We are officially launching the open Call for Proposals for the Youth Fund „Local Youth Initiatives“ within the framework of the project Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe funded by the European Union.
Youth Fund for Local Youth Initiatives provides grants to support civil society organizations for projects that will improve and develop participatory youth policies in communities of the Western Balkans by supporting youth initiatives and fostering active citizenship and participation of young people in monitoring reforms and policies impacting youth in the region.
Eligible organizations for applying are civil society organizations registered in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, North Macedonia and Serbia.
Project proposals within this Call will be submitted in a two-step procedure: 1st step – Concept Note phase and 2nd step – Full application phase.
Deadline for submitting concept notes is 8th May 2024 by 20:00 (Belgrade time).
Information session on this Call for proposals to be held online, on 12th April 2024, from 12:00 to 13:30 (Belgrade time). Should you be interested in this session, please fill in the form by 11th April 2024 to be found here.
MPI will welcome the interested CSOs to the in-person info session that will take place at Skripta IdeaLab (Emerika Bluma 9) on April 12, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. Since there is limited capacity, please confirm your attendance as soon as possible by emailing info@mpi.ba
Questions requesting further explanations of the Call may be sent by e-mail no later than 20thApril 2024 to the E-mail address youthfund@centaronline.org. Replies will be individually sent to applicants by 25th April 2024.
You can find below the Guidelines for grant applicants and the annexes needed for the project application.
The Youth Fund „Local Youth Initiatives“ is a FSTP (financial support to third parties) i.e. sub-granting activity of the three-year regional project „Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe“ (RYDE), funded by the European Union in the period 2023-2026 through EU Civil Society Facility and Media Programme in favour of the Western Balkans and Turkey for 2021-2023 (IPA III). The RYDE project is being implemented by the Center for Democracy Foundation from Serbia as a lead partner in cooperation with the partnering civil society organizations from the Western Balkans: Academy of European Integrations and Negotiations (Albania), Youth Act Center (Albania), Kosovar Stability Initiative (Kosovo*), Network of Progressive Initiatives (Bosnia and Herzegovina), NGO Info Center Foundation (North Macedonia) and Regional Academy for Democratic Development (Serbia).
Objavljujemo otvoreni poziv za podnošenje predloga projekata za Omladinski fond „Lokalne inicijative mladih“u okviru projekta Regionalni dijalog mladih za Evropu koji finansira Evropska unija.
Omladinski fond za lokalne inicijative mladih obezbediće grantove za podršku odabranim organizacijama civilnog društva za projekte koji će podstaći i unaprediti participativne omladinske politike u zajednicama Zapadnog Balkana kroz podršku omladinskim inicijativama i aktivnom učešću mladih u praćenju reformi i omladinskih politika u regionu Zapadnog Balkana.
Poziv je otvoren za organizacije civilnog društva registrovane u Albaniji, Bosni i Hercegovini, Kosovu*, Severnoj Makedoniji i Srbiji.
Predlozi projekata u okviru ovog poziva biće dostavljeni u dvostepenoj proceduri: 1. korak – concept i 2. korak – puna prijava.
Rok za dostavljanje koncepta je 8. maj 2024. godine do 20:00 časova (po beogradskom vremenu).
Informativna sesija o ovom Pozivu biće održana onlajn, 12. aprila 2024. godine, od 12:00 do 13:30 časova (po beogradskom vremenu).
MPI će organizovati, pored moguće online sesije, in person info sesiju za zainteresovane OCD, koja će se održati u Skripta IdeaLab (Emerika Bluma 9) 12. aprila 2024. godine u 12:00 sati. S obzirom da je kapacitet ograničen, molimo da svoje prisustvo potvrdite što je prije moguće na e-mail info@mpi.ba.
Ako ste zainteresovani za učešće u ovoj sesiji, popunite prijavu putem formulara do 11. aprila 2024. godine.
Pitanja koja zahtevaju dalja objašnjenja mogu se poslati e-mailom najkasnije do 20. aprila 2024. godine na e-mail adresu youthfund@centaronline.org
Individualni odgovori će biti dostavljeni do 25. a.prila 2024. godine.
U nastavku možete pronaći Smernice za podnosioce prijava i priloge potrebne za podnošenje projekata.
Omladinski fond „Lokalne inicijative mladih“ je finansijska podrška trećim licima, odnosno „sub-granting“ aktivnost u okviru trogodišnjeg regionalnog projekta „Regionalni dijalog mladih za Evropu“, koji finansira Evropska unija u periodu 2023-2026. Projekat „Regionalni dijalog mladih za Evropu“ se finansira kroz Program EU za civilno društvo i medije u korist Zapadnog Balkana i Turske za 2021-2023 (IPA III), a sprovodi ga Fondacija Centar za demokratiju iz Srbije kao vodeći partner u saradnji sa partnerskim organizacijama civilnog društva sa Zapadnog Balkana: Akademija za evropske integracije i pregovore (Albanija), Omladinski centar (Albanija), Kosovska inicijativa za stabilnost (Kosovo*), Mreža progresivnih inicijativa (Bosna i Hercegovina), Fondacija NVO Info centar (Severna Makedonija) i Regionalna akademija za demokratski razvoj (Srbija).
This stakeholder mapping determines all actors involved in the Berlin Process on a national level in the Western Balkan region. The document provides information on the actors and their relation within the context of the Berlin Process. It identifies key actors such as government officials, international organizations, and civil society groups, highlighting their importance and potential impact on the process. By mapping out these stakeholders in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Serbia, the document helps to foster better communication, collaboration, and engagement among the various actors involved, ultimately contributing to the successful implementation of the Berlin Process goals.
Take a look at the stakeholder mapping conducted by our Western Balkans partners.
Stakeholder Mapping of relevant actors is available here
Istraživanje o politikama za mlade i procesima kreiranja politika na Zapadnom Balkanu sprovedeno je u okviru regionalnog projekta – Regionalni dijalog mladih za Evropu – RYDE, koji finansira Evropska unija. Projekat je sprovela Fondacija Centar za demokratiju iz Srbije u saradnji sa partnerskim organizacijama civilnog društva (OCD) Zapadnog Balkana: Akademija za evropske integracije i pregovore i Centar za akciju mladih (Albanija), Inicijativa za stabilnost Kosova* (Kosovo*), Mreža progresivnih inicijativa (Bosna i Hercegovina), Fondacija NVO infocentar (Severna Makedonija) i Regionalna akademija za demokratski razvoj (Srbija). Cilj projekta je da se doprinese jačanju participativne demokratije, evropskih integracija i regionalne saradnje na Zapadnom Balkanu kroz snažniji uticaj organizacija civilnog društva, naročito organizacija mladih, u promovisanju demokratskih vrednosti, političkih, ekonomskih i socijalnih pogodnosti evropskih integracija Zapadnog Balkana.
Svrha istraživanja je da se proširi opšte znanje i prikupe relevantni podaci o politikama za mlade i društvenim investicijama na Zapadnom Balkanu. U okviru istraživanja je sprovedena analiza aktuelnih stavova organizacija mladih i mladih pojedinaca o politikama za mlade i procesima kreiranja politika u regionu. Istraživanje je obuhvatilo šest ekonomija: Albaniju, Bosnu i Hercegovinu, Kosovo*, Crnu Goru, Severnu Makedoniju i Srbiju. Istraživački tim su uglavnom činili parovi sastavljeni od starijih i mlađih stručnjaka iz navedenih ekonomija zemalja.
Fokus istraživanja je bio na prikupljanju podataka o stavovima u vezi sa postojećim politikama za mlade, efikasnošću politika za mlade na lokalnom/nacionalnom/regionalnom i drugim nivoima i prepoznavanju potreba mladih pripadnika marginalizovanih grupa u politikama za mlade. U istraživanju su učestvovale organizacije civilnog društva mladih i mladi pojedinci (građanski i politički aktivisti, kreatori politika, novinari, naučnici itd.).
U skladu sa osnovnom svrhom ovog istraživanja, istovremeno su sprovedene dve komplementarne ankete u svim zastupljenim zemljama – jedna je realizovana u vidu intervjua sa organizacijama mladih, a druga je bila fokusirana na širi spektar zainteresovanih strana, organizovana u vidu onlajn ankete. U svrhu ovog istraživanja, razvijena su dva upitnika – jedan za intervjue sa organizacijama civilnog društva i drugi za onlajn anketu. Oba upitnika su prevedena na nacionalne jezike i korišćena u svim ekonomijama.
U periodu od avgusta do oktobra 2023. godine, ukupno je sproveden 151 intervju sa predstavnicima OCD Zapadnog Balkana. Intervjue je pratila onlajn anketa sprovedena tokom oktobra i novembra 2023. godine. Učestvovalo je 1.366 mladih pojedinaca iz prethodno navedenih ekonomija. Obe ankete su imale za cilj da se proceni stanje politika za mlade, uključenost mladih u njihovo kreiranje, njihova efikasnost i perspektive procesa kreiranja politika za mlade.
Ovu publikaciju je finansirala Evropska unija. Njegov sadržaj je isključiva odgovornost Fondacije Centar za demokratiju i ne odražava nužno stavove Evropske unije.
by Ognjen Markovic, Team Leader of the RCC’s Western Balkans Youth Lab project
I was 13 years old when the first person from my close-knit circle of family announced she was leaving Montenegro. Back then I was not yet aware that it was the beginning of a ‘trend’ and that over the next few years I would keep witnessing more and more people I know leaving our homeland to find a living in the EU.
Reading that 71% of young people from the Western Balkans would consider working and living abroad, I was struck by a bittersweet feeling. To me, and to many citizens of the Western Balkans, the percentage is not just a number, because hidden behind it are the names of family members and loved ones who we will get to see only two or three times a year when they return home for the holidays.
On the other hand, the attractiveness of the EU is understandable. Beyond the promises of a higher pay, greater sense of stability and security and other socio-economic indicators, the EU offers mobility that most young people crave for. And while highways, fast trains and flight connections may sound banal, to a person who has entered adulthood only recently, they provide endless possibilities and new and exciting experiences.
For those who enjoy spending their time in nature, the EU commitment to the Green Deal and sustainable tourism provides clean air, water and easy access to well-marked hiking trails. Capitals of EU Member States have the infrastructural capacity to attract world-renowned musicians, film and art festivals. For the ambitious and career-oriented individuals, open labour market provides a broad range of opportunities, not least grounded in the process of recognition of academic and professional qualifications.
I have a deep admiration for the European Union as such, especially since I had the opportunity to experience it first hand during my study exchanges in Slovenia, Poland and Italy. It was then that I came to fully understand the benefits of cross-border initiatives that bring young people together.
It was particularly impressive that, along with the diversity of our backgrounds and interests, we could easily agree on the changes we wanted to see in the world around us. And it did not matter if students came from the Western Balkans or the EU, because we shared the same values and principles: freedom, democracy, equal opportunities. Most of all, we agreed that our voices should be heard.
I took this lesson with me as I returned to Montenegro.
Though I enjoyed and valued my time in the EU tremendously, still coming home felt right. When saying ‘coming home’, I do not mean only Montenegro but the entire region of the Western Balkans.
Namely, there is another aspect of my life through which I had the immense pleasure of developing a deep connection to our region. From a young age, I was a member of a folklore ensemble, which had taken me across the Western Balkans to numerous competitions and festivals. We would travel very often to small cities and rural areas in the region, eager to represent our culture, but even more enthusiastic to learn about the others. It is through that experience that I heard Albanian music for the first time, and loved it ever since; I revelled in Macedonian national dishes, which I still praise to everyone I meet; in Serbia I learned about hospitality and untouched sceneries, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina I discovered ceif and merak.
Everywhere I went I met brilliant people my age and I have been cherishing those friendships to this day. This made me sure that what we have in common is much more significant than what tells us apart.
From my student exchanges in Slovenia, Poland and Italy, I returned with a thought: “Where the EU has benefits, the Western Balkans has potential.”
Thus, when the opportunity to join Regional Cooperation Council’s Western Balkans Youth Lab project presented itself in 2020, I eagerly packed my bags and moved to Sarajevo, ready to assist the implementation of everything I believed in: giving young people of the Western Balkans a platform that makes their voices heard, and even more so, that involves them in the meaningful way in the decision-making processes, contributing to the fulfilment of the regional potential.
Now, in the winter of 2024, with the first phase of the project behind us, I can confidently say that it was a right decision to make.
Together with young people from across the region, we enacted real and substantial changes. From amending laws on youth employment tailored as per youth needs to creating national strategies on youth mental health, new generations in the Western Balkans can look forward to better conditions and a brighter future. Most importantly, they can find inspiration and motivation in the fact that the change comes from us – for us, as long as we stay committed to the joint perspective that we all share.
The fact that we made only the first steps on the long road that waits ahead is not discouraging. I am proud and honoured to work with incredible young people, and I do not doubt even for a second that they have what it takes to eventually turn the tides on the emigration waves, to transform the potential into benefits, and to lead the way to the family of EU Member States, where the Western Balkans rightly belongs.
* This publication was funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Center for Democracy Foundation and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
This research on the youth policies and policy-making processes in the Western Balkans has been conducted as part of the regional project entitled Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE. The project is financed by the European Union. The goal of the project is to contribute to strengthening the participatory democracy of European integration and regional cooperation in the Western Balkans by increasing the influence of civil society organisations (CSOs), youth organisations in particular, in promoting democratic values and the political, economic and social benefits of the European integration of the Western Balkans. The publication was presented on 31st of January 2024.
The aim of the research is to increase overall awareness by collecting relevant data concerning youth policies and social investment in the Western Balkans. The research provides an analysis of the current viewpoints held by both youth organisations and youths themselves, regarding youth policies in this region. The research covers six economies: Albania, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia.
The research team consisted of paired senior and junior experts from all of the covered economies, with the exception of Montenegro (which was covered by a researcher from Serbia).
The focus of the research was to collect data on the attitudes toward existing youth policies, approaches to improving youth policies at local/national/ regional levels and the priorities of vulnerable youth groups in respective policies. Both youth CSOs and young people (civic and political activists, policy-makers, journalists, scholars, etc.) participated in the research.
Following this, two complementary surveys were conducted concurrently in all economies – one focusing on youth organisations through interviews, and the other on a broader spectrum of stakeholders, through an online survey. From August – October 2023, a total of 151 interviews with CSO representatives were conducted in the Western Balkans economies. The interviews were followed by an online survey conducted throughout October and November 2023. The survey included 1,366 youth individuals in these economies. Both surveys aimed to assess the state of youth policies, their effectiveness, and the perspectives of those engaged in youth-related activities. (…)
The Research has been conducted as part of the Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe Project (RYDE) funded by the European Union. Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe Project (RYDE) aims to contribute to the overall knowledge via collection of relevant data on youth policies in the Western Balkans, while focusing on youth related issues including inclusiveness and transparency of the public policy process.
The Project is implemented by Center for Democracy Foundation (Belgrade) in cooperation with partners: Academy of European Integrations and Negotiations (Tirana), Kosovar Stability Initiative (Pristina), Network of Progressive Initiatives (Sarajevo), NGO Info Center (Skopje), Regional Academy for Democratic Development (Novi Sad) and Youth Act Center (Tirana).
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