The study examines institutional donor engagements in 6 countries: Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia and consists of two core documents, a regional overview and an Addendum that provides information on country-level specificities. It also explores recent and future donor engagements in the region, views of donors and key stakeholders on key issues and potential recipients of funds in the next 5 years and offers a chance to compare results with a similar study presented at a 2016 Balkan Donors Forum in Belgrade. Although the study cannot be seen to present a complete picture of donor activities in the region, its findings can provide an indication of trends and views across the region. Read more about the study here.

CIVICUS published the report for the International Civil Society Week (ICSW) 2019. The ICSW 2019, was organized in partnership between CIVICUS and Civic Initiatives from Serbia, as local hosts, and BCSDN. The event brought together over 700 international delegates from 93 countries in Belgrade to engage in dialogue and actions around working together to enable and defend spaces for civic action. The report presents the key events, topics and impact of the 5-day experience which was packed with hard-hitting, thought-provoking and lively presentations, discussions and workshops. Read more here.

CONCORD has developed “EU Delegations unwrapped, a practical guide for CSO engagement with EUDs” handbook on EUD engagement with civil society, a capacity-building tool to: support CSOs active at the country and local levels to engage effectively and meaningfully with EU Delegations in country and the EU in general; to build the capacity of CSOs on the key EU policies and programmes – including funding opportunities and the main relevant entry points; further foster regular and constructive dialogue between the EU and CSOs at country, regional and capital levels to achieve better development outcomes.

Open Government Partnership (OGP) releases its first comprehensive assessment of the state of open government. This report provides a thorough and honest review of progress made by OGP member countries in the first seven years of the partnership. In determining its findings, the report examines a vast amount of the world’s governance data, across multiple dimensions of democracy and openness, specifically looking at three areas of progress and next steps: collective results, priority policy areas: such as: civic space as a crucial underpinning, anti-corruption initiatives, and public service delivery, and member pages. Read more here.

Balkan Barometer 2019, the fifth instalment of the RCC-commissioned annual survey of regional perceptions and attitudes across a wide array of social, political and economic factors impacting life in South East Europe (SEE), is modestly optimistic. It shows growing support for EU membership with more than half of all respondents viewing EU accession favourably, a first since the Barometer’s inception in 2015. Regional cooperation continues to be important to an overwhelming majority of respondents. Overall, the region has grown more positive both about its present situation as well as its outlook for the future, indicating a growing level of confidence in the financial stability of the six SEE economies.

What do we offer?

Technical training"s: the beneficiaries who will have their own business or income generation activity (IGA) will receive new technical skills, in order for them to perfectly master their sector of activity. Business management training: they will be taught to the beneficiaries who are planning to launch or strengthen their own business/income generation activity, teaching them how to successfully develop and manage it. Mentoring: complementary to the trainings, the beneficiaries (jobseekers and future business owners) will be individually supported and advised along their path toward (self)-employment. Mentoring will be provided.

Internship scheme: internships will be organized within companies or organization working in the relevant field.

Networking:  organization and participation to local and regional fairs, study visits, meetings involving the professional organization and private companies.

Tailor-made grants: in order to support the launch of new businesses and IGA, 25 of the most promising start ups will receive a tailor made grants.

Who can apply? •

Women and youth aged from 18+ from    Mitrovica and Ferizaj municipalities. • To be motivated, open minded and interested    to gain new skills.  • Be ready for new experiences in job search and   self-employment.

 

How to apply? Fill the application from online: www.caritaskosova.org  Fill the hard copies at Caritas Kosova and Center for employment Offices.

If you need any kind of assistance please let us know: info@caritaskosova.org 

Deadline for submitting application is no later than 14th June2019 / 16:00h

[English Below]

A ki ide?

VentureUP - Qendra e Ndërmarrësisë dhe Inovacionit në Universiteti i Prishtinës "Hasan Prishtina", në bashkëpunim me Universiteti i Prishtinës në kuadër të projektit "VentureUP" të financuar nga European Union Kosovo, hap thirrjën e parë për programin e Inkubimit të Startup-eve!

Programi intensiv gjashtë-mujor i trajnimit dhe mentorimit që ju ofron studentëve të UP-së resurse teknologjike dhe profesionale për të mbështetur zhvillimin e ideve të biznesit targeton startup-et në faza të hershme të zhvillimit dhe para-shitjeve, që do të përcillen nëpër fazat e zhvillimit të biznesit përfshirë zhvillimin e produktit/shërbimit, përbërjës e ekipit, strategjinë e marketingut, ngritjës së kapitalit, etj.

VentureUP do të pranojë deri në tetë (8) ekipe/startup-e në kohortin e parë (Prill-Tetor) duke ofruar:

1. Hapesirë Pune & Sisteme të zyrës
2. Trajnim për Startup-et (Ideation, Lean Startup, Business Modeling, Investor Readiness)
3. Mentorim Profesional
4. Rrjetëzim dhe Mbështetje Financiare

Në fund të programit të Inkubimit, ekipet/startup-et do ti prezantojnë bizneset para investitorëve për deri në €10,000 financim.

Kriteret për Aplikim:
- Së paku njëri prej themeluesve të jetë student/alumni i UP-së
- Ekipet i përkushtohen kushteve dhe termave të programit të inkubimit
- Idetë/Startup-et janë në faza të hershme dhe pa-shitje

Afati I fundit për aplikim është 1 Prill 2019!

Apliko këtu: https://goo.gl/forms/eukrSvLHAfUK4eJ23

Për pyetje dhe informacione të detajuara ju lutem na kontaktoni në: startup@venture-up.org

Let’s VentureUP!
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What’s your idea?

VentureUP - The University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina" Entrepreneurship & Innovation Centre is happy to announce the first open call for its Startup Incubation Program!

VentureUP"s intensive six-month training and mentorship program that offers UP students a broad range of tangible and professional resources to support student entrepreneurs conceive and develop their venture ideas targets pre-revenue and early-stage startups, who will be guided in all phases of business development including development of product/service, team composition, value proposition, market strategy, customer traction, business model, funding strategy, etc.

VentureUP will host up to eight (8) teams/startups in the first cohort (April-October) providing:
5. Office Space & Shared Systems
6. Startup Training (Ideation, Lean Startup, Business Modeling, Investor Readiness)
7. Professional Mentoring & Coaching
8. Networking & Financial Support
At the end of the Incubation program, all teams/startups will pitch their ventures in front of Investors for up to €10,000 in seed funding!

Eligibility Criteria:
- At least one of the founders is a UP student or alumni
- Teams commit to the Incubation program admission terms & conditions
- Startups are pre-revenue and early-stage

Deadline for Applications is April 1st 2019!

Apply here: https://goo.gl/forms/eukrSvLHAfUK4eJ23

For questions & detailed information please contact us at: startup@venture-up.org

VentureUP is powered by the University of Prishtina “Hasan Prishtina” and supported by the European Union Kosovo.

Let"s VentureUP!

Learn more about the survey and take a stand to change these negative attitudes: http://bit.ly/2Svl1Cm

BCSDN, as part of the activities of the Western Balkan CSOs for Global Development project, has published two country papers on Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, analyzing the state of play with the civil society and the environment in which it operates in both countries.

The country papers give background on the countries’ socio-economic situation and recent history, the EU integration process, the state of play with the Official Development Assistance and the state of development of the civil society. The aim is to provide information for assessing the potentials for civil society’s meaningful involvement in development policies in Kosovo and BiH, and in meeting the countries’ commitments related to the EU accession in the area of development and humanitarian aid. The papers were developed on the basis of the 2016 findings from the monitoring conducted by the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) in Kosovo and the Civil Society Promotion Center (CPCD) in BiH, within the Monitoring Matrix tool developed by BCSDN and its members and partners.

The full papers are available for download here:

• Kosovo Country Paper
• Bosnia and Herzegovina Country Paper

This policy brief is part of the activities of the Western Balkan CSOs for Global Development project, supported by the Austrian Development Cooperation, SlovakAid and HORIZONT3000