The project “Youth Participation for Strong and Sustainable Community Development” aims to improve the quality of youth policy implementation based on structural cooperation and substantial participation of networked civil society. The project is implemented by Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA, as the main applicant, together with the co-applicants SOS Children’s Village North Macedonia, Volunteer Center Skopje and the Association Women’s Forum Tetovo. The duration of the project is 40 months, in the period from January 1, 2021 – April 30, 2024. The project will focus on accomplishment of 3 key outcomes:
1. Strengthening the capacity of CSOs to independently and effectively influence evidence-based decision-makers on youth issues and through local networking;
Achieving this result means conducting a series of research, training process and mentoring for civil society organizations, as well as support for the youth civil society sector by awarding sub-grants to improve youth participation, especially at the local level.
2. Improving the civic competencies of young men and women for essential participation in the daily life of a democratic community using innovative models through gender-sensitive and peace-based approaches;
This result envisages strengthening the capacities of young men and women through local campaigns, workshops on gender perspective, as well as strengthening high school students in order to reduce violence in high schools. Also, within this component, the capacities of the youth councils will be strengthened through a training process but also through the application of digital innovative tools for networking and sharing good practices.
3. Enabling public institutions to develop and implement informed and quality youth-related public policies based on equal opportunities through sustainable partnerships with local civil society;
This component provides support to the civil society networking process at the local level through a process of joint meetings and workshops. Also, in support of the implementation of the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies, the project envisages strengthening the capacities of the local youth officers as well as their support in the cooperation with the local youth councils. The project also envisages advocacy for national decision-makers to improve the conditions and implementation of youth-oriented legislation. Achieving the project results will contribute to an independent and sustainable civil society supported by a conducive environment that encourages participatory and gender-sensitive youth policy-making processes.