| Project summary: | The project aims to support youth participation in representative democracy and civil society in cross border area through creating sustainable and qualified Youth network of young civil society mentors, and by providing the youth organisations from the area with online platform (social network) and methodological guidelines and tools.
Activities: 1. Field (sociological) study in Bulgaria - The study aims to identify the main obstacles and reasons for the lack of motivation among the young in the border region, to actively participate in youth civil society activities and representative democracy, aiming at solving local community problems. Also, the study will identify young people, motivated to participate in youth civil society activities and representative democracy, for the benefit of the local communities. The research will encompass representatives of young people (16 – 29), youth organizations and workers, responsible institutions and organizations (schools, municipalities, universities). 2. Field (sociological) study in Serbia - The study aims to identify the main obstacles and reasons for the lack of motivation among the young in the border region, to actively participate in youth civil society activities, and representative democracy, aiming at solving local community problems. Also the study will identify young people, motivated to participate in youth civil society activities, and representative democracy, for the benefit of the local communities. The research will encompass representatives of young people (16 – 29), youth organizations and workers, responsible institutions and organizations (schools, municipalities, universities). 3. Analytical research of the legal framework, policy instruments and best practices - The analysis will encompass legal acts and strategical and political documents, regulating the youth civil society and political activities and initiatives and will cover four sub-areas: • Legal acts, policies and documents in Bulgaria; • Legal acts, policies and documents in Serbia; • Legal acts, policies and documents at EU level; • Analysis of best practices. 4. Information campaign - The campaign will use three basic types of tools - social network publishing (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.), dissemination of information materials (leaflets, brochures and posters) to key places, related with the target groups - regional universities (Nis, Botevgrad, Pernik), municipal centers, and publications in regional media. Through these instruments, the target groups will be informed about the results already achieved, about the purpose and form of the project events and will be invited to participate in them, as well. In addition, roll-up banner and promotion materials will be used in every project event. 5. Regional discussion forum - The purpose of the Regional forum is to present these results of activities 1-3 to active and motivated target group representatives, to obtain feedback on their validity and to discuss and make recommendations for the development of methodological tools through which to overcome the challenges identified. The forum will last for two days and will encompass 32 young people - 16 from each country. 6. Development of methodological guidelines and working tools - During the activity, the necessary methodological Guidelines and tools will be developed as result of the recommendations. The methodology will support the young people with practical instruments for organizing and performing civil society activities and representative democracy. 7. Regional training - The main purpose of the training is to transfer the knowledge, and the instruments created as result of activity 6. The training will last for three days – two days of training and one day of competition. It will encompass 32 young people - 16 from each country. The training and the competition will further support the sustainability of the network of informed and active young people. 8. Development of online platform – social network for youth activities The aim of this activity is to create an on-line platform that will provide the contact and communication environment, knowledge and tools of youth activists and organizations from cross-border areas. The young activists, identified and trained under the project, will be motivated to register in the platform as moderators, mentors and administrators of content, in order to guarantee its sustainability. The sustainability of the online platform will be one of the main tools for sustainability of the project results, long after the end of the project activities. 9. Regional closure forum The Regional closure forum is the project emanation and a starting point for further development of activities by the established cross-border youth network. The Forum will be attended by the 32 young people trained during the Regional training, as well as 8 representatives of youth and civil society NGOs, identified during the project activities. The goals of the forum are to promote the project results and to formalize the Youth network, by adoption of declaration, policy, an action plan with measures for future activities of the Youth network.
Results: Two data base and reports, containing detailed and structured description of identified obstacles, challenges, for lack of motivation of young people from Bulgaria and Serbian, to participate actively in civil society and representative democracy. Data base of young people and youth organizations, willing to participate in the project activities and to use the project results. Data base and report, containing detailed and structured description of identified and analyzed legal, political and financial instruments and best practices for support of the youth participation in representative democracy and civil society. Methodology, containing General Guidelines document, with procedures, approaches, advises and Practical tools and instruments. Fully operational online platform (social network for youth activities) 40 active representatives of young individuals or youth organizations from the cross-border area included in the Youth network. Declaration, policy and action plan of the Youth network adopted. Website: https://p2pnet.eu Facebook: KOM 018 - Club for Youth Empowerment 018 / Klub za osnaživanje mladih 018 /@KOM018 Articles: https://zapernik.com/2020/07/07/104200/priklyuchi-proekt-mladezhka-energiya-za-podkrepa-na-mestnite-obsthnosti-zasilvane-na-uchastieto-na-mladite-hora-v-reshavaneto-na-obsthestveni-problemi-chrez-predstavitelnata-demokracziya-i/ https://www.facebook.com/KOM018/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10157475417718145 https://kom018.org.rs/en/energija-mladih-za-podrsku-lokalnim-zajednicama-2/ Videos: https://kom018.org.rs/intervju-na-televiziji-belle-amie-energija-mladih-za-podrsku-lokalnim-zajednicama/?fbclid=IwAR2-VXUbstIHX12BR5g7WBPDJRnrlujdpKuJCE_N3go8jQvFD5gcFdoKSHY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvlHSxdkpg8 |
The website is co-funded by EU through the Interreg-IPA CBC Bulgaria–Serbia Programme.