THE YOUNG CIVIL SOCIETY LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME (YCSLP Cycle 3)* 

FOSTERING OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCLUSIVE GROWTH AND JOB CREATION   

Acquired Skills:

Capacity Enhancement 

1. Inclusive Growth and Job Creation for Social Impact

Participants developed a comprehensive understanding of inclusive growth and sustainable job creation strategies for social impact. The module strengthened their capacity to design employment initiatives that address social inequalities, foster economic opportunities for marginalized communities, and identify cost-effective partnership models that support inclusive and sustainable economic development. 

2. The Impact of Effective Communication on Sustaining Results of Community-Based Actions

Participants strengthened their communication and advocacy skills to enhance the visibility and sustainability of their community-based actions. They learned how to identify and apply cost-effective communication and visibility tools to effectively promote their initiatives and their outcomes. 

3. Principles of Participatory Planning: Designing Community-Based Actions That Integrate Community-Driven Solutions

Participants gained practical knowledge of participatory planning and the key elements of effective governance models. Through case studies and practical examples, they explored community-driven approaches and learned how to integrate participatory governance principles into the design and implementation of their community-based actions. 

4. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Result-Based Reporting

Participants acquired essential skills in monitoring, evaluation, and results-based reporting to maximize the impact of their community-based actions. The module introduced quality control tools, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and the key components of effective narrative reporting to measure and communicate project results. 

Concept Note Guidance Session 

Provided civil society leaders with a comprehensive understanding of concept note writing. They learned about the different sections of a concept note and the key do’s and don’ts to consider when drafting one. This included guidance on effectively communicating the project’s objectives, activities, budget, and expected outcomes. 

Project design and Development 

Participants gained practical skills in validating and refining community-based action ideas through structured project design methodologies. They explored tools for problem analysis, idea validation, PESTLE and SWOT analyses, enabling them to assess feasibility, identify risks and opportunities, understand external factors, and design evidence-based, impactful, and sustainable community-driven initiatives. 

Community Building bootcamp 

The in-person bootcamp held at the Pattichion Municipal Museum, Limassol, Cyprus aimed to achieve three main objectives: 

1. Community Building: Offered a platform for young leaders to forge connections, foster a sense of community, andestablish a network of civil society leaders within the EU Southern Neighborhood through team-building, networking, and leadership activities. 
2. Action Finalisation: Supported participants in finalizing their community-based initiatives. 
3. High-Level Dialogue: Organized high-level dialogue sessions with officials from the Anna Lindh Foundation (ALF),DAI Global, , the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, the Organization for European Programs and Cultural Cooperation (OEPCR), the Center for the Advancement of Research and Development in Educational Technology (CARDET), Creative Europe, Interreg NEXT MED Programme, fostering institutional engagement, networking, and future collaboration opportunities for the young civil society leaders. 

Implementation of Community-based Actions 

This phase enabled Young civil society leaders to further enhance the knowledge, skills, and ideas acquired previously. They applied these insights to enact meaningful change in their communities, all while maintaining a regional perspective. This approach allowed young leaders to engage actively, guided by experts and mentors, with the financial support of the European Union. 

Background: 

The Young Civil Society Leadership Programme (YCSLP) is part of the Med Dialogue for Rights and Equality II, funded by the European Union via the Directorate-General for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf (DG MENA), led by DAI Global Belgium, and is implemented by the Anna Lindh Foundation, launched a call to engage 26 young Mediterranean leaders for its third cohort. The Programme focused on improving the skills of civil society leaders who showed potential in policymaking, policy dialogue and advocacy. The thematic focus of this cycle was “Inclusive Growth and Jop Creation for Social Impact”. The ultimate goal was to identify, building the capacity, and nurturing the establishment of a network of highly skilled and empowered youth leaders in ten EU Southern Neighbourhood countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Israel, and Syria).