RYCO organized an Online Regional Training for the second group of civil society organizations awarded grants under the “RYCOgnizing YPS – Meaningful Youth Participation in the Western Balkans” project, supported by the German Government through the German Federal Foreign Office.
The training marked the formal start of the implementation period for six additional projects approved from the reserve list within the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) Granting Scheme. With this second batch, the total number of supported organizations has increased to 13, further expanding the reach of youth-led peacebuilding and participation initiatives across the Western Balkans.
Designed as a practical orientation and capacity-building space, the regional training focused on preparing newly selected grantees for effective and compliant project implementation. Participants were guided through key aspects of grant management, including contractual obligations, financial and narrative reporting, monitoring and evaluation processes, and communication and visibility requirements.
A central component of the training was dedicated to strengthening understanding of meaningful youth participation and its application throughout the project cycle. Through discussions and practical examples, participants explored ways to ensure that young people are actively involved in decision-making processes and that projects remain aligned with the core principles of the Youth, Peace, and Security agenda.
By extending support to additional organizations, RYCO continues to demonstrate its commitment to empowering young people as agents of positive change and to reinforcing cooperation, reconciliation, and peacebuilding in the region. The approval of reserve-list projects reflects both the high quality of proposals received and the strong demand for initiatives that place young people at the center of community development.
As the second batch of grantees enters the implementation phase, RYCO looks forward to supporting their work and witnessing the impact of their initiatives on local communities and regional cooperation throughout the Western Balkans.
