THE COMMUNITY CENTERS PROGRAM IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE

The Community Centers Program in South East Europe is a project initiated by the Open Society Institute and the Mott Foundation with considerable local support from the participating regions.

The mission of the project is to prepare youth in the region both educationally, socially as well as economically to become active participants in their respective societies and in a further expanding European Union.

The Program was launched in September 2000. By April 1, 2001 the first 21 Centers have been established in the following countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia as a result of the hard work and dedication of in-country coordinators, local coordinators and their Advisory Boards. By April 1, 2002 other five new centers have been established in the above mentioned countries.

Centers have offered numerous programs at the local level, based on local needs of youth in these communities such as: language courses, IT courses, employment oriented training (sewing, tourism, journalism, agricultural program, etc.), social education (democracy building, human rights, conflict resolution, volunteering, debate program, consultations, street law program, psycho-social support to children, etc.), health education, sport and recreation activities, arts and crafts, workshops, public debates, conference and networking between the seven countries involved in the project and with other international organizations.

As a result the demand for establishing more Centers is increasing. Support for the program is also growing; it is attracting local, national and international partner agencies serving youth needs in the region. Thanks to the success of the project ten more centers will be opened during the year 2003.