The Kosovo Youth Leadership Academy is a unique residential program for high-school-age youth. The goal is to prepare young people to be effective leaders and agents of change, dedicated to improving the lives of their peers in Kosovo. The Academy is a program of the Institute for Sustainable Communities and Common Ground Consulting, and is funded by the U.S. Government. The residential portion of the Academy was held 24-30 August 2009 in Prevala/Prevalac in the Sharri Mountains.
The Academy succeeded in building the self-confidence and leadership skills of Kosovo’s future decision-makers—instilling hope for their country’s continued political and economic security, and nurturing their active and powerful voices to shape Kosovo’s future. We are proud to have worked with an amazing team of staff and supporters, but even more importantly, with an amazing group of powerful, passionate, inspiring young leaders.
At Common Ground and ISC, we’ve long believed in the power of young people to make a difference in their communities. The stories of youth are provocative and influential in affecting public debate. As the new graduates of the Academy become engaged in the life of their communities they will help inspire a positive shift in the hearts and minds of their fellow Kosovars. The first step in the graduates’ engagement has already begun as they launch three micro-grant initiatives designed and planned during the Academy.
The Academy model, based on previous experience working with youth in the Balkans and around the world, was applied in Kosovo with excellent results. We've just filed our final report for the Academy, demonstrating that it was a powerful success. Participants, trainers, and observers all gave it extremely high marks.
Final Report-Kosovo Summer Youth Leadership Academy 2009.pdf
We know that many of you are looking for new ways to engage the young people in your communities. Take a look at the report (which includes an analysis of the evaluation data we collected throughout the week, as well as a summary of the Academy activities, an overview of the original concept, and various agendas and support documents) and let us know if you think an Academy like this one could meet your needs.