Project Goal: The project’s primary aim is to provide essential infrastructure, mentoring and support needed to foster an environment that swiftly moves from training youth, to enabling them to be active citizens.

Project Description: Despite representing around 25% of the Albanian population, young people in Albania continue to be predominantly seen more as mere participants or beneficiaries in society, rather than active actors and contributors in shaping the public discourse. There has been a constant structural exclusion of youth from decision-making processes, coupled with a lack of platforms and structures that enable democratic expressions, deliberations, and organizations.

Within this context, UNAA has established a youth-led and youth-focused chapter, aiming to enhance members’ community involvement, improve their political awareness, and contribute to empowering the youth. In this framework, UNAA has established its youth-led and youth-focused chapter which has served to increase its members’ community engagement, sharpen their political literacy, and contributed to youth empowerment. 

More specifically, the Planet Youth initiative is an extension of the “Upgrading Youth Skills for Sustainable Action” Project. Similarly, it aims to equip the youth chapter and other indirect beneficiaries with tools and cognitive skills for sustainable action, enhancing their critical thinking, solution-oriented capabilities, and civic engagement.

By offering a resourceful hub and employing non-formal education methods such as peer-to-peer learning, informative discussions, movie nights, recreational activities, training sessions, and podcasts, the project aspires to stimulate youth initiatives and train young individuals to become active participants in civil society.

Planet Youth will directly impact approximately 45 youths aged 17-27 residing in Tirana (members of UNAA’s youth chapter). Furthermore, the initiative will enhance UNAA’s organizational capabilities, strengthen its position within the civil society sector, and contribute to the local sustainability agenda.