prevailing over the players. The focal point of the game is centred on the organizational dynamics of the youth in FBiH, thus providing an in-depth exploration of the concept of youth organizing.
The game features accompanying cards that highlight essential aspects of the FBiH Youth Law, shed light on the outcomes derived from youth policies in FBiH, and address ongoing challenges faced by young individuals. Prominent among these challenges is the pervasive issue of brain drain. The game has been designed to accommodate 3 to 8 players, with a targeted duration spanning between 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
The collaborative nature of the game fosters teamwork and strategic thinking as players collectively strive to achieve the establishment of the Youth Council of FBiH.
Future steps
Given that the game is still in the beta version, we plan to create a version in English available to all young people and flexible for testing at various events, but also to improve the current make-up and gameplay.
