Eighteen young women and men from Pristina successfully completed the inaugural edition of the USAID supported Community Leadership Academy (CLA), a transformative 12-week learning program.
The Community Leadership Academy uses innovative approaches to equip grassroots-level activists with the necessary tools to initiate positive change within their communities. Over the course of 24 comprehensive modules, these talented individuals were empowered with knowledge and skills to effectively help organize their communities. The participants also learned how to establish valuable networks with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), public officials, media, and the private sector, enabling them to explore creative solutions to local challenges.
The participants identified a number of community issues for further research and action such as youth migration, mental health, lack of recreational opportunities for Kosovan youth, etc. After careful consideration, the participants made a group decision to concentrate their efforts on the lack of career guidance for young people, and the development of soft skills, as a key community issue that needs to be addressed.
The Community Leadership Academy is an integral part of the USAID Citizen Engagement Activity, a five-year partnership between the Kosovar Civil Society Foundation (KCSF) and USAID that aims to strengthen civil society’s links with constituencies, while creating venues and opportunities for constituency engagement and increased demand for accountability.
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