CRC stands for Conflict Resolution Catalysts
IYB stands for International Youth Brigade

Children and youth psychological programs

- CRC - IYB works with children’s home (orphanage) and refugee centers to provide a variety of services to youth who reside there, including therapy, recreation, education and social programs. CRC - IYB also assists in training the facilities staff

- CRC - IYB currently includes court referred youth in several of it’s programs and has developed a special comprehensive Youth at Risk project in partnership with the Center of Social Help. The project serves the needs of refugee and delinquent youth experiencing social problems as a result of the war.
- A parenting support group, designed to assist parents of at risk refugee youth, meets weekly at CRC - IYB for training and discussion, to learn how to better help their children deal with the problems of adolescence that have been made more difficult by war. - A special summer program employs youth at risk to identify and perform work project that benefit the community.

CRC - IYB sponsors 'Youth Night' every week, which includes movies, sport and games, and discussion about youth problems. The youth Nights provide healthy recreational and social outlets for local teens.

- A teen advisory board assists the CRC - IYB community Center staff in meeting the needs of the local youth and insuring the center remains an integrated and valuable member of the Banja Luka community.

- Catholics Relief Services sponsors the youth community initiative program at CRC - IYB which teaches local youth how to develop and operate its own NGO-type of program in Banja Luka

- A special summercamp, run by a team of local and international volunteers, is held to meet the educational and recreational needs of children, many of them refugees

CRC - IYB assists the Prijedor Children’s Consulate in it’s program for the children and youth in that community.

- Art, drama and dance classes are provided to children, many of them refugees, every week
- Three times a week, the center sponsors a social/recreational Youth Club.

Community Programs

- Each week, CRC - IYB staff and volunteers offer 14 different English languages classes for adults and children. German is also taught weekly

- Peer mediation training is held to teach residents non violent methods of solving problems and disputes.
- Staff at CRC - IYB Computer center teach computer use to adults and children and provides access to computers for those who are already computer literate.

- CRC - IYB operates sporting equipment and games libraries for the community, A Ping-Pong table, computer games and other recreational materials are availlable at the center without charge, paddle tennis and swimming are taught twice a week. Billiards and bowling weekly.

- Donated clothing, school supplies and hygiene materials are distributed to the orphanage, refugee center and agencies assisting Banja Luka’s minorities.

A psycho social supportgroup for collective center refugee woman meets weekly for discussion, recreation and occupational therapy.

- A bi-weekly meeting is held at CRC - IYB to coordinate the efforts of local and intentional aid organizations who work in the field of psychological social work
- CRC - IYB operates an extensive English library and organizes the donation of English language reading and teaching materials to the university of Banja Luka, the national library, the Genesis project mobile library service and local schools. Thousands of books have been placed into circulation through these efforts.
- CRC - IYB facilitates travel by local residents to and from the federation. Staff assist residents obtain passports, visit family and friends in the other entity, and organize exchanges of students and NGO groups. The center offers shelter and support for federation residents visiting Banja Luka.
- In collaboration with other agencies (OSCE and the Institute for multi track diplomacy) CRC - IYB has begun work on the development of a post conflict peacebuilding program utilizing conflict resolution and mediation skill development.

Youth Media Programs

- Radio Balkan is a small FM radio station operated for and by the Banja Luka youth. The station provides the community with entertainment: public service information, coverage of local sports, artistic and educational events and discussion of issues and topics concern to youth. It broadcasts 24 hours a day on 89.6 MHz

- BOM (Balkan Youth Brigade) is a monthly journal written edited and produced by youth. This publication includes articles of interest to youth, such as sports, entertainment, news, exploration of national and international culture and subject that affect young people throughout Bosnia. Journalism classes are given in conjunction with this program.

- Nepitami is a monthly magazine produced by youth in Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Mostar, Foca and Tuzla. This magazine acts as a bridge between the youth of Bosnia and teaches those involved the techniques and ethics of journalism.

CRC - IYB - IYB has great own websites

Schools

CRC - IYB staff teach English grammar and writing at a local high school and the university of Banja Luka. The war has decimated the teaching staff in Banja Luka, particularly of English instructors and school officials are grateful to have native English speakers available to classes. CRC - IYB staff also participate in the lives of their students outside the classroom: assisting with student literary journals and dramatic presentations and helping undergraduates and post graduates apply for scholarship and financial aid.

Community group

CRC - IYB is not a funding agency: instead our staff volunteer their time and expertise to other NGOs and community groups. CRC - IYB personnel provide training to the Banja Luka Police Academy and work with local scouts. Staff also assist the Genesis Project. A local NGO which provides social services to refugee center and outlying villages. CRC - IYB staff provide conflict resolution training and advice about operating youth centers to organizations and agencies that request it,

CRC - IYB international staff receive no pay, All of CRC - IYB’s program’s are free and open to all.

All together P.O.O. must say that it was quite attracted to this town. Completely shrouded in fog we visited this town the first time. The open spot were use to be the mosque could not bee seen. Everything was white. The drive to the house of our guide could not be found, although the guide was with us in the car. Everything was pure white.
Later we saw the Kestil, build by the romans who tried to conquer Bosnia from here. They wouldn’t succeed. We saw the river they saw at that time, where in the summer thousands of people swim. We saw the strange marked place, where people complain because they only sell the cheap Chinese stuff.

Banja Luka terribly needs a second youth. Maybe there is a little change since there is a new prime-minister who at least tries to show a good face. The old Hawks (Karadzic, Mladic and almost Krasnik) are at the end of their game. If the Bosnian Serbs would like to survive they have to give the change to the youth. Otherwise the youth will leave and find it’s solution in self-destruction, as taught to them by the generation that came before them. These generations thought there was something to win in a war. The youth of these days know better.