Raising Innovation, Skills & Empowerment for Youth in the Western Balkans

forthcoming

RiseUp-WB is a 24-month capacity-building initiative aiming to bolster youth-focused NGOs and municipalities in Albania and Kosovo—especially those working with marginalized youth—through innovative training, cross-border exchanges, and policy engagement. The project addresses the challenges of high youth unemployment, insufficient digital competencies, and limited civic involvement by delivering: TOT Sessions & Capacity Building (WP2): Partner staff and volunteers receive two intensive Training of Trainers courses (in inclusive youth work, volunteer management, digital facilitation, and employability-focused methods). They then replicate these skills locally via cascade workshops and a community of TOT alumni. Digital & Entrepreneurial Skill Labs (WP3): Over 50 underrepresented youth benefit from hands-on digital literacy, entrepreneurial labs, and a cross-border hackathon in Spain to foster social innovation and job readiness. Mentorship from EU partners ensures robust follow-up and employability outcomes. Youth Participation & Policy Dialogue (WP4): A Youth Advisory Board (YAB) in Albania and Kosovo shapes local policies through roundtables, a “Youth Voice” campaign, and synergy with hackathon project prototypes. A 6-day physical event in Italy brings together TOT staff, YAB members, and EU experts to finalize policy briefs. Sustainability, Impact & Dissemination (WP5): An EU-branded “RiseUp-Campaign,” a multilingual website, dissemination events in each partner country, and a final conference in Estonia embed results into a formal sustainability plan (MoUs) and local strategies, ensuring continued collaborations post-grant. Aligned with Erasmus+ Capacity Building, RiseUp-WB fosters digital transformation, civic engagement, and social inclusion in the Western Balkans. Through structured WPs, strong EU-WB synergies, and clear sustainability measures, RiseUp-WB will enhance youth employability, empower institutions and strengthen cross-border cooperation.