Our main challenge is to develop youth organizations in the northeast region of Romania, through capacity building trainings and digital instruments for engaging youth with the public sector in a sustainable dialog. Involving them in the decision-making process and exchanging good case practices in implementing partnerships with local authorities will empower them to strengthen the participatory democracy and community development in their cities.

Northeast Region, Romania in the following counties: Bacău, Botoșani, Iași, Neamț, Suceava, Vaslui

This project is a key component of the regional dimension in our activity as an NGO. rISe-Up N-E was born from the desire to unite and capacitate the youth structures in the North-East Development Region in Romania, for the purpose of building a coherent framework in youth policies and participatory democracy in the region. At the same time, we will train and empower youth communities in the region.
We identified: 1.lack of coalization and collaboration of the youth NGOs in the region 2.rudimentary dialogue between the youth sector and the local administration 3.low civic engagement and participation among young people 4.development gaps in the youth sector in all 6 counties 5.embedding european values and opportunities in youth life 6.inconsistency in youth policies

Our primary target groups are the local NGOs from the N-E region in Romania, from both urban and rural areas. The direct beneficiaries will be youth leaders of these NGOs and their members, along other young people in the communities, that want to participate to our trainings and consultations organized with other key stakeholders.
We also create the premises for local NGOs to involve rural reprezentatives and stakeholders from vulnerable categories to participate in the decision-making process and shaping local youth strategies that account for their needs.
Ultimately, the digital platform, will impact all young person that seeks for youth opportunities and guidance for participating in the community development.

-Regional diagnosis: we will develop a regional diagnosis of the youth sector and the civic participation, on:levels of collaboration between youth NGOs, NGOs & key stakeholders in the community, level of youth involvement in the decision-making process, youth and EU values, coherent policies
-Capacity building: lobby & advocacy training
-Connecting youth with key stakeholders: organizing multi-stakeholder forums to address local issues and potential solutions for youth sector, encouraging active citizenship, underline local youth strategies
-Develop online platform for engaging youth and public sector in a sustainable dialog: exchange of GCPs, national and EU youth law, EU opportunities for youth, „Ask your representative” option,„How to”: be an active citizen, become a youth capital

A strengthened regional network of NGOs from all 6 counties in N-E Region of Romania
80 NGOs involved in shaping and embedding participative democracy & EU values and opportunities
1 digital interactive platform
At least 3 informal networks that unite local youth NGOs to actively engage people in the community development
At least 6 public administrations from 6 counties involved in the diagnosis regarding the implementation of the Youth Law
At least 4 multi-stakeholder meetings in 4 counties, as a first step in developing local youth strategies
The long-term impact will derive from public policies and specific actions that develop the youth ecosystem in the communities, making young people more actively engaged in developing their community.

Our idea
-creates the premises for local youth NGOs to unite in a network and create solid partnerships in order to address more efficiently to their representatives, develop youth policies
-empowers organizations to develop all levels of participation for the stages of decision-making (access to information, consultations, dialogue, partnerships) in relation to local authorities, and other actors in the community, through trainings in lobby, advocacy
-develops the role of watchdog in organizations, in relation to the authorities
-creates tools for active participation of youth: online platform that allows NGOs to be in a digital map, for feedback and know-how exchange, „Ask your representative”
-involves youth in consultations with authorities to develop local youth strategies

The mission behind the idea started 2 years ago, while we were planning a strategic development of the civic engagement of youth in one of the most neglected development region in the country. Since then, we have connected with dozens of NGOs, young people, public institutions representatives in order to pave the way for enhancing a dialogue between the civil society and the public decidents. Our efforts culminated during the Progr. Youth Capital of Romania, a title we hold and co-implement with the public administration in Iasi in 2019-2020. Given the success of the program so far, and the relationship created with the less developed cities in the region, we understand that by reducing disparities in the region, we influence a positive outcome for the entire region, including us.

Personnel costs (4 members x 6 months): 17000 EUR
Organisational development (office rent, equipments, personnel training): 4200 EUR
Transport & accommodation (team & facilitators): 6000 EUR
Meals (team, facilitators, participants): 5000 EUR
Digital platform (+ maintenance): 6000 EUR
Experts (advocacy, lobby): 1300 EUR
Public relations: 8500 EUR
Accounting services: 1000 EUR
Contingency reserve: 1000 EUR

If there is any similar regional initiative in other EU country that we might be inspired by, in order to exchange know-how and develop initiatives together;