2025-12-23

Thematic Session “Youth Housing Independence Policies in the Western Balkans”

Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE

The POLITEIA thematic session “Youth Housing Independence Policies in the Western Balkans” was held on 22–23 December 2025 in Belgrade, organized by the Regional Academy for Democratic Development (ADD) and the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), in cooperation with partner organizations within the project “Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE,” with the support of the European Union.

Research on the attitudes of civil society organizations and young people toward youth participation in public policy-making in the Western Balkans, conducted within the project “Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe,” showed that young people recognize housing conditions as one of the five biggest challenges they face across the Western Balkans region.

The thematic session was organized with the aim of strengthening the capacities of young people, civil society organizations, and decision-makers to understand and analyze public policies in the field of youth housing independence. Participants exchanged knowledge on the structure of housing policies, the definition of goals and measures, legal frameworks, and methods for assessing the social impact of policies, particularly on young people and other vulnerable groups. The focus was on alignment with EU standards, as well as on the exchange of practices from other Western Balkan economies and the European Union. The session contributed to stronger regional cooperation and a shared understanding of key challenges in improving access to housing for young people.

Representatives of youth organizations, young activists, and young members of political parties from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia participated in the two-day Politeia thematic session.

Discussions addressed regional trends and structural barriers affecting youth independence, as well as the broader social and economic implications of limited access to housing. National housing strategies and a comparative overview of housing-related reforms in the Western Balkan economies were considered. EU policy frameworks and harmonization requirements were presented, including the European Pillar of Social Rights, the EU Youth Strategy, and housing-related social inclusion standards. The importance of youth participation and inclusive decision-making processes in shaping effective and sustainable housing policies was emphasized.

Following the thematic session, the implementation of an online mentoring program is envisaged, in order for participants to further enhance the knowledge gained in the field of analysis and development of public policy proposals in this area.

The Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe project is implemented by the Center for Democracy Foundation, Belgrade (as the project coordinator), and partner organizations: the Academy for European Integration and Negotiations from Tirana (AIEN); the Kosovo Initiative for Stability from Pristina (IKS); the Network of Progressive Initiatives from Sarajevo (NPI); NGO Info Center from Skopje (NGO IC); the Regional Academy for Democratic Development from Novi Sad (ADD); and the Youth Act Center from Tirana (YA). The project is funded by the European Union.