Outreach event in North Macedonia
25, August 2025
From August 22 to 24, at Hotel Granit in Ohrid, the Center for Research and Policy Making organized a networking and outreach event aimed at presenting the Regional School for Political Development to young educators, youth workers, and students from across N. Macedonia. The event brought together a total of 21 participants, including experienced educators who have been part of the Young Men Initiative (YMI) since its early stages, as well as engaged university students with an interest in civic participation and youth development. The educators represented key partner organizations involved in the YMI programme: Youth Can (Skopje municipalities), Organized Youth Association (Tetovo and Gostivar), Kreaktiv (Kavadarci and Negotino), and AKVA (Ohrid and Struga). Each organization was represented by two to three educators who had previously delivered YMI workshops in schools and youth clubs. Their active participation in this event reinforced the strong network of practitioners working to promote green topics, gender equality, healthy lifestyles, and youth engagement at the local level. The inclusion of students brought a fresh perspective to the discussions, connecting practical field experience with the enthusiasm and curiosity of the next generation.
The main focus of the event was the presentation of the RSPD programme. During the presentation, CRPM shared an overview of the project’s goals, the structure of the three international seminars, and the mentoring and group work components that support participants in developing evidence-based policy proposals. Participants also learned about the project’s achievements to date, including its participation at international events and the regional partnerships formed through implemented activities.
One of the key messages was the direction of the upcoming edition of the RSPD, which will focus on the topic of anti-corruption. The new cycle will aim to strengthen youth capacities to identify, understand, and act against corruption in their communities, while fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. The anti-corruption focus was met with great interest among both educators and students, who recognized its relevance to the local context and its potential for meaningful youth involvement. This was recognized as a spase to create synergies between the new round of training sessions focused on youth work, adolescence, and the YMI approach. Participants examined the developmental challenges faced by adolescents and discussed innovative ways to engage young people through school clubs, awareness campaigns, and non-formal education tools, like the RSPD.
The outreach event in Ohrid served both as a capacity-building and information-sharing platform, and as a space for cross-generational dialogue. It successfully introduced the RSPD programme to a wider audience, built connections between experienced educators and aspiring youth leaders, and strengthened CRPM’s outreach efforts within the youth sector.
