Balkan States: Development of youth programs

Background

The events of the 90s in the Balkans looted a whole generation of young people of their perspective to experience positive changes. This “Crossover generation” is often suffering from poverty, youth unemployment or the slowness of social changes. Youth organisations like YMCA, where young people with different backgrounds can share experiences and build up two-way trust, are very rare. Horyzon supports the development of the YMCA in the Balcans since 2003.

Project goals

Horyzon - in cooperation with the European YMCA - funds the development of national and local youth organisations. The YMCA trains local youth leaders to organize and realize youth programs themselves. Five national YMCA youth associations were founded, 45 employees were hired on a national and local level and 500 leaders were trained since the start of the project in 2003. They get involved voluntarily with the newly founded YMCAs. So for example in Bulgaria, where leaders are active in orphanages and education work with the young Roma. This youth work – according to the respective needs – allows to experience democracy in a small scale. This is of big importance for the future stability of the Balkans.