FLAGSHIP PROGRAMMES
National Network
Croatia
Address
Svibanjska ulica 3, Daruvar, CroatiaCountry
City
DaruvarProvince
Bjelovar-bilogora countyStreet address 2
Ivana Zajca 3, Daruvar, CroatiaMobile Phone
+385958644869Telephone
+385958644869Telephone (other)
+385989537002E-Mail (2)
tanja@udruga-impress.hrE-Mail (3)
dubravko@udruga-impress.hrE-Mail (4)
gazmir@udruga-impress.hrWebsite
Click HereYear of Establishment
2010Contact Person1
Tanja HercegJob Title 1
PresidentContact Person 2
Dubravko ŠoparJob Title 2
Executive DirectorOrganisation Type
Non-Governmental OrganizationFields of Activity
Democracy and community development, Environment/Sustainable development, Human rights, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, International/Cultural relations, Media, Others, Youth and educationGeneral Information
Udruga Impress is a youth and community NGO based in Daruvar, Croatia, employing 7 staff and engaging around 120 active volunteers, operating from our own 100+ m² youth and intergenerational centre "House of Opportunity" and a 300 m² circular-economy hub "Open closet." Our 2025 annual budget was EUR 177,255.13, financed through EU structural funds (ESF+), national/local grants and international mobility programmes. We act through ESF+ projects "Uz tebe" and "I mi smo tu – Aktivni u mirovini II," alongside youth exchanges, study visits and seminars. Impress's president also presides over Professional Open Youth Work in Europe (POYWE), and we hold a Board of Directors seat in the European Network of Youth Centres (ENYC), cooperating with organisations from 40 countries, including key local partners the City of Daruvar and coordination of ngos in Daruvar.
Mission and Objectives
At Udruga Impress, our mission is built on one core belief: equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of age, ability, background or where they live. As the Association for the Promotion of Positive Affirmation of Youth in Society, we work to remove barriers to participation for young people and vulnerable community groups through non-formal education, social inclusion and active citizenship. Based in Daruvar, a smaller town outside Croatia's capital, we are especially committed to ensuring that equal opportunity reaches rural and less-resourced communities, not just urban centres. Our objectives include strengthening intergenerational cooperation, promoting digital and civic literacy, supporting mental health and social inclusion, and connecting local communities — including youth, older persons and persons with disabilities — with European and international networks through exchange, mobility and shared learning.
Main Projects / Activities
Impress currently implements two ESF+ funded projects: "Uz tebe," providing mobility support and inclusion services to vulnerable beneficiaries, and "I mi smo tu – Aktivni u mirovini II," an active ageing programme offering digital literacy courses, psychological counselling and community activities for people aged 55+ and pensioners, developed in partnership with organisations in Slovenia and across Croatia. We also run "Otvoreni ormar" (Open Wardrobe), a circular-economy initiative repurposing clothing and household items across 300 m² of dedicated space, and "Info centar Mogućnosti," funded by Ministry of education and youth, a youth information point offering guidance, digital skills and non-formal learning. All core activities are based at our own facility, "Kuća mogućnosti" (House of Possibilities), a 100+ m² space serving as a modern youth centre and intergenerational hub. Each August we coordinate an International Youth Month, including International Youth Day activities in cooperation with organisations from more then 14 countries, alongside international youth exchanges and educational travel opportunities funded through Erasmus+ and the European Solidarity Corps.
How can you contribute to the Network in your country?
Impress already leads international cooperation at scale: our president also serves as president of Professional Open Youth Work in Europe (POYWE), and Impress holds a Board of Directors seat in the European Network of Youth Centres (ENYC). Through these roles we actively cooperate with organisations from 40 different countries, giving the ALF Network immediate access to an established, multi-country cooperation structure rather than one that needs to be built from scratch. Based outside Croatia's capital, in the Bjelovar-Bilogora region, we also give the Network a direct connection to rural and underserved communities. We can host study visits and youth exchanges at our own facilities — "Kuća mogućnosti" and "Otvoreni ormar" — and mobilise our network of 120 volunteers and local partners to support ALF activities in Croatia.
Why do you want to join the ALF Network?
Joining the ALF Network would allow Impress to deepen our existing commitment to intercultural dialogue and Euro-Mediterranean cooperation, connecting our local work in Daruvar with a broader community of organisations sharing similar values. Given our existing leadership roles in POYWE and ENYC and our cooperation with 40 countries, ALF membership feels like a natural next step in a network we are already actively building. It would give us access to shared expertise, funding opportunities and partnerships that strengthen our ability to serve vulnerable groups in our region, while allowing us to contribute our own experience — particularly in intergenerational programming and community-based inclusion — to the wider Network. We see this as a way to ensure that voices from smaller, rural Croatian communities are represented in Euro-Mediterranean civil society dialogue.