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National Youth Council of Macedonia

by
GrantsNorth Macedonia

Summary of organization’s strategic orientation

The National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM) is a union of associations where associations and foundations from the Republic of Macedonia are registered on a voluntary basis. The NYCM is a representative body for youth organizations in Macedonia. NYCM unites 50 organizations: 10 youth organizations, 19 organizations for youth, 1 union, 3 youth wings of other organizations, 2 students unions and 15 associate members. From 29 November 2015, the NYCM is part of the European family of youth organizations called the European Youth Forum (EYF).
The National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM) strategically focuses on strengthening youth representation, advocacy, and participation at both local and national levels. As the representative body for youth organizations, NYCM works to enhance the role of youth in decision-making, develop inclusive policies, and support youth activism. Its core objectives include empowering youth organizations, fostering non-formal education, advocating for youth rights, and promoting equality, tolerance, and democracy. The council’s strategic priorities center on strengthening youth organizing, increasing youth participation in governance, and improving the social position of young people through capacity-building, policy advocacy, and inclusive participation models.
NYCM’s strategic priorities:
Strategic priority 1: Support and Strengthening of Youth Organizing, Capacity Development, and Positioning of Youth Organizational Forms.
Strategic priority 2: Increased Youth Participation in Policy-Making and Decision-Making Processes at the National and Local Levels.
Strategic priority 3: Strengthening the Social Position of Youth and Advancing Youth Standards and Youth Rights.

Summary of the project:

The project “Functional mechanisms for active youth participation at the national level” focuses on enhancing youth participation in policy-making processes and the development of programs that directly or indirectly shape the lives of young people in North Macedonia. Although the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies legally mandates mechanisms for youth participation at both the national and local levels, key structures such as the National Youth Assembly and the National Youth Policy Advisory Body have not yet been established. This absence hinders the effective representation of youth perspectives in decision-making processes.
To address this, the project focuses on establishing these mechanisms and ensuring their efficient functioning by developing guidelines in accordance with the law. The planned activities aim to deliver visible results that will directly contribute to the efficient, full, and consistent implementation of the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies.
Expected Results
R1: Prepared Manuals with functional guidelines for the transparent and effective operation of the National Youth Assembly and the National Youth Policy Advisory Body.
R2: The constitutive session of the National Youth Assembly held in accordance with legal regulations.
R3: Youth representatives elected to the National Youth Policy Advisory Body.
R4: Increased number of young people and youth organizations participating in political and social processes through national youth mechanisms.
R5: Improved awareness among young people, youth organizations, and decision-makers about the importance of youth participation in policymaking.

Project goal(s):

Overall Objective: To strengthen youth participation in decision-making processes at the national level through the establishment of mechanisms in accordance with the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies.

Specific Objectives:
• Support the efficient functioning of the National Youth Assembly and the National Youth Policy Advisory Body through the development and adoption of manuals with precise guidelines for their structure and tasks, in accordance with the relevant legal framework.
• Ensure inclusive and legitimate representation of youth in national decision-making processes in line with legal regulations.
• Raise public awareness about the importance of establishing functional mechanisms for youth participation at the national level in the creation and implementation of youth policies and programs.

Who will benefit from the project? (Based on target groups and expected results)

The target groups of the project are young people aged 15 to 29, youth organizations, civil society organizations working on youth issues, and representatives from public institutions involved in the creation and implementation of youth policies and programs. The final beneficiaries are all young people in North Macedonia who will benefit from the establishment of the National Youth Assembly and the National Youth Policy Advisory Body, as these mechanisms will represent their interests in national decision-making processes.
Main activities (up to 15 bullet points)
A1: Development of Manuals for the Operation of the National Youth Assembly and the National Youth Policy Advisory Body
A1.1 Analysis of best practices for the operation of national youth participation mechanisms;
A1.2 Development of draft versions of manuals for National Youth Assembly and the National Youth Policy Advisory Body;
A1.3 Consultative meeting with youth organizing forms on the prepared manuals;
A2: Constitution of the National Youth Assembly and the National Youth Policy Advisory Body
A2.1 Formation of an initiative committee to convene the National Youth Assembly;
A2.2 Preparation and holding of the constituent session of the National Youth Assembly;
A2.3 Adoption of the prepared manuals by the National Youth Assembly;
A2.4 Election and appointment of youth sector representatives to the National Youth Policy Advisory Body;
A3: Promotional Campaign on the Importance of Establishing Functional Mechanisms for Youth Participation at the National Level
A3.1 Press conferences
A3.2 Online campaign

Results: