In Nikšić, Montenegro, a regional youth camp was held within the project "Connected Voices: Youth with Disabilities Shaping Change Together", which brought together young people with disabilities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro.
The camp was organized by the Information Center for People with Disabilities "Lotos" Tuzla, in partnership with the Forum of Disabled Youth from Belgrade and the Association of Paraplegics in Cetinje. The activity brought together about 20 participants, among whom were 14 young people with disabilities, of whom about 60% were girls.
The goal of the camp was to connect young people with disabilities from the region, strengthen their knowledge and skills, and prepare young leaders for active participation in advocacy processes and initiation of changes in local communities.
During the camp, three thematic workshops were held:
A special part of the program was practical work, during which the participants, with the support of the trainer, created an advocacy package with three specific plans for advocacy in local communities. In this way, young people were able to immediately turn the acquired knowledge into concrete ideas and activities that they will continue to develop in their communities.
The camp was an opportunity not only for learning, but also for exchanging experiences, connecting and creating new regional contacts among young people with disabilities. The participants were prepared for the next phase of the project, which entails the implementation of advocacy actions in their local communities and countries.
At the same time, the cooperation between the partner organizations was additionally strengthened, which laid a firmer foundation for joint work on empowering young people with disabilities and their active involvement in decision-making processes.
"Connected Voices: Youth with Disabilities Shaping Change Together" is a space where young people with disabilities not only exchange experiences, but also develop common ideas and concrete plans for change. Their voice, experience and active participation are an important driver of building societies in which people with disabilities participate equally and decide on issues that directly concern them.
The project's activities were financed through the Joint Action of the Western Balkans Fund and the European Union, within the framework of the Call for Regional Project Proposals - Grant for Grassroot Initiatives.
