Junior Achievement Serbia

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 Junior Achievement Worldwide, a global organization founded 1919 in the USA. The overall goal of JAS is to educate young people in the field of entrepreneurship, financial literacy and business, and to enable the business sector to take an active role in preparing and inspiring the youth of Serbia to become contributing members of the society. Operating on the national level, JAS is the only organization in Serbia focusing on youth entrepreneurship with the operating model which includes knowledge transfer both on local and European level. Since 2005, JAS is operating as an independent non-government and non-profit organization, with 7 full time employees and 12 members of the Board of Directors. JAS implements educational programs in the field of entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness, verified by JA Worldwide and accredited by the Serbian Ministry of Education. The programs represent best practices in developing entrepreneurial skills and knowledge of the market economy and include activities like competitions, trade fairs and online contests. All programs are implemented through the educational system either as a part of the school curriculum or as an after-school activity. They are available to all students, that is: High school students – all grades (age 14-19) Elementary school students – grades 1-4 (age 6-11) JAS programs are delivered by teachers, corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. The number of students involved in the JAS programs has increased to more than 60,000 in the past 10 years.