Young Men Initiative project team has finalised the newest case study capturing the capture the core elements of different scaling up models used by local partners and CARE in different contexts to implement the Program Y in the Balkan region.

The case study represents a unique tool for civil society and other organisations to use the YMI experience in changing school environment and can be additionally can be utilized for advocacy and promotion purposes, as well as for widening program scope and replicating the model across the Balkans.

The Program Y has been accredited by ministries in charge of education in BiH, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia and recognized in Albania as a result of CARE and partners work and dedication. Furthermore, in BiH Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and Bosnian Podrinje Canton made the Program mandatory in all high schools.

Program Y brings up to 60% of positive changes of attitudes and behaviors of high school students. One of the main conclusions of the case study is that the Program Y is a tool that is improving young men and women’s attitudes and behavior and decreasing both violence against (young) women and peer violence, that manages to diversify its scope, engage (in) different sectoral policies and practices, and finally, address the needs communities in a more effective and comprehensive manner.

The Case Study is developed within the projects “Young Men Initiative (YMI): Promoting Healthier Lifestyles among Youth in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Challenging Gender Stereotypes II or Young Men Initiative II (YMI II)” and “Men and Boys as Partners in Promoting Gender Equality and the Prevention of Youth Extremism and Violence in the Balkans” funded by Oak Foundation, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and the Austrian Development Cooperation and implemented by CARE International Balkans in cooperation with the following civil society organizations: Association XY (Sarajevo), Perpetuum Mobile (Banja Luka), NGO Youth Power (Mostar), Center E8 (Belgrade), Status M (Zagreb), SIT Center for Counseling, Social Services and Research and YMCA Kosovo (Pristina), Youth Education Club Synergy (Kosovska Mitrovica), and Act for Society Centre (Tirana).