On 26–27 May 2025, 35 young participants from Albania, Italy, North Macedonia, and Kosovo gathered in Campobasso, Italy, for the third international workshop of the Youth Observer Model – A Cross Regional Predictive Model for Youth Policy Shaping project.
Hosted by Eurelations GEIE, the workshop, “Political Advocacy in Action,” focused on strengthening participants’ knowledge and practical skills in policy advocacy, democratic participation, and engagement with public institutions.
Through interactive sessions, participants explored how evidence-based advocacy can contribute to more inclusive public policies at both local and national levels. The programme also examined strategies for building partnerships with institutional and civil society actors to support meaningful youth participation in decision-making.
The workshop featured contributions from experts on key topics, including:
• The Power of Advocacy: Your Role in a Democratic Society – Alessandro Melillo (PRISM)
• Building Strategic Alliances for Political Advocacy – Prof. Dr. Nevila Xhindi
• EU Youth Strategy and Opportunities – Prof. Valentina Ndou
Participants also visited the Municipality of Campobasso, where they met with the Mayor, municipal advisors, and council members to exchange experiences on local governance, civic participation, and the role of young people in public decision-making.
The workshop represented another important milestone in strengthening regional cooperation and equipping young leaders with the competencies needed to actively contribute to democratic governance and evidence-based youth policymaking across the Western Balkans.
The Youth Observer Model – “A Cross Regional Predictive Model for Youth Policy Shaping – Youth Observers (Y-Os)” is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Youth project, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by Qendra Mesdheu, CCIS Albania, Center for Change Management (CCM), SCiDEV, INDEP, and Eurelations GEIE.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and participants and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), or the project partners. Neither the European Union, EACEA, nor the project partners can be held responsible for the content of this publication.
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