According to the curriculum of the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Sarajevo, and with the aim of practically applying theoretical knowledge, third-year students studying under the Bologna system are required to complete practical training in the 5th semester. The practice can be carried out in various government and non-governmental institutions and organizations, and three students from the Department of Social Work, Belma Petak, Dženeta Žilić, and Amna Gazibegović, chose the NARKO-NE Association to gain practical knowledge in the field of social work. They completed their practice from November 22 to December 27, 2022, for a total of 10 days (50 hours), every Tuesday and Friday, and if necessary, on other days in accordance with the Association’s activities.

The students learned about social work methods and were involved in almost all of the Association’s activities: workshops in schools, working with families, contributing to the development of the workplace setting and the non-alcoholic cocktail bar Boombar, preparing and participating in education sessions with young people, entering and processing data, working in finance, and many other activities.
The mentor for their practice was Ileana Šnur–Muratagić, a graduate social worker with many years of experience:

I’m glad that the students chose to do their practice at NARKO-NE. I am sure that through project presentations and active participation, they had the opportunity to see the important role and work of social workers in the non-governmental sector, preparing them with theoretical knowledge from the university for practical work. They were also able to write social anamneses through examples and exercises, and get more acquainted with case management, using family development plans to apply in their work with clients/beneficiaries. As a mentor, it was a pleasure for me to pass on my experiences and knowledge to young people who have decided to study the noble and valuable profession of social work.

Since the experiences vary, we were curious to know what the students thought about their practice, and all of them agreed that ten days were not enough, and that the practice should last longer in order to better prepare students for their future profession.

The practice at NARKO-NE left a very positive impression on me. It wasn’t monotonous; it wasn’t based on a single activity. I had the opportunity to go through various activities that the organization offers. I would gladly recommend future students to do their practice at NARKO-NE. I believe they will find it very interesting, and through it, they will gain very useful and important knowledge. – Dženeta Žilić

Personally, the practice helped me to get a closer look at the profession I plan to pursue in the future and brought me closer to understanding what a social worker does and their role. I’m very satisfied with what I saw and learned, as well as with my engagement during the practice. Although I had some experience volunteering in this association and was involved in the Older Brother, Older Sister project, what was very significant to me was that the project coordinators made an effort to include me and my colleagues in activities related to all the projects that NARKO-NE implements. – Amna Gazibegović

I believe that my practice at NARKO-NE had a positive impact on my social skills, self-confidence, and the acquisition of new knowledge. Through the practice, I became aware of the mentoring program Older Brother, Older Sister, and I am thinking about applying to volunteer for it next year. – Belma Petak

NARKO-NE will evaluate the entire process of this first student practice in the future so that we can improve it for the next time, ensuring that students have the best possible practical experience in our organization. The students are required to complete a work journal in January 2023, and after review and signing, they will receive a confirmation that they completed their practice at NARKO-NE.

We hope that, together, we were able to reach these young people and that their practice was useful to them. We look forward to new students and new collaborations in the next academic year.

Ajsela Kučinar