YouthAction4HealthWB is a three-year regional capacity-building project dedicated to empowering young people to actively shape health policies and contribute to healthier, more inclusive communities across the Western Balkans.

Bringing together seven partner organisations and institutions from Montenegro, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia, and Slovenia, the project creates a platform for regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the transfer of European good practices in youth health and wellbeing.

YouthAction4HealthWB responds to some of the most pressing challenges affecting young people today, including mental health, unequal access to healthcare, environmental health risks, and the limited involvement of young people in decision-making processes. By strengthening the capacities of youth organisations, youth workers, and young people themselves, the project promotes meaningful youth participation in developing more responsive and inclusive health policies.

Throughout three years of implementation, the partnership will deliver training programmes, study visits, policy dialogues, awareness campaigns, podcasts, research, and advocacy activities designed to strengthen regional cooperation and encourage cross-sector collaboration between young people, civil society organisations, institutions, and decision-makers.

At its core, YouthAction4HealthWB believes that young people are not only beneficiaries of health policies, but essential partners in creating them. By fostering dialogue, building capacities, and supporting evidence-based advocacy, the project contributes to stronger youth participation, healthier communities, and a more sustainable future for young people across the Western Balkans.

Objectives

🟣 Manage

Establish and manage a strong international partnership based on youth-friendly, results-based and human rights-based approaches, while ensuring the meaningful involvement of young people, including those with fewer opportunities.

🔵 Empower

Strengthen the capacities of youth organisations and youth workers in the Western Balkans by developing knowledge and skills in youth health, wellbeing, health advocacy, coalition building, and meaningful youth participation through European good practices and non-formal learning.

🟢 Connect

Promote cooperation and exchange between youth workers, stakeholders and European youth organisations to encourage mutual learning, stronger partnerships, and innovative approaches to youth health and wellbeing.

🟠 Engage

Support meaningful dialogue by establishing youth health dialogue platforms and engaging youth workers and stakeholders in discussions that contribute to more inclusive and responsive health policies across five Western Balkan countries.

🟡 Share

Promote and disseminate project results, European good practices and learning resources through the project website, communication campaigns and outreach activities, increasing public awareness and directly engaging young people throughout the region.

Expected Results

By the end of the project, YouthAction4HealthWB aims to achieve lasting impact by strengthening youth participation, building the capacities of youth organisations, and fostering regional cooperation in the field of youth health and wellbeing.

The project is expected to deliver the following results:

👥 Empowered Youth & Youth Workers

Young people, youth workers and youth organisations equipped with new knowledge, skills and tools to actively participate in health advocacy, policy dialogue and coalition building

🤝 Stronger Partnerships

Enhanced cooperation and networking between youth organisations, institutions, stakeholders and European partners, creating sustainable partnerships across the Western Balkans

🗣 Meaningful Youth Participation

Young people actively engaged in dialogue and decision-making processes, contributing to more inclusive and youth-responsive health policies and programmes.

📄 Practical Resources

Development of policy recommendations, methodological guides and practical tools supporting meaningful youth participation and improved health policymaking.

📢 Increased Awareness

Greater public awareness of youth health and wellbeing through communication campaigns, podcasts, digital tools and the dissemination of project results and European good practices.

What We Do

🎓 Capacity Building

Training programmes for youth workers, young people and stakeholders focused on youth health, wellbeing, advocacy, coalition building and meaningful youth participation.

🗣 Policy Dialogue

National youth health dialogues and structured consultations connecting young people, institutions and decision-makers across the Western Balkans.

🌍 International Cooperation

Regional meetings, study visits and peer learning activities promoting the exchange of European good practices and strengthening partnerships.

📄 Knowledge & Policy Development

Development of policy recommendations, methodological guides and practical tools supporting youth participation in health policymaking.

📢 Communication & Awareness

Youth health campaigns, video podcasts, the project website and communication activities raising awareness and sharing project results across the region.