EU, BMZ and GIZ support capacity development to strengthen youth organisations in Armenia

This September-October, a series of highly successful capacity-building events was conducted in Armenia, bringing together over 70 young leaders and 20 public officials to inspire youth empowerment and foster dialogue across the country. These events, each carefully designed to build practical skills, enhance project implementation, and promote youth involvement in policy-making, received excellent feedback from both participants and partners.

The first capacity building activity on Youth Project Design and Implementation focused on key areas crucial for youth organizations’ success. The program covered topics such as organizational development, strategic planning, and financial management for non-profits. Additionally, participants were trained in proposal writing, fundraising, and public communication, equipping them with the necessary tools to design and implement impactful youth projects. Participants praised the hands-on approach, which empowered them to envision sustainable projects and manage them with financial responsibility and public accountability.   

The two subsequent seminars were dedicated to advocacy, where youth and officials collaborated on designing impactful advocacy campaigns and enhancing youth engagement in decision-making. The sessions fostered discussions on the unique challenges of youth-led advocacy, equipping young leaders with lobbying strategies and stakeholder engagement techniques that proved invaluable. Public officials, actively engaging in these discussions, provided insights into effective youth-policy collaboration, which participants highlighted as a pivotal part of the experience.

The final workshop provided a collaborative platform for Armenia’s youth centers, with training on media engagement and critical media literacy. This exchange of ideas and practices reinforced the value of these youth hubs and equipped participants with practical tools to foster an informed and engaged community. Both youth and officials gave enthusiastic feedback, highlighting the success of these events in strengthening Armenia’s youth development network. Together, these activities represent a significant development in capacity-building efforts in Armenia, with young leaders now better prepared to drive positive change in their communities.

These initiatives were implemented within the framework of the EU4Youth: Youth Engagement and Empowerment Project co-funded by the European Union and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH as part of the Strengthening Civil Society in the Eastern Partnership Project.