After previously taking advocacy efforts and promoting the Youth Peace and Security Agenda (YPS) across WB6 by raising awareness, mapping stakeholders and empowering youth and local actors with knowledge and resources, RYCO is now bringing new initiative to regional table, putting the YPS agenda at the forefront to strengthen youth engagement in peace and security topics.
For the first time in the Western Balkans, RYCO, together with German Cooperation, is now introducing YPS Granting Scheme within RYCOgnizing YPS project, bringing the opportunities to CSOs from the region to empower young people, foster peace, and create an impact in the local communities.
Officially launched in March 2025, RYCOgnizing YPS; Meaningful Youth Participation in the Western Balkans project aims to provide support to youth-led and youth-responsive initiatives that advance peace and stability in the Western Balkans and empower selected youth actors, organizations, and multipliers that have the potential to make a local impact and contribute to the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda.
The project’s core objective is to equip young leaders and organizations with essential tools for human rights, advocacy and political participation, demonstrating how democratic engagement is integral to effective peacebuilding. By enhancing the competencies of youth in these areas, the initiative aims to strengthen their capacity to contribute meaningfully to peace and security efforts at the local level.
By proposing projects focused on at least one of the five YPS pillars, namely: Participation, Protection, Prevention, Partnerships, Disengagement & Reintegration, CSOs from the region will have an opportunity to receive both financial and technical support to implement initiatives that not only strengthen their organizational capacities, but also promote sustainable peace, cooperation, and security in the region.
Through a competitive Call, that is open until 10th of May 2025, CSOs and youth organizations that meet specific criteria for local impact will be identified and supported. Selected CSOs will be granted funds in amount of €40,000 (LOT1) to implement projects that will target one municipality from their Contracting Party (CP), focusing on the local impact that will enhance youth participation and engagement or €60,000 (LOT2) for the CSOs’ projects targeting multiple stakeholder initiatives with wider impact and multiple YPS Pillars. Each proposal should include clear mechanisms for youth participation, institutional engagement, and policy advocacy, ensuring that young people are actively involved in decision-making processes that shape their communities, such as establishment of Youth-Led Policy Dialogues platforms, training programs for youth in conflict, non-violent communication and peer support or establishment of community-based centers
In line with RYCO Strategy 2025-2027, RYCOgnizing YPS Granting Scheme is set to make a direct and impactful contribution across main strategic priority, and concrete actions will focus on enhancing youth participation in peacebuilding and decision-making processes, developing protection mechanisms for youth in conflict-affected areas, and facilitating partnerships between youth and governmental or international bodies. Additionally, the project will encourage preventive measures to counter violence and radicalization and support the reintegration of youth affected by conflict. By creating spaces for meaningful youth participation, RYCO supports projects that go beyond engagement and actively integrate youth in the design, implementation, and evaluation of activities. By placing youth at the center of all our efforts, RYCO seeks to ignite enthusiasm of young people, unlock their potential, and inspire lasting social change across the region.