Under the present Call for Proposals, RYCO intends to support and empower civil society organizations and secondary schools to implement activities in the areas of regional youth cooperation, mobility and exchange; and enabling environment for regional youth cooperation.

RYCO strongly believes that the young people should be creating a culture of mobility, intercultural exchange and reconciliation. They should also be active contributors to democratic development, social and economic prosperity, and European integration in an increasingly open Western Balkans region. Contracting Parties in the Western Balkans should be providing proactive support to youth exchange and youth engagement within the Contracting Parties, and across the region.

Young people in the Western Balkans live with the pressures and influences of a social and political narrative that is distorted by prejudice, denial, revisionism and nationalism. Inherited, negative narratives form the basis for young people’s future life choices about career, residence, friendships and even the possibility of dialogue with other people; thus compounding negative narratives about ‘the other’. In this volatile context, there is a notable lack of opportunity for young people to move within the region for volunteering, formal and non-formal education and training, or simply to meet and share experiences of being peaceably together. This lack of opportunity is also compounded by legal obstacles.

The General Objective of this Call for Proposals is to contribute to the process of reconciliation in the region of the Western Balkans by increasing youth mobility and intercultural dialogue, as well as creating an enabling environment for regional youth cooperation. RYCO wants to empower young people for setting the course to a better society in the Western Balkans.

The call will be focused on 2 priority areas which contain the following specific objectives, as below:

Priority area 1:  Regional youth cooperation, mobility and exchange

Specific Objective 1: Intercultural Learning and Dialogue

Young people engage in intercultural learning and dialogue with their peers from the diverse communities within their Contracting Parties and across the Western Balkan region.

Specific Objective 2: Dealing with the Past

Young people address their differences concerning the region’s past and challenge inherited narratives through guided processes in a safe environment.

Priority area 2:  Enabling environment for regional youth cooperation

Specific Objective 3: Policy Influencing

The legislative and political environment is increasingly supportive of reconciliation and intercultural learning, and of the implementation of youth mobility and exchange both within and among Contracting Parties in the Western Balkan region.

Specific Objective 4: Youth Participation

Young people participate in decision-making processes that shape their local communities as well as social and political development of their respective society and the Western Balkan region.

Specific Objective 5: Strengthening Capacities

Individuals and institutions are better equipped to play key roles in accompanying and guiding young people towards abovementioned specific objectives 1-4.

RYCO will support projects built upon a partnership, with at least one partner from WB 6 (please check the Guidelines).

The overall financial envelope for this call is EUR 1.000.000.

Indicative allocation of funds by lots:

Priority Area 1: EUR 550.000

• LOT 1: EUR 200.000 for secondary schools[1] projects from EUR 10.000 to EUR 20.000
• LOT 2: EUR 150.000 for CSOs[2] projects from EUR 10.000 to EUR 15.000
• LOT 3: EUR 200.000 for CSOs projects from EUR 15.000 to EUR 35.000

Priority Area 2 – EUR 450.000

• LOT 1 EUR 100.000 for secondary schools[3] projects from EUR 10.000 to EUR 20.000
• LOT 2 EUR 100.000 for CSOs[4] projects from EUR 10.000 to EUR 15.000
• LOT 3 EUR 250.000 for CSOs projects from EUR 15.000 to EUR 35.000

THE FULL GUIDELINES FOR APPLICANTS AND RELATED DOCUMENTS, AS WELL AS THE SCHEDULE OF THE INFO SESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE HERE.

[1] Also applicable for CSOs applying on behalf of secondary schools. Please consult section 2.2.1. of the Guidelines for more information.

[2] CSOs applying for LOT2 should not have the total budget of the last three years higher than 50,000 EUR

[3] Also applicable for CSOs applying on behalf of secondary schools. Please consult section 2.2.1. of the Guidelines for more information.

[4] CSOs applying for LOT2 should not have the total budget of the last three years higher than 50,000 EUR