The third meeting of youth from the EU and the Western Balkans was held virtually on June 9, 2020 and focused on the role of transnational cooperation and European youth programs, the development of youth work and youth policies and the European integration process. The initial plans for a three-day meeting in Montenegro, in April 2020, were replaced with a one-day virtual meeting.
This meeting was preceded by two other meetings of youth from Europe and the Western Balkans, which were held in 2016 and 2018 and included 50 participants from the youth work sector in EU and Western Balkans countries. The participants analyzed past achievements of projects implemented by the EU and Western Balkans, and explored current needs. They discussed what youth work practitioners, decision makers and other stakeholders, including relevant institutions and support structures, can do to increase their impact, bring about positive change and forge ahead with EU youth programs beyond 2020. The goals of this meeting include: situational analysis and support for cooperation and participation of Western Balkans in EU youth programs (Erasmus+ and ESC); analyzing the connection between EU youth programs and further development of youth work, youth policies and research; analyzing issues that are relevant to youth and can be addressed in transnational cooperation projects; securing a space for contributing to the process of planning future cooperation with neighboring partner countries (in new EU youth programs).
The meeting was organized by national Erasmus+ agencies Youth in Action (E+ YiA) from Croatia, Germany, North Macedonia and Slovenia, the European Solidarity Corps (ESC) and the SALTO SEE resource center. A representative of the Institute for Youth Development KULT attended this meeting.
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