In an effort to foster influence at the local level and ensure the sustainability of media and civil society organizations for youth, a training tailored to the specific needs of Programme partners was organized within the Programme "Advancing Media and Youth CSOs Partnership for Prosperous Democratic Development of Serbia - MAY4DD". 

The two-day training brought together 14 representatives of partners, along with relevant experts, addressing topics such as fundraising, storytelling, communication with youth, and project monitoring and evaluation. 

Developing Potential through an Innovative Fundraising Model 

The training began with an introduction to the basics of fundraising and philanthropy. In the second session, Milos Jankovic, Acting Director of Catalyst, presented and conducted exercises on the Canvas methodology for fundraising—a powerful tool for developing scalable models for youth-oriented civil society organizations and media. 

Fundraising, Milos Jankovic (PHOTO: BOS)

The Power of Storytelling 

Vladimira Dorcova Valtnerova, Chief Editor of the Storyteller portal, provided detailed insights into storytelling in journalism or narrative journalism. Participants learned about the principles of shaping stories and the crucial significance of narrative communication. 

Effective Communication with Youth 

Long-time journalist, activist, and influencer Lana Nikolic highlighted the uniqueness of communication dynamics with youth through various channels. Representatives from partner organizations and media explored strategies for effective communication, sharing experiences, challenges, and successful examples in overcoming communication barriers with young people. 

How to communicate with young people: challenges, standards and trends, Lana Nikolic 
(PHOTO: BOS)

This collaborative effort resulted in significant insights, serving as valuable guidance for developing communication strategies tailored to youth. 

Monitoring and Evaluation for Project Success 

The final part of the training focused on project monitoring and evaluation, led by Tamara Arsic, Project Manager at the Belgrade Open School. Attendees gained insights into the processes involved in monitoring, tracking, and evaluating project success. The session covered evaluation criteria, planning, and offered specific models applicable to their own projects. 

(PHOTO: BOS)

The training, dedicated to the specific needs of partners, took place on December 12-13, 2023, in Vrnjacka Banja. It represents a segment aimed at strengthening the capacity of youth civil society organizations and media in the third cycle of the "Advancing Media and Youth CSOs Partnership for Prosperous Democratic Development of Serbia - MAY4DD" Programme conducted by Belgrade Open School with the support of the Kingdom of Sweden. 

Photo gallery HERE 

PHOTO and autor: Belgrade Open School