The Ministry of Youth and Sport on March 22 launched the program of assistance for developing district/municipal youth councils for 2016. The program is aimed at increasing the organizational and functioning capacities of youth councils as representative bodies and at empowering the young people to ensure their participation in the decision-making process at the local level, IPN reports.

According to the involved authorities, the financial and methodological support will be aimed at ensuring the efficiency of activities to increase the participation of local youth councils in the local decision-making process and to strengthen cooperation with the local public authorities. There will be supported activities designed to increase the responsibility of young people in the identification and solving of own problems, by formulating recommendations about youth activities and the problems that affect the youth.

There will also be supported events to teach young people active democracy, the culture of expression, communication, dialogue, negotiation, decision-making and assessment, to develop leadership skills and to stimulate active citizenship. The goal is to increase the level of responsibility, confidence and civic initiative in the implementation of own projects, initiatives and ideas.

The program is intended for district/municipal youth councils that were already formed and are recognized by the local public authorities of the second level. The program consists of two stages – consultancy and empowerment in the self-organization and participation process, and co-financing of work programs of youth councils.