We launch surveys, organise roundtables and utilise tools for analysis of social media to ensure that our programming is always evidence-driven. We prioritise sharing this research with young people. We publish our reports and those of our partner projects, and they are all available on this page.
Our research draws upon the lessons from the Strong Cities Network, and our parent organisation, the Institute for Strategic Dialogue. Our programme is pragmatic, evidence-driven, relevant and impactful because of the quality of research we deliver.
The Strong Cities Network‘s approach to capacity building prioritises learning-by-doing, contextualising theory through practical application so that participants are not merely introduced to critical capacities but can also apply them in ways that benefit their community directly and create a solid foundation from which they can advance their role as peacebuilders in the future. Critically, the Young Cities programme addresses a full range of capacities that young people need to succeed, going beyond knowledge, skills and understanding and providing a range of resources, entry points, networks, and opportunities to build credibility and experiences they need to meaningfully pursue their goals and establish themselves as peacebuilders.
This combination of holistic capacity building and hands-on learning has led SCN to develop a series of models that it has deployed successfully in eight countries, training, supporting and empowering more than 400 young peacebuilders and enabling the delivery of 75 youth-led initiatives that have directly engaged 22,000 young people and over 14 million more.
In this report, SCN outlines four of these models, offering good practice and inspiration and providing recommendations for any actor – whether in government, civil society or the private sector – who is committed to empowering young people as leaders, enhancing local governance and helping pave the way for more effective and sustainable P/CVE now and in the future.
The Youth Policy and Engagement Forum (referred to as the Forum) was a platform for policy-driven dialogue between local and central government institutions and 17 Young Cities Ambassadors – young people who have completed Young Cities’ training programme and successfully delivered an initiative in their community through its small grants scheme. This White Paper summarises the results of the dialogue event, and concludes with two key recommendations for more representative youth inclusion in policymaking in North Macedonia.
Young Cities is a global, pioneering capacity-building programme that connects young people to local governments, enabling the development of shared solutions to the challenges of hate, polarisation, and extremism around the world. Our work builds mutual trust and creates opportunities to address the most pressing issues facing the communities in which we work. The project is the youth pillar of the Strong Cities Network (SCN), building upon the insights and experience of SCN’s collaboration with municipalities around the world – connecting sub-national leaders and driving impactful, locally-led policy. With the support of our funders as well as our partners, including local organisations and municipal officials, we have empowered young people in ten cities across Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, North Macedonia and Senegal to thrive as peacebuilders in their communities. Young Cities is currently launching in the cities of Antwerp and Liège with the support of the United States Embassy, Belgium.
Read more about our impact globally:
قام فريقنا في جميع المدن اللبنانية الثلاثة التي أطلقنا فيها البرنامج – طرابلس وصيدا ومجدل عنجر – بدعم الشباب والحكومات المحلية )البلديات( لمواجهة العديد من التحديات المختلفة. وقد عملت المبادرات التي يقودها الشباب عى تمكن اللاجئن والتخفيف من حدة التوترات المجتمعية والتصدي للصور النمطية وتشجيع مشاركة الشباب في الشؤون المدنية والعمل التطوعيوتسليط الضوء عى الممارسات الخاطئة وغر ذلك الكثر. كا وقام برنامج المدن الشابة Young Cities بتحويل التمويل المخصص لمبادرة المدينة لدعم السلطات البلدية في مدننا الثاث، للمساعدة في جهود الإغاثة في بروت، وذلك بعد الانفجار الذي هز العاصمة في عام 20
تم إطاق برنامج المدن الشابة Young Cities في الأردن عام 2021 ، وركز البرنامج جهوده عى تمكن الشباب بالدرجة الأولى في مدينة الزرقاء الواقعة عى أطراف عان. وقمنا هناك بدعم 21 متطوع من الشباب لإطلاق ثلات مشاريع – اثنان منها حصلوا عى دعم مادي جديد عن طريق برنامج السفراء التابع لبرنامج المدن الشابة – Young Cities يتخذ كل منها نهجاً مختلفاً لمواجهة مشاكل تهم مجتمعاتهم. وفي الوقت نفسه، قدمنا الدعم في عملية تطوير 3 مبادرات من مبادرات المدينة في مدينة الزرقاء، وإربد و الكرك – وذلك بالتعاون مع شبكة المدن القوية و الاستفادة من علاقاتهم الواسعة التي أقاموها خال مدة عملهم التي تتجاوز 5 سنوات في الأردن
اقرأ المزيد عن تأثير عملنا في البلدين:
Young Cities has been active in Lebanon since 2018, where we have supported 76 young peace-builders to launch 14 youth-led initiatives that have worked to empower refugee populations; ease societal tensions; tackle stereotypes; encourage youth civic participation and volunteerism; spotlighted harmful practices and much more. Young Cities additionally diverted its City Initiative funding originally intended to support municipal authorities in our three cities, to aid in relief efforts in Beirut, following the blast that rocked the capital in 2020.
Young Cities launched its programming in Jordan in 2021. Our youth youth-empowerment efforts were focused on the city of Zarqa, the capital of Zarqa governorate on the outskirts of Amman. There we supported 21 young activists to launch three projects – two of which have gone to receive a second round of funding through the Young Cities Ambassadors programme – taking different approaches to tackle disinformation and discrimination. Simultaneously, Young Cities supported three City Initiatives in the cities of Zarqa, Irbid and Karak, collaborating closely with the Strong Cities Network and leveraging their extensive relationships, which they have established in the more than five years they have worked in the country.
Read more about the impact of our work in the two countries:
Deri më sot, Qytetet e Reja kanë ofruar programe në Gostivar dhe Shkup, ku kemi ofruar mbështetje të drejtpërdrejtë për të fuqizuar 76 paqendërtues të rinj dhe kemi trajnuar 12 zyrtarë komunalë për të zhvilluar zgjidhje të qëndrueshme ndaj këtyre sfidave. Ai ka rezultate në 15 projekte të udhëhequra nga të rinjtë që ndikuan drejtpërdrejt në 3011 të rinj dhe arritën në 1,127,194 të tjerë, si dhe dy projekte të drejtuara nga qytetet që përmirësonin programimin në nivel komunal.
До денес, Млади градови спроведе програми во Гостивар и Скопје каде што обезбедивме директна поддршка за јакнење на 76 млади градители на мирот и обучивме 12 општински службеници за развивање на одржливи решенија кон овие предизвици. Ова резултираше со 15 проекти предводени од страна на младите кои имаат директно влијание врз 3011 млади луѓе и посредно опфатија уште 1.127.194 луѓе, како и два проекти предводени од градови со што се подобри испораката на активности на ниво на општини. Прочитај повеќе:
To date, Young Cities has delivered programmes in Gositvar and Skopje where we provided direct support to empower 76 young peacebuilders and trained 12 municipal officials to develop sustainable solutions to these challenges. It has resulted in 24 youth-led projects that directly impacted 3,011 young people and reached 1,127,194 more, as well as two cityled projects that improved municipal-level programming. Read more:
If you would like to find out more about our impact, or would like to discuss future opportunities, we would love to hear from you.
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