Because youth participation in Macedonia is a topic addressed by both governmental and non-governmental institutions, a seminar that brought them together was held in Bitola between the 20-22 of November. The seminar ”Youth participation in democratic life” was organised by the OSCE Mission to Skopje and the Agency of Youth and Sport and gathered representatives from youth organisations in Macedonia, as well as umbrella organisations, such as the National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM), the National Association for Youth Work and the SEGA Coalition of Youth Organizations. CID was represented by Milos Ristovski.
The purpose of the seminar was to identify possibilities for cooperation between youth organizations and to strengthen thedialogue in the sphere of youth. During the three days of work, the participants shared their expertise in terms of good practices related to stimulating youth participation, as well as the challenges encountered in the process. They also worked on strategies for future collaboration towards improving the situation of the youth and motivate them to become active citizens. The Q/A session with the foreign experts served the purpose of informing the participants about possible actions and instruments that organisations can use in their activities.
The inter-institutional cooperation is set to lay the ground for the future National Youth Strategy, a project intended to address the needs and interests of youth. The seminar was conducted in the traditional atmosphere of non-formal education, giving everybody the chance to explore creative ways of expression. It was a good opportunity for youth organisations to secure support from governmental institutions and pave the way towards a stronger cooperation. One of the biggest goals in the field of youth work is to achieve the recognition of youth workers and youth organisations and raise their level of professionalisation, so that they could be addressed on a partner level.