The EYDR project is designed to engage, connect, and empower young people in the digital space by enhancing their digital skills and promoting awareness of their digital rights. The project takes a balanced approach that ensures both protection and participation, enabling youth to play an active role in digital democracy. Led by SCiDEV, the project unites a consortium of 7 institutions from 4 countries. A key component of the project is a Quality Control and Assurance Plan, which outlines the activities necessary to ensure effective project implementation, continuous monitoring, and high-quality outcomes. This plan is instrumental in fostering efficient collaboration among partners, enabling risk management, resolving challenges, and ensuring timely improvements.

Project Overview:
In the Western Balkans Six (WB6) economies, significant progress has been made in advancing youth policy frameworks, with the adoption of various laws, strategies, and action plans. Despite these efforts, a comprehensive and fully functional youth system that empowers young people and ensures their participation in decision-making remains incomplete. Strengths within the existing frameworks include inclusive consultation processes for developing youth laws and strategies. However, several challenges persist, such as political obstacles, insufficient prioritization of youth as a cross-sectoral policy focus, and issues with systematic monitoring, evaluation, data collection, and policy implementation.

In terms of youth participation, WB6 economies have legal and policy frameworks that emphasize the importance of youth engagement in decision-making processes. Nevertheless, with the exception of Serbia, which has established a consolidated youth representation system and structured dialogue mechanisms, other WB6 countries face gaps in facilitating meaningful youth participation in policy development and dialogue.

The EYDR project is expected to have a significant impact on participating organizations and youth throughout its duration and beyond. By mapping youth participation in digital democracy, the project will create a foundational resource that can be updated and leveraged to advance future youth initiatives. The Accelerator Programme will equip youth with essential competencies, including digital literacy, resilience, life skills, and awareness of environmental sustainability, addressing the demands of the post-COVID-19 world.

Additionally, the project seeks to raise awareness among key stakeholders about the importance of youth participation in digital democracy and digital rights. This will be achieved through various policy dialogue events, such as Digital Youth Rights Talks, Youth Digital Democracy Policy Briefs, and Digital Rights Campaigns, which will also engage the broader public.

Specific Objectives of the EYDR Project:

  • SO1: Foster networking, peer-to-peer support, and the exchange of good practices among organizations working with youth in Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, and Spain, with a focus on youth participation in digital democracy and digital rights.
  • SO2: Increase awareness among stakeholders, including public authorities, academia, civil society, and the general public, about youth digital skills, literacy, and rights by building innovative partnerships with media, educational institutions, and public authorities.
  • SO3: Promote policy dialogue between youth, youth-focused organizations, public authorities, and civil society to strengthen youth participation in digital democracy through the development of digital skills and the promotion of digital rights.

Project partners:

  • SCiDEV- Center Science and Innovation for Development
  • BCHR Belgrade Center for Human Rights (Beogradski Centar za Ljudska Prava), Serbia
  • UZOR Association for Responsible and Sustainable Development (Udruzenje za Odgovorni i Odrzivi Razvoj), Montenegro
  • ESN AL Erasmus Student Network AL (Qendra ESN AL), Albania
  • CCIS Center for Comparative and International Studies (Qendra për Studime Krahasuese dhe Ndërkombëtare), Albania
  • YOUROPÍA CULTURAL ASSOCIATION YOUROPÍA (Asociacion Cultural Youropía), Spain
  • AKR National Youth Agency (Agjencia Kombetare e Rinise), Albania
  • SHARE Share Foundation (Share Fondacija), Serbia

Project’s budget: EUR 300.000,00

Funded by: European Commission, Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Youth

Agreement number: 1011312351

Project timeline: 01.11.2023-1.11.2025

Project Coordinator: SCiDEV- Center Science and Innovation for Development

Countries involved: Albania; Montenegro; Serbia; Spain