Juventas

Juventas is a non-governmental organization founded on January 29, 1996, in Podgorica. That year, a group of students funded by the Open Society Institute of Montenegro launched the Juventas Youth Magazine. The goal was to create a media platform dedicated to the ideas, interests, and challenges of young people.

Today's Juventas grew out of this initiative and was initially known as the Juventas Youth Cultural Center. By the year 2000, the organization had implemented numerous projects aimed at increasing youth influence on decision-making processes critical to their present and future. Juventas published its own magazine and briefly operated a daily newspaper, as well as radio and TV programs recognized and followed by young people. The organization built a volunteer network and implemented key initiatives in the areas of conflict resolution, dialogue, tolerance, culture, and media.

In 2001, Juventas redirected its focus toward a neglected issue in Montenegrin society—sexual and reproductive health of young people. Two years later, it became a member of the Republican HIV Commission. By 2004, sexual and reproductive health workshops had reached 30% of high school classrooms across Montenegro. By 2005, there was a noticeable shift in the awareness and actions of public institutions regarding healthy lifestyles among youth and Juventas began focusing more on socially marginalized groups, offering them direct support: LGBTIQ+ individuals, people in prison and the ones formerly incarcerated, people doing sex work, people who use/inject drugs, Roma and Egyptian community, asylum seekers, and people under international protection, taking special care of the intersectionality.

Since 2006, Juventas has been one of the key implementers of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted and blood borne infections’ programs reaching about 1,500 people on an annual basis. This program is still implemented thanks to our continuing efforts to make these services needs driven and sustainable. In 2016, marking its 20th anniversary, Juventas redefined its mission and vision and restructured its core programs. In the second half of that year, after meeting all the necessary criteria, Juventas obtained its ISO 9001:2015 (QMS) certification.

Today, the organization provides direct assistance, works to improve the quality of services, produces and advocates laws/strategies/policy adoption and amendments, builds the capacities of decision-makers and service providers, and empowers its target groups.