Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE
RYDE Youth Policy Labs are dialogue sessions implemented within the framework of the Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE project, funded by the European Union, aimed at strengthening structured dialogue between young people and policymakers at national and regional levels in order to jointly formulate recommendations for improving public policies relevant for youth in the Western Balkan countries.
The primary goal is to ensure that young people from the region are actively involved in decision-making processes that address their needs and priorities and have an impact on their everyday lives. In addition to engaging young people, Youth Policy Labs also aim to enable civil society organizations, particularly youth organizations, to influence public policies related to young people.
During 2024 and 2025, a total of 30 Youth Policy Labs were held at national and regional levels, bringing together over 350 participants, including young people, decision-makers, civil society organizations, youth organizations, members of political parties, and experts.
Five youth-related thematic areas were covered through the Youth Policy Labs. For each topic, six sessions were held (both online and in person) at national and regional levels:
- Media & Digital Literacy, coordinated by NGO Info Center, Skopje, North Macedonia
- Sexual & Reproductive Health, coordinated by Kosovar Stability Initiative, Pristina, Kosovo
- Youth Employment / Youth Guarantee, coordinated by the Network of Progressive Initiatives, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Youth Participation, coordinated by Youth Act, Tirana, Albania
- Culture & Cultural Heritage, coordinated by the Center for Democracy Foundation, Belgrade, in cooperation with the Regional Academy for Democratic Development, Novi Sad, Serbia
Following the 30 dialogue sessions, a total of 70 recommendations for improving youth policies in the Western Balkans were formulated across five key areas and submitted to public institutions across the region.
Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe – RYDE
The Regional Youth Dialogue for Europe Project is implementing by the Center for Democracy Foundation (CDF), Belgrade (as project coordinator) and partner organizations: Academy of European Integration and Negotiations from Tirana (AIEN); Kosovo Stability Initiative from Pristina (IKS); Association Network of Progressive Initiatives from Sarajevo (NPI); NGO Info Center from Skopje (NGO IC); Regional Academy for Democratic Development from Novi Sad (ADD); Youth Act Center from Tirana (YA). The project is funded by the European Union.
