Pioneering Youth Information Services in the Western Balkans

Project Description

The essential aim of Youth Information and Counselling (YIC) is to assist young people in all aspects of their lives and their autonomous decision-making. It builds on the fact that it is not possible to make a sound decision without knowing one’s options and alternatives, being able to evaluate them, putting them into a broader context, and relating them to one’s abilities, skills and wishes. The process is especially challenging for young people who are still developing their personalities and for those from unprivileged
backgrounds. In this sense, the ultimate motivation behind YinfoPioneers is to enable young people in the target Western Balkan countries to become better decision-makers and problem-solvers based on quality information and guidance. This requires trained youth workers and youth information professionals, and the recognition of youth information as part of national youth policies and youth work development plans. YinfoPioneers seeks to set the basis to develop and expand YIC services in the Western Balkans, namely in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and North Macedonia and to promote the integration of the right of young people to information in national
youth strategies. This would bring youth policies in these countries more in line with the EU Youth Strategy and other national youth strategies across the EU. Under the coordination of the European Youth Information and Counselling Agency (ERYICA), the consortium is composed of 6 CSOs operating in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, North Macedonia and Slovenia, as well as a public body in Spain (Catalan Youth Agency).

Project Duration

2021-2023

Project Objectives

The essential aim of Youth Information and Counselling (YIC) is to assist young people in all aspects of their lives and their autonomous decision-making.

• Build the capacity of organisations working with young people outside formal learning;
• Promote non-formal learning activities in the Western Balkans with the aim of ensuring access of all young people (including those fewer opportunities) to youth information services;
• Supporting the development of youth work in the Western Balkans by training and resourcing youth workers on the provision of youth information to young people and boosting its recognition and quality;
• Contributing to the implementation of the EU Youth Strategy (2019-2027) and the Youth Goals, namely Youth Goal 4 (Information and Constructive dialogue); and
• Enhancing cooperation across different countries and regions of the world by through youth information development and advocacy initiatives;
• Working with formal education systems by collaborating with a University for the development of one of the project deliverables.

Project Activities

-Kick off meeting;
-Consortium meetings;
-Trainings;
-Seminar;
-Focus groups;
-Dialogue days;

Project Outcomes

Project documents

Project Website and SM
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Project Consortium

Project Financed by