Overall Project Achievements
The Kosovo Youth Participation (KYP) project has made significant strides in addressing systemic youth marginalization, particularly among young people in rural areas and small towns of Kosovo. With a strong focus on civic engagement, employability, inclusion, social initiatives and policy advocacy, the project empowered 2,353 young people, 60.0% were female (1,421 women/ 932 men), underscoring a strong focus on gender inclusion.
Key Achievements:
• Increased Youth Participation in democratic process/ decision making process:
Youth from 8 target municipalities (were engaged in decision-making processes) after attending the training in human rights and youth mobilisation, mentoring and local youth-led actions, national youth congresses and debate clubs. More than 415 youth through different project activities – participated in advocacy at the national level, together with the projects Initial Mapping Exercise recommandations contributed/incorporated to the Kosovo’s State Strategy for Youth 2024–2032 (https://www.mkrs-ks.org/repository/docs/STRATEGJIA_SHTETERORE_PER_RINI_2024-2032_EN.pdf)
• Employment and Economic Empowerment:
The project improved the employability of over 219 youth (166 women/53 men) through trainings in soft skills and digital marketing training and other trainings needed in the market and provided: Internship Programs and/or On-the-Job training to 69 young people, resulting in 28 direct job placements. The collaboration with the Employment Agency of the Republic of Kosovo (EARK) via a formal MoU ensured alignment with national employment policies based on the Active Labour Market Measures (ALMM) and access to vocational training centres (VTC). 9 youth-led NGOs/businesses supported through a competitive grant scheme Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), with focus on increasing the capacities and employability while contributing directly to the NGOs /youth led business increment capacities on project/business cycle management.
• Volunteers Camp, National Youth Congresses, Promotion of the State Strategy – Youth Talks – aiming at creation of the Municipal Youth Plans:
Volunteering 35 youth participated in a cross-cultural 12-day Youth Volunteers Camp with German peers at the residential Innovative Training Park in Prizren, fostering global awareness on climate and sustainability. Through 8 information sessions conducted jointly with representatives from MCYS, involving over 250 youth, and 8 local Youth Talks the project promoted/creation alignment of local youth policies with national strategies, directly influencing upcoming municipal youth action plans.
