Balkan Regional Platform for Youth Participation and Dialogue

The project at a glance:
This one-year project (commencement date: 1 January 2015) submitted within the priority 5 – promotion of social and economic inclusion of age groups that risk marginalisation and in particular youngsters, as the Operating Grant intended to support the work of LDAs in the Western Balkan countries to contribute more effectively in structuring regional thematic cooperation and coordination between CSOs and public authorities from targeted countries and help improve environment for youth activism and participation, in particular of young people with fewer opportunities

The Partnership:

Applicant: ALDA
Co-applicants: LDA Montenegro, LDA Mostar, LDA Zavidovici, LDA Prijedor, LDA Central Serbia, LDA Subotica, LDA Kosovo

Partner: ALDA Skopje (FYROM)

Duration 12 months
Locations: Mostar, Knjazevac, Podgorica, Subotica
Total project value: 201.782 EUR

Activities
The first Project activities hosted by the LDA Mostar team members, consisted of the Steering group meeting, Regional Network meeting for consultations and preparing the draft Regional Co-operation Platform, combined with the trainings for youth engagement workers and the LDA Delegates from Western Balkan countries.
After a long series of skype meetings throughout December, local action planning and coordination work by the Delegates of Local Democracy Agencies all the relevant stakeholders were present – CSOs, local self-governments and youth groups from Mostar, Zavidovici, Prijedor (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Subotica, Knjazevac (Serbia), Niksic (Montenegro), Peja/Pec (Kosovo*) and ALDA Skopje, municipality Vevcani (Macedonia). In this way, the project Steering group was established (three members per partner, 27 members), the Detailed Activity plan and Visibility plan were adopted.
The main project activities include capacity building and thematic networking promote social and economic inclusion of age groups that risk marginalisation and in particular youngsters, and will be implemented by LDAs in the Western Balkan countries through structured regional thematic cooperation engaging CSOs and public authorities to help improve environment for youth activism and participation, in particular of young people with fewer opportunities. Capacity building, knowledge and information share will serve as the main tools to strengthen youth groups for active citizenship and participation in policy / decision making at local level, but even more at regional level through monitoring the implementation of public policies towards EU integration of the Western Balkans. Specific attention will be given to awareness raising among policy and decision makers at regional and local level on EU standards and practices of youth participation and EU Programmes 2014-2020 intended for youth.
With this in view, the LDAs involved in the action will be working together and provide all necessary support to newly appointed Youth Engagement Workers ( members of the Regional Youth Working Group) and Local Youth Advisory Groups to contribute to achieving the project results. 
In addition, the project launch activity was dedicated to preparing the Regional Co-operation Platform for the adoption at the level of Regional Network group meeting.

The project  was launched in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on 27-29 January 2015.