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CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT QUARTERLY REPORT #6
Reporting period: January 1 – March 31, 2018
April 30, 2018 This publication was produced by the East-West Management Institute, Inc., for review by the United States Agency for International Development
CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT
QUARTERLY REPORT #6
Reporting period: January 1 – March 31, 2018
Prepared under the USAID’s Civic Engagement Project (CEP) in Macedonia Contract Number AID-165-C-16-00003
Submitted to: USAID/Macedonia on May 2, 2018 Contractor: East-West Management Institute, Inc.
Disclaimer This document is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this document are the sole responsibility of the East West Management Institute, Inc., and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...... 3
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...... 4
SECTION I: INTRODUCTION...... 8
1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 8
1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ...... 9
1.3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT ...... 10
SECTION II: PROJECT ACTIVITIES ...... 11
2.1 COMPONENT ONE: STRENGTHEN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION ALLIANCES ...... 11
2.2 COMPONENT TWO: STRENGTHEN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS ...... 15
2.3 COMPONENT THREE: STRENGTHEN YOUTH ENGAGEMENT ...... 28
2.4 COMPONENT FOUR: STRENGTHEN YOUTH ACTIVISM ...... 35
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FOR CEP’S TRANSITION ORGANIZATIONS ...... 40
SECTION III: CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES ...... 42
3.1 PUBLIC OUTREACH...... 42
3.2. MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING PLAN ...... 44
3.3 COOPERATION WITH USAID AND OTHER DONOR PROGRAMS ...... 45
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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
ACA Advocacy Capacity Assessment
ACP Anti-Corruption Platform, Macedonia
ADI Association for Democratic Initiatives, Gostivar, Macedonia
ASC USAID’s Advancing Social Cohesion Project in Macedonia
AECOM Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Operations, and Management
BIRN Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, Macedonia
BPIE Best Practices and Innovation Event
CAC Contemporary Arts Center, Macedonia
CCC Association of Citizens’ Center for Civil Communications, Macedonia
CDA Capacity Development Assistance
CDP Capacity Development Plan
CEA Center for Economic Analysis, Macedonia
CEA Center for Education of Adults, Macedonia
CEP USAID’s Civic Engagement Project in Macedonia
CfEI Call for Expression of Interest
CIVIL Center for Freedom, Macedonia
COP Chief of Party
COR USAID’s Contracting Officer Representative
CSO Civil Society Organization DCM Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Macedonia DCoP Deputy Chief of Party
DOC USAID’s Development, Outreach, and Communication Office
ESARM Employment Service Agency of the Republic of Macedonia
ESE Association for Emancipation, Solidarity, and Equality of Women,
Macedonia
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EU European Union
EUROTHINK Center for European Strategies, Macedonia
EWMI East-West Management Institute, Inc.
FAA Fixed Amount Award
FACE Foundation Agro-Center for Education, Macedonia
FISCAST Fiscal Accountably, Sustainability and Transparency, Macedonia
CSRD FORUM Association FORUM - Center for Strategic Research and Documentation,
Macedonia
FOSM Foundation Open Society in Macedonia
FRU Faculty of Things that Can't Be Learned, Bitola, Macedonia
GAU Grant Administration Unit
GDO USAID’s General Development Office Director
GEP Gender Equality Platform
GM Grants Manager
GRC Grants Review Committee
GUC Grants under Contract
ICRP Indirect Cost Rate Proposal
ICT4D Information and Communication Technology for Development
INKLUZIVA Association for Promotion and Development of an Inclusive Society,
Kumanovo, Macedonia
ISCP USAID Information Safety and Capacity Project
IZBOR Association for Counselling, Treatment, Reintegration and Resocialization
of People Addicted to Psychoactive Substances, Strumica, Macedonia
KULT-TRANZEN Association for Culture and Development of Creative Industries, Strumica,
Macedonia
LC Learning Circle
LCDF Local Community Development Foundation, Shtip, Macedonia
LEAD MK Linking, Engagement, Advocacy, and Development Program under CEP
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LPA Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs, USAID
MCIC Macedonian Center for International Cooperation
MELP Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan
MEPO Monitoring, Evaluation, and Public Outreach
MIM Macedonian Institute for Media
Mladiinfo Association for Education Mladiinfo International, Macedonia
MoC Memorandum of Cooperation
MoE Ministry of Economy
MoU Memorandum of Understanding
MLSP Ministry of Labor and Social Policy
MSI USAID’s Macedonia Support Initiative
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
NALAS Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe
NDI National Democratic Institute
NICRA Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements
NYCM National Youth Council of Macedonia
OACA EWMI’s Advocacy and Organizational Capacity Assessment
OCA Organizational Capacity Assessment
ODRM Organizational Development Road Map
OTI Office of Transition Initiatives, USAID
PAB Project Advisory Board (referring to CEP’s grantees)
PAUM Protective Association Union of Macedonia (ZAPOVIM)
PCM Project Cycle Management
PG Partnership Grants Program under CEP
PMU Project Management Unit
PRO Public Revenue Office, Macedonia
PUBLIC Association for Research, Communications, and Development, Macedonia
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REACTOR Research in Action Association, Macedonia
RfA Request for Applications
RfCP Request for Concept Papers
RRGs Rapid Response Grants under CEP
SCPC State Commission for Prevention of Corruption
SDC Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
SDSM Social Democratic Union of Macedonia
SEGA Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA, Prilep, Macedonia
SEP Secretariat for European Affairs, Macedonia
SP Strategic Plan
SSG Strategic Support Grants under CEP
StG Standard Grant
TA Technical Assistance
UN United Nations
UNDP United Nations Development Program
USAID US Agency for International Development
USG Government of the United States of America
VETC Vocational Education and Training Center
WFT Association Women's Forum, Tetovo, Macedonia
YCEA Youth Civic Engagement Award under CEP
YDIM Youth Development Index in Macedonia
YES Youth Engagement Support (Grants) under CEP
YEI USAID Youth Ethnic Integration Project in Macedonia
ZELS Association of the Units of Local Self-governments, Macedonia
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SECTION I: INTRODUCTION
1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The East-West Management Institute, Inc., (EWMI) is pleased to submit the sixth quarterly report covering activities of USAID’s Civic Engagement Project (hereinafter referred to as “CEP”) during January 1 – March 31, 2018.
Key outputs and outcomes for the reporting period include: • CEP issued and promoted the second Request for Applications for Partnership Grants, RfA # CEP–PG-02. CEP received 19 applications; 18 of them passed the initial eligibility screening and were reviewed by the Grant Review Committee (GRC); CEP pre-selected 5 applications and submitted them to USAID for pre-approval; • CEP organized 4 information sessions to promote its second RfA for PGs; 66 participants representing 57 different civil society organizations (CSOs) attended these events; • CEP signed Grant Agreements with 7 CSOs under the second RfA for Strategic Support Grants (SSG); on March 1, 6 SSGs began implementing their project activities. CEP Grant Administration Unit held 22 meetings with unsuccessful SSG applicants; • CEP conducted the Advocacy and Organizational Capacity Assessment (OACA) of 7 second round SSGs, engaging 29 management and other staff from these grantees: • CEP conducted Strategic Planning Workshop with 2 second round SSGs; • CEP organized its Second Quarterly Grantee Meeting with the participation of representatives of 22 CEP grantees, where CEP staff and grantees discussed CEP’s Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan; shared grantees’ results to date, and explored potential synergies and networking opportunities; • CEP organized 2 advanced training workshops on advocacy and on volunteering for CSOs and CSO alliances; 39 representatives of CEP grantees attended the workshops; • 15 representatives of CEP grantees participated in the first Learning Circle on Volunteering; • CEP developed Mentoring Plans for 10 of its first round of PGs and SSGs; • CEP conducted an on-line survey with the first generation of LEAD MK Fellows; 88% of LEAD MK fellows responded and 71% of them reported that they are actively engaged in public life beyond the initial CEP support; • CEP obtained USAID’s approval and signed in-kind grant agreement to support small- scale projects by the second generation LEAD MK Fellows; • 225 young people (123 women, 102 men) participated in the activities implemented by second generation of LEAD MK Fellow; • CEP organized three networking events for the first and second generation LEAD MK Fellows; • CEP issued and promoted its second Call for Nominations for Youth Civic Engagement Award (CfN-CEP-YCEA-02); • CEP selected 7 proposals under the third round of Youth Engagement Support grants. One of the selected grantees withdrew from the negotiation process and CEP
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submitted six grant applications for USAID approval, five grants were approved by USAID while one was rejected; • CEP organized two training workshops on “Inclusion of ethnic minorities and marginalized groups in grant-supported activities.”
This quarterly report provides a description of the activities completed as laid out in the approved CEP’s Year 2 Work Plan and plans for the next quarter.
1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The Civic Engagement Project is a five year USAID-funded program that strives to achieve two objectives: (1) strengthen the constructive engagement by CSOs on policies and issues of public concern; and (2) increase and sustain youth engagement in public life in Macedonia. CEP is implemented by EWMI, in partnership with four local CSOs: Foundation for Internet and Society “Metamorphosis” (Metamorphosis), the Association for Democratic Initiatives (ADI), the Foundation Open Society - Macedonia (FOSM), and the National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM). The overall goal of CEP is to enhance CSOs and youth’s capacity to advance public policies, improve public services, promote good governance, and contribute to improving the standard of living of people in Macedonia.
At the close of CEP, CEP-supported CSOs and CSO alliances will acquire knowledge, gain motivation, and develop skills that will allow them to contribute to policy discussions with the government, the private sector, the media, and other CSOs. CEP will also create and support a cadre of youth leaders and youth-focused organizations that will develop the skills to connect with relevant government stakeholders and participate in public policy discussions. These results will directly contribute to USAID/Macedonia’s Development Objective (DO) under its Country Strategic Framework 2016 - 2020: Improved Democratic Participation and Processes in Macedonia, and Intermediate Result 1: More Inclusive Citizen Engagement.
To achieve its objectives, CEP implements activities under four components.
Under Component One: Strengthen Civil Society Organization Alliances, CEP, through its Partnership Grants, supports CSO alliances that focus on priority issues of concerns to citizens in Macedonia including: good governance, public service improvement, rule of law, anti- corruption, human rights, economic growth, business enabling environment, and monitoring and oversight of public institutions. CEP supports the selected CSO alliances to: (i) become leaders in shaping and constructively engaging in issues of public concern; (ii) enhance their capacity to engage citizens, media, government institutions and other stakeholders in advancing the public’s wellbeing; and (iii) strengthen their institutional capacity. CEP provides tailored, multi-faceted capacity development assistance to the CSO alliances that it supports. Under Component Two: Strengthen CSOs, through flexible and tailored grants and capacity development assistance, imbued with innovative approaches, CEP assists CSOs to: (i) plan and implement long term interventions, including policy analysis, public education and civic engagement, advocacy campaigns, engaging constructively with government actors and institutions, and monitoring public policies, programs, and budgets; (ii) be proactive in representing citizens' concerns and initiating activities in the priority areas listed in the
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paragraph above; (iii) invest in their capacity development, in particular in enhancing their impact, engaging broader segments of the society, and becoming financially stable: and (iv) draw increased knowledge and capacity, as well as widened support for their initiatives, by networking with regional, European, and international networks. CEP also provides assistance to all grantees in developing social marketing skills and cultivating individual and corporate domestic donors. Under Component Three: Strengthen Youth Engagement, CEP organizes annual yearlong LEAD (Linking, Engagement, Advocacy, Development) program that equips 80 highly- motivated young people with skills, knowledge, and networks that will enable them to become leaders in advancing public interests at the community, regional, or national level. CEP pairs each LEAD MK Fellows with a mentor and ensures organizational support for their LEAD MK Projects. Every year, CEP will also organize a Youth Civic Engagement Award to promote civic engagement and recognize successful youth, CSOs and/or groups that engage in promoting their communities’ wellbeing. Under Component Four: Strengthen Youth Activism, through grants and capacity development assistance, CEP supports youth CSOs and non-registered youth groups that: (i) focus on educating young men and women about their rights and the opportunities for participating in public life; (ii) promote youth to work with public institutions at the central and local government level on issues that affect Macedonia’s youth or the community at large; and (iii) provide opportunities for youth to give back to communities and society, and focus on priority political, economic, cultural or social issues that might impact their lives.
Additionally, CEP provides guidance and assistance to Metamorphosis and ADI (hereinafter referred to as “CEP’s Transition Organizations"), as well as FOSM, to make them capable and eligible to efficiently manage USAID contracts by the end of CEP.
CEP mainstreams gender throughout its activities and ensures that the concerns, ideas, and representatives of ethnic and sexual minorities are fairly and meaningfully incorporated in all CEP activities.
CEP activities began on August 18, 2016, and are scheduled to be completed in September 2021.
1.3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT
EWMI. As of January 1, 2018, Svetlana Antic, CEP Finance Manager, resigned and Ana Corbeska-Tanevska, who was selected through a competitive process, replaced her. During the reporting period, CEP initiated an Internship Program and competitively selected two young people, Martin Nacevski and Konstantin Kakurinov. On March 1, they started six-month internships with CEP.
FOSM. As of March 1, 2018, Viktor Taleski joined FOSM’s PMU as the Program Assistant.
NYCM. As of January 15, 2018, Dejan Jovcevski, NYCM’s Finance Manager, resigned and was replaced by Jana Josifovska as of February 1, 2018.
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SECTION II: PROJECT ACTIVITIES
2.1 COMPONENT ONE: STRENGTHEN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATION ALLIANCES
Under Component One, CEP provides grants and capacity development assistance (CDA) to leading CSO alliances. The CSO alliances include registered and not registered CSO coalitions, platforms, networks, and alliances comprised of more than five member CSOs. Metamorphosis manages the grant-making activities and FOSM manages CDA under Component One.
Activity 2.1.1: Assist Project Transition Organizations to Establish Grant Management System
Completed.
Activity 2.1.2: Award Partnership Grants
a. Issue the RfA and select the CSO alliances
On January 22, CEP issued the Request for Applications for Partnership Grants, RfA # CEP–PG- 02 with February 20 as the deadline for submitting applications. CEP promoted the RfA widely via e-mail lists, social media, partners' web pages, and through Information Sessions. CEP organized four information sessions: one each in Skopje, Bitola and Shtip, and one online session. Sixty-six participants (30 women; 23 men and 9 other) representing 57 CSOs attended these events. CEP received 19 applications; 18 of them passed the initial screening and were reviewed by the GRC during its March 15 meeting. The GRC consisted of the following members: Ana Drakic, Chief of Party, CEP; Bardhyl Jashari, PMU Director, Metamorphosis Foundation; Sherife Ismaili Kasapi, Program Advisor, CEP; and two outside experts, representatives of other donor organizations.
On March 19, CEP submitted to USAID for its pre-approval five applications that were selected by the GRC.
b. Sign grant agreements CEP plans to sign grant agreements with the 2nd round PGs in May 2018.
c. Start grant implementation and capacity building activities
N/A
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d. Grantees’ Progress During the reporting period, CEP’s first round PGs made significant steps forward in achieving the objectives of their CEP-supported initiatives. CSOs Anti-Corruption Platform (ACP) conducted the following activities during the reporting period: - ACP organized for its members a workshop on Monitoring Public Procurements. Representatives of 15 member organizations and two journalists (selected through an open call) participated in the
workshop. The workshop provided participants with ACP’s Workshop on Monitoring knowledge and tools that they can employ to Public Procurements monitor public spending. - ACP-supported investigative journalist Teofil Blazevski, to publish the investigative story titled “Lack of transparency and corruption in the judiciary are like "brother and sister”. On March 30, after obtaining USAID approval, the story was published on a number of online portals and on ACP members` websites. - ACP advocated with relevant public institutions on how to improve the current election model of the members of the State Commission for Prevention of Investigative story published on Corruption (SCPC). In March, ACP sent an open letter one of the web portals to the Assembly, the Prime Minister’s office, and all political parties to remind them about the importance of SCPC and what it should be - a professional anti-corruption body that will initiate and implement policies on preventing corruption in Macedonia. ACP proposed that the selection of SCPC members (a prerogative of the Assembly) should be based on competency and integrity; should be shielded from political parties’ influence; and should be conducted via public hearings with candidates organized by the Assembly. On March 26, ACP representatives met with the Head of the Department of Policy Analysis and Coordination in the General Secretariat of the Government of Macedonia (GoM). The Head of the Department stated GoM’s willingness to work with ACP based on ACP’s recommendations regarding SCPC. - ACP completed 90% of the preparatory activities for the field research on employment procedures on both the national and local levels. The research will be conducted by interviewers trained by BRIMA1. In addition, BRIMA organized four focus groups in Skopje, Tetovo, Shtip, and Bitola, as part of the qualitative data collection for the research.
During the reporting period, FISCAST implemented the following activities:
1 BRIMA is a private, independent research agency that conducts public opinion and market and media surveys.
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- FISCAST signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the municipalities of Negotino, Prilep, Krivogashtani, Krushevo, Saraj, Staro Nagorichane, and Kriva Palanka. The MoUs address the participative budgeting process and specify responsibilities of both FISCAST and the municipalities. On March 5, FISCAST participated at the fifth Citizens Parliament, focused on local budget, organized at the Municipality of Prilep. Citizens Parliament was established as a result of FISCAST’s activities. Signing MoU with Mayor of Kriva - FISCAST finalized its Training Toolkit on Palanka (right) Participatory Budgeting Process (PBP). This toolkit will be used to train CSOs on participating meaningfully and effectively in municipal budgeting processes. - FISCAST held a series of meetings to generate interest among local stakeholders for FISCAST’s campaign “My money, my responsibility”. These meetings served to ensure the participation in municipal budgeting processes of local stakeholders in Gjorche Petrov, Saraj, Kavadarci, Negotino and Prilep. FISCAST experts met with primary school principals, business community representatives, CSOs, local government institutions, and local media. They all showed interest in participating in future activities organized by FISCAST in these municipalities.
Plans for Next Quarter ACP will: - Complete the analysis on its assessment survey of employment procedures at the central and local government level from the anti-corruption perspective; - Work on ACP’s organizational advocacy plan targeting key anti-corruption issues on both local and national levels; - Select five journalists and train them on carrying out investigative stories on corruption-related topics; - Organize ACP Assembly scheduled for April 2018.
FISCAST will: - Finalize meetings with key stakeholders in targeted municipalities that serve to ensure participation in municipal budgeting processes by local stakeholders – civil society, business community, citizens, local media; - Organize the Training for Trainers for CSO stakeholders using the training toolkit for participatory budgeting process (PBP).
Key Challenges
After the local elections in late 2017, the newly elected and appointed administration in Strumica municipality was reluctant to continue with initially established cooperation with the FISCAST alliance, because there are existing mechanisms in place in the municipality that ensure citizen participation in municipal budget development. FISCAST is currently exploring
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ways to resolve the issue and considering having their alliance member, CSO Kvantum Prima from Kavadarci, work with a different municipality (Rosoman or Demir Kapija) instead of Strumica. FISCAST is also exploring ways to make sure that citizens of Strumica do indeed make use of the existing mechanisms within their municipality.
Activity 2.1.3: Provide Capacity Development Assistance to CSO Networks
a. Conduct Year 2 CSO alliances capacity assessments This activity is scheduled to begin in May 2018 for the 2nd round PGs.
a. Conduct mid-term Net-Map Analysis for Year 1 PGs This activity is scheduled to begin in May 2018 for the 1st round PGs.
b. Assist Year 2 CSO alliances to develop Strategic Plans This activity is scheduled to begin in June 2018 for the 2nd round PGs.
c. Assist CSO alliances to develop Capacity Development Plans This activity is scheduled to begin in June 2018 for the 2nd round PGs.
d. Assist CSO alliances to implement SPs and CDPs
The CEP team adjusted grantees’ narrative reporting format to reflect grantees’ capacity development activities. This will enable CEP to monitor, on a quarterly basis, grantees’ progress in terms of their capacity development.
FISCAST and ACP finalized and adopted their SPs and CDPs during the reporting period. Also, their management and staff participated in the following CEP CDA activities:
AC Date Training event FISCAST Platform
January 16 -17 Advanced Training on Advocacy 4 3
Learning Circle 2.1: Volunteering for CSOs and CSO February 15 1 Alliances Advanced Training on Volunteering for CSOs and CSO March 1 - 2 1 2 Alliances Table 1: PGs’ management and staff participation in CDA activities During the reporting period, CEP signed service contracts with the experts that will serve as mentors for ACP and FISCAST, while FOSM CEP, the mentors, and the grantees signed the respective MoU that includes a Mentorship Plan. Since CDA and mentorship activities overlap for PGs and SSGs, the information related to all these grantees is presented below under 2.2.3 (c).
Plans for Next Quarter
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- Revise the program description and budgets of the 2nd round PGs, based on CEP staff, GRC, and USAID suggestions; - Sign grant agreements with the 2nd round PGs; - Organize orientation session for the 2nd round PGs; - Conduct OACA for the 2nd round PGs; - Conduct Mid-term Net-Map analysis for the 1st round PGs with support of an international mentor; - Assist 2nd round PGs to develop their SPs and CDPs; - Continue to support 1st round PGs to implement their SPs and CDPs; - Involve PGs in Peer Learning and Networking activities, as well as in other CEP learning opportunities such as: Advanced training on Good governance, Abroad Exchange Visit, Domestic Giving training, two Learning Circles and Annual CSO Week; - Facilitate and monitor mentoring of PGs.
2.2 COMPONENT TWO: STRENGTHEN CSOS
Under Component Two, CEP provides grant support and CDA to CSOs, including think tanks, that work in the following priority areas: good governance, public service improvement, rule of law, anti-corruption, human rights, economic growth, business enabling environment, and monitoring and oversight of public institutions.
Metamorphosis manages the SSGs, ADI manages the RRGs, and FOSM coordinates CDA to CSOs under Component Two.
Activity 2.2.1: Award Strategic Support Grants
a. Issue the RfA and select the CSOs The RfA for 2nd round of SSGs was issued in October 2017.
b. Sign the grant agreements
During the reporting period, CEP signed grant agreements with seven 2nd round SSGs. They are: 1. Contemporary Arts Center, Skopje 2. Association of Citizens Center for Civil Communications, Skopje 3. Foundation Agro-Centre for Education, Skopje 4. Faculty of Things That Can’t be Learned, Bitola 5. Association for Counselling, Treatment, Reintegration, and Resocialization of People Addicted to Psychoactive Substances IZBOR, Strumica 6. Local Community Development Foundation, Shtip 7. Association Women’s Forum, Tetovo.
c. Grantees Progress The following is a summary of activities that the 1st round of SSGs carried out during the reporting period.
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Association FORUM - Center for Strategic Research and Documentation conducted the following activities: - Implemented local initiative "Educate, take action for a cleaner environment". This initiative took place during December 2017 - February 2018 involving approximately 100 participants from Polog Region. This initiative served to raise awareness on environmental issues of students from three primary schools in Tetovo. FORUM organized lectures and Participants of the local action "Educate, workshops on recycling and environment take action for a cleaner environment” protection; introduced nine paper trash cans for recycling in front of the schools; and donated old toys to the Center for Disabled People in Tetovo. - Conducted focus group with citizens from Eastern region. On February 19, FORUM held a focus group in the premises of LCDF in Shtip. The focus group covered the following topics: problems and needs of the citizens in the Eastern region; initiatives that aim to solve the problems; level of engagement by young people; openness and level of citizen involvement in the municipality; the tools that the municipality uses to inform citizens about its Focus group in Shtip decisions; the level of citizens’ awareness and access to information on how public money is spent. - Organized three-day training on “Active citizens for good governance” in Veles: On March 23-25, FORUM trained 23 participants (9 men and 14 women), including representatives of the municipality, youth, civil sector, educational institutions, media, and marginalized communities from the East Planning Region. The training focused on: budget
monitoring, advocacy for good governance, Active citizens for good governance transparency and accountability of local training government, networking of groups with common purposes, and initiating civic actions.
PUBLIC - Association for Research, Communications, and Development conducted the following activities: - It finalized the Comparative Analysis – Guidebook of Good Practices and Lessons Learned on Social Enterprises. PUBLIC expanded its comparative analysis with two additional dimensions – fiscal framework and access to finance – after they attended a meeting in Brussels on Mapping of Social Enterprises and their Eco-systems in Europe, organized by the European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises (Euricse), a leading research center on social enterprises in Europe.
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- It conducted interviews with the following social enterprises in Macedonia: Dobra Zemja, Zabec, Humano S, HabIT, Mama organa, Sozdadi, Ljubeznost, Astarta, Planetum, Vinozito, Viktor i dekoracii, Izvor Kratovo, Solferino, Poraka Nasha-Struga, INKA-Struga, Reto-Nadez, Chamber of craftsmen’s Skopje, Makedoks, Kristijan-the magician/illusionist; Krushevski-zeni, ZUR Bitola, KHAM-Delchevo, and Debarski zeni. PUBLIC evaluated the capacity and sustainability prospects of each social enterprise and will complete the final research report in April. - Participated at two events within the framework of the Slovenian presidency on social economy (this is a one-year term of office for the EU-members’ social economy group for 2018). The first event took place on January 25 in Maribor, where a PUBLIC representative spoke about the role of social enterprises in the Macedonian economy and the role of PUBLIC in the development of the
ecosystem for social enterprises in Macedonia. Klimentina Ilievski from PUBLIC (first from At the second event, which also took place in the left) at the Boosting the Social Maribor on March 7 (Boosting the Social Economy in South East Europe event Economy in South East Europe), a representative of PUBLIC participated in a round table on “Social economy in South- East Europe”.
REACTOR - Research in Action conducted the following activities: - REACTOR completed the methodology for the Gender Equality Index (GEI). GEI consists of 91 indicators organized under 3 main topics: 1) Gender Gap, which includes: labor market, income, property ownership, political participation, education, insurance; 2) Enabling Conditions, which includes: childcare and health care for women; and 3) Gender Responsible Local Self Government Units (LSGU), which includes: Coordinator for Equal Opportunities, Commission for Equal Opportunities, and LSGU’s Gender Responsive Policies. - Collected information for completing GEI. REACTOR submitted Freedom of Information (FOI) requests and questionnaires in order to collect data for GEI from the following institutions: 81 municipalities in the Republic of Macedonia, Employment Agency, Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, Public Revenue Office, Health Insurance Fund, Agency for Real Estate - Cadaster, State Statistical Office, Institute of Public Health, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Ministry of Finance, Central Registry of Republic of Macedonia, and State Commission for Prevention of Corruption. Additionally, REACTOR sent questionnaires related to all 81 municipalities, their Coordinators for Equal Opportunities, as well as Commissions for Equal Opportunities, aimed to provide additional clarifications and insights into the practice of the LSGUs as it relates to GEI indicators.
Association for Emancipation, Solidarity, and Equality of Women - ESE conducted the following activities:
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- Organized working meetings for revision of court monitoring methodology. In January 2018, ESE organized two meetings on criminal and civil court procedures. The questionnaires for monitoring domestic violence cases were presented to the working group members and final changes and amendments were introduced within the documents. - Organized two-day training for court monitors in cooperation with Coalition All for Fair Trials: 10 young lawyers (4 men and 6 women) attended. The trainers included: Katina Pavlovska, a medical psychologist at the Institute for Mental Health Skopje and Legal Aid Center within ESE; Zora Trenevska, Appellate Court Judge; and Stojan Mihov, a retired criminal judge. Elena Nakovska from Coalition Аll for Fair Trial presented the Training for court monitors questionnaires that will be used as a basis for gathering data from court hearings. The training was organized in order to strengthen the knowledge and skills of court monitors, to enable them to effectively observe court hearings and collect necessary data. - Court Monitoring: 24 court cases in the following courts were monitored: Basic Court Skopje 1, Basic Court Skopje 2, Basic Court Kumanovo, Basic Court Prilep, Basic Court Bitola, Basic Court Tetovo and Basic Court Veles. The following criminal acts were subject to court monitoring: Murder, Bodily Injury, Grave Bodily Injury and Endangering Safety. - Held consultative meetings with the Court Judges: During March, ESE had consultative meetings with court judges (Civil Law Judge from Basic Court Skopje and Appellate Court Judge) aimed at planning and scheduling activities for conducting an in-depth analysis of the civil court procedure. - Provided legal aid and psychological counseling: ESE provided free legal aid and psychological counseling to women who are victims of domestic violence. Forty-two (34 women and 8 men) individuals were provided with free legal aid, while 9 individuals (all women) were provided with psychological counseling.
Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA conducted the following activities: - Held first meeting of Project’s Advisory Board (PAB). On January 23, SEGA organized the first meeting of its Advisory Board. The purpose of the PAB is to provide feedback on project activities and results, and to provide potential solutions to setbacks in project implementation. The following six out of seven members of the PAB attended the meeting: CEP’s project representative, representative from the Agency of Youth and Sports, youth work expert, representative from Ohrid Institute, Macedonian Civic Education Center and representative from European Association for Local Democracy ALDA.
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- Finalization of Youth Development Index-Macedonia (YDIM). SEGA was in frequent communication with its expert Aleksandar Cekov in order to finalize the YDIM. At the beginning of March, the expert submitted a draft version of the Index indicators. The Index includes the existing 18 indicators from the Global Youth Development Index and 53 new in-depth indicators (9 indicators on Education, 9 indicators on Health and Wellbeing, 9 indicators on Employment and economic opportunities, 6 indicators on Political Participation and 20 indicators on Civic participation). SEGA finalized all YIDM indicators by the end of the reporting period. - Developed Call for applications for data collectors and an online application form. Selection of the 24 data collectors and arrangements for the one-day training in Skopje will be completed in mid-April. - Preparation of the promotion event: SEGA completed all preparatory activities for the organization of the promotion event of the project and YDIM, scheduled to take place on April 4. SEGA prepared a One Pager about the grant, drafted a Media invitation, Press Release, and presentation of the YDIM and submitted all materials to CEP for review. Association for Education Mladiinfo International conducted SEGA’s One Pager the following activities: - Open call and ongoing selection of Youth Bank Macedonian network members: In January 2018, Mladiinfo published a Call for selection of the network members. In order to attract more youth organizations to apply for membership a short video was developed which had a reach of more than 4,000 on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/YouthBanksNetworkMacedonia/videos/1574551415794 59/. Eleven organizations were shortlisted as eligible to become network members. - Building partnership and networks: Mladiinfo and its partners have significantly increased their efforts to build partnerships with relevant stakeholders (institutions on local and national level, CSOs and others). Mladiinfo had 20 meetings during the reporting period with the representatives of: Agency for Youth and Sport, National Agency for European Education and Mobility, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, two MPs, representatives from municipality of Struga, Vevchani, Krivogashtani, Krushevo as well as with local businesses in Bitola, in order to present the project and identify possibilities for engagement of these One Pager developed for stakeholders in the youth banks model. Mladiinfo prepared YBNM a one-pager in order to promote the youth banks model, its applicability in Macedonia, and the program and objectives of YBNM project.
Contemporary Arts Center Skopje (CAC) conducted the following activities:
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- CAC started with their CEP funded project activities in March 2018. CAC developed a call for local initiatives and developed internal procedures for selection of the initiatives.
Association of citizens Center for Civil Communications (CCC), Skopje:
- CCC Project activities will start on April 1, 2018.
Foundation Agro-Centre for Education Skopje (FACE) conducted the following activities:
- Established Project Advisory Board (PAB): On March 28, FACE organized the first meeting of the PAB. Representatives from FACE, Protective Association Union of Macedonia (ZAPOVIM), Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP), Center for Adult Education (CAE), Vocational Education and Training Center (VETC), Employment Service Agency of the Republic of Macedonia (ESARM) and Commission that decides which tasks can be FACE PAB’s meeting performed by a disabled person were present at the meeting. ZAPOVIM expressed interest of their member companies to participate in the project. The local offices of ESARM and MLSP offered their logistical support in organizing project info sessions. The Commission offered guidance on how to approach people with disabilities and CEA and VETC offered their full cooperation in development of the training curriculum and modules for non-formal education of people with disabilities.
Faculty of Things That Can’t be Learned (FRU) conducted the following activity:
- FRU organized one working meeting between project staff team members on project planning and defining next activities.
Association for Counselling, Treatment, Reintegration and Resocialization of People Addicted to Psychoactive Substances IZBOR, Strumica conducted the following activities:
- IZBOR started with their project preparatory activities in the last week of March and prepared the Call for researchers.
Local Community Development Foundation (LCDF) Shtip conducted the following activities:
- LCDF continued the communication with the municipalities from the East Planning Region that didn’t yet sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Eight MoUs (out of eleven) were signed after the Local Council sessions (Probistip, Kochani, Vinica, Zrnovci, Delchevo, Pehcevo, Makedonska Kamenica and Berovo), where cooperation
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and involvement of municipalities in LCDF project activities was confirmed and defined.
Association of Women`s Forum Tetovo (WFT) conducted the following activities:
- Selected an expert for preparation of an analysis of the current situation regarding participation of citizens in the decision-making processes in the municipalities of the Tetovo region (Tetovo, Jegunovce, Tearce, Bogovinje, Brvenica and Zelino) through an open call.
Plans for Next Quarter
FORUM-CSRD will: - Implement local initiatives in the East Planning Region identified by a group of participants at the training held in Veles during this quarter; - Organize focus group in the third targeted region – Southwest Region.
PUBLIC will: - Finalize the research on the capacity and sustainability prospects of each social enterprise assessed in the previous period; - Prepare report on main research findings and policy recommendations.
REACTOR will: - Develop one position paper for improving public services when it comes to childcare and kindergartens; - Improve the messaging study (finding out what message brings people together on the topic of childcare and kindergartens); - Prepare Advocacy campaign (advocacy goal of the position paper is increased accessibility and number of kindergartens); - Collect data from all 81 municipalities for the Gender Equality Index; - Produce toolkit for municipal equal opportunities coordinators and other municipal level staff and elected officials (recommendations for improving their ranking in terms of gender equality practices).
ESE will: - Conduct court monitoring on civil and criminal cases related to domestic violence; - Continue to provide legal aid and psychological counseling; - Work on in-depth analysis of the already detected deficiencies in the criminal justice system (based on the list of cases and courts where the inspections and monitoring was carried out); - Work on in-depth analysis of the already detected deficiencies in the civil justice system.
Coalition of Youth Organizations SEGA will: - Organize a public event for promotion of the Youth Development Index Macedonia; - Create a Pool of Index Data Collectors, selection of trainers and training; - Collect the data from the survey on the local level;
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- Develop Interactive website – interactive map on YDIM findings.
Association for Education Mladiinfo International will: - Finalize the selection of Youth Banks Macedonian network members; - Organize capacity building trainings of national members of YHB Macedonia and a study trip to Bosnia and Hercegovina to visit municipalities that implement the youth bank model; - Work on advocacy campaign for raising awareness on: youth unemployment, brain drain, importance of youth banks model for youth empowerment and employability, and lifelong skills.
Contemporary Art Center Skopje will: - Collect and evaluate responses from the Call for implementation of local community initiatives; - Sign letters of cooperation with municipalities of Dojran, Valandovo and Mavrovo Rostushe; - Define first community initiatives that will be implemented in the period May-October 2018; - Develop detailed curricula and agendas for two workshops for networking for communities with similar potential, problems to share ideas and best practices; - Implement the first urban art action.
Association of Citizens Center for Civil Communications, Skopje will: - Develop and finalize the Communication Strategy; - Develop Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
Foundation Agro-Centre for Education Skopje will: - Organize three Info sessions for disabled people and companies interested in employment of disabled people; - Organize a meeting of the Project’s Advisory Board.
Faculty of Things That Can’t be Learned will: - Organize initial, three-day meeting with all project partners in Bitola in order to plan the activities for the first year, discuss and define the methodology, introduce potential community spaces and possible general themes pertaining to each space.
Association for Counselling, Treatment, Reintegration and Resocialization of People Addicted to Psychoactive Substances IZBOR, Strumica will: - Conduct self-assessments of the partner CSOs (IZBOR, OPCIJA, HELP, THE RED CROSS, VIA VITA, HOPS); - Select 2 researchers; a consultant for development of occupational therapy and a trainer for trainers, through an open call; - Prepare four training modules: Occupational therapy – Social inclusion process (Module 1), Economic activities for marginalized groups – substance users (Module 2), Building cooperation with the business sector (Module 3) and Work Plan for
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cooperation with the business sector and implementation of the occupational therapy (Module 4).
Local Community Development Foundation Shtip will: - Select experts through an open call for delivering a three-day training to municipal councilors on: process of decentralization and the role of the councillor as decision- maker, and the role of the councillor as communicator with the public; - Select councilors that will be trained.
Association of Women`s Forum Tetovo will: - Organize a press conference to officially launch the project; - Conduct field interviews with municipality representatives and focus groups in each targeted municipality from the Tetovo region; - Organize capacity building training for activists, municipal equal opportunities coordinators, and representatives of local urban and rural communities on gender, forms of civic engagement, local decision-making process and communication with citizens.
Activity 2.2.2: Award Rapid Response Grants
On January 16, Association for Culture and Development of Creative Industries – KULT– TRANZEN successfully finished the RRG project “Participatory Cultural Policies: a New Model of Governance in Culture”. The project aimed at strengthening cultural development on the national and local levels through the planning of cultural policies and programs, which would result in creating better cultural policies in the country. Here are the major results of KULT- TRANZEN’s project: - Established informal coalition comprised of seven organizations from eight planning regions of Macedonia: LOJA from Tetovo, Teatarska Rabotilnica Prilep from Prilep, Association Glasno from Shtip, Association Pro-Arte from Kumanovo, Association Creative and Active from Struga and Association for democracy and democratic Public debate in Strumica principle PROJECT EU from Kavadarci. The coalition’s objective was to enable active participation of all stakeholders in the process of planning and programming for the National Cultural Strategy and its Annual Working Plan. - Conducted eight public debates on the national level: (Strumica on November 3; Shtip on November 7; Skopje on November 8; Kumanovo on November 14; Tetovo on November 17; Prilep on November 21; Struga on November 24; Kavadarci on November 29; with a total of 130 men and 100 women participants) in order to establish forums for cooperation and dialogue among key regional and national cultural players; - Conducted final event to present the Final Report on the draft National Strategy for Cultural development. The total number of participants attending all project events
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was 330 (185 men and 145 women). The Final Report was sent to the Ministry’s Working Group on development of the National Strategy for its further consideration and finalization of the Strategy. The Government of Macedonia adopted the National Strategy for Cultural development 2018-2022 on February 20, 2018.
Activity 2.2.3: Provide Capacity Development Assistance to Project Grantees
During Year 2, CEP continued to provide tailor made and multi-faceted CDA to CEP Year 1 grantees and in February 2018 began to provide CDA to CEP Year 2 grantees (CAC and LCDF).
a. Conduct OACA for the 2nd round of SSGs During February and March 2018, CEP conducted seven OACA interviews with 29 representatives of the following seven SSGs: Number of organization Date OACA interview representatives on the OACA interview
February 13 Center for Contemporary Arts - CAC 2
Foundation for Development of the Local Community Shtip - February 20 6 LCDF
March 5 Association Women's Forum Tetovo - WFT 4
March 7 Foundation Agro-Center for Education - FACE 5
Association for Counselling, Treatment, Reintegration and March 14 Resocialization of People Addicted to Psychoactive Substances 6 IZBOR Strumica – IZBOR
March 21 Faculty of Things That Can't be Learned - FRU 3
March 28-30 Association of citizens Center for Civil Communications - CCC 3
Table 2: Number of participants during the OACA interviews During this reporting period the CEP team developed the OCA and ACA reports for CAC, LCDF, WFT, FACE, and FRU. The international expert Nicole Farnsworth continued to support FOSM’s PMU in improvement of the OACA documents (databases and reports).
b. Develop Strategic Plans and Capacity Development Plans for the 2nd round of SSGs
On March 12-13, in Veles, CEP organized and conducted a Strategic Planning Workshop with Strategic Planning Workshop (CAC and LCDF)
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nd two 2 round SSGs - CAC and LCDF - with 8 Box 1. Evaluation of the Strategic Planning participants in total (4 men and 4 women). CEP Workshop (CAC and LCDF) facilitators presented capacity development and Content of the workshop: 4.83 strategic planning support and guided both Results of the workshop: 4.79 Performance of the facilitators: 4.94 organizations in development of their Strategic Frameworks. The developed Strategic Frameworks included context and target group needs analysis, analysis of the organizational capacities, and development of a draft vision, strategic priorities and objectives. The workshop methodology was based on the Theory of change approach and the Results Framework Model. During this quarter, CEP supported 1st round SSGs and PGs to finalize their Strategic Plans (SPs) and Capacity Development Plans (CDPs). The international expert Nicole Farnsworth provided final comments and suggestions for improvement of the documents. At the end of this process: • four remaining 1st round SSGs (PUBLIC, ESE, Mladiinfo and REACTOR) finalized their CDPs; and • three out of the remaining four 1st round SSGs (PUBLIC, ESE and Mladiinfo) finalized their SPs.
c. Mentor CEP grantees
In February 2018, CEP organized nine introductory meetings among the respective mentors and all Year 1 CEP grantees (2 PGs and 6 SSGs). CEP selected an international mentor for PUBLIC and their mentoring will be implemented through online tools of communication. The following mentoring pairs were arranged, depending on the mentors’ field of expertise and the grantees’ mentoring needs: 1. Sunchica Sazdovska – Forum-CSRD, SEGA, PUBLIC 2. Elena Gotovska – ESE, REACTOR, ACP 3. Simonida Kacarska – FISCAST, SEGA 4. Andrijana Tasevska – Mladiinfo 5. Gerhard Braunling – PUBLIC The mentorship plans for improvement of CEP grantees organizational capacities cover the following areas: improvement of organizational structure and job description in line with existing Strategic Plans, assessment and planning of grantee staff capacity development, performance appraisal, mapping of the key working processes, monitoring and evaluation on organizational level, evaluation of organizational capacities, communication policies, and fundraising strategy. The mentorship support for development of the advocacy capacities is closely related to the grantee’s advocacy initiatives planned in their project proposals, and improvement in the design of their advocacy strategies.
d. Peer Learning and Networking
• CSO Learning Circles (LC) Learning Circle on Volunteering
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On February 15, in Skopje, CEP organized a LC on Volunteering. The expert (Zlatko Talevski) gave a presentation about the legal aspects of the volunteering. Fifteen participants (9 men and 6 women) shared their experiences and analyzed the process of recruitment of volunteers and the legal obligations for engaging volunteers from the country and abroad. According to the participants’ evaluation, the LC was scored with an average score of 4.51 (out of 5).
• Best Practice and Innovation Events (BPIEs)
N/A
• Networking with regional and international partners
During the quarter, CEP worked on defining the plan for the first Abroad Exchange Visit (AEV). CEP organized a meeting of Year 1 grantees (PGs and SSGs) and assessed the topic of interest to best serve grantees needs. Social enterprenuership was selected to be the topic for the first AEV. CEP consulted with a few organizations from Macedonia that have experience in social entrepreneurship with the organizations from Europe that could provide support in organizing the visit. Representatives of PUBLIC recommended Barka Foundation for Mutual Help from Poland. After researching the organization, CEP agreed to work with the Barka Foundation to hold the the AEV in Poznan, Poland, from 22-27 April.
As a result of the In-country exchange visit organized in November 2017 in Krushevo, between CEP Year 1 PGs and SSGs and local CSOs from the Pelagonia region, the Association Humanity towards Youth (from village Desovo, Dolneni) became a new member of the SEGA coalition. Representatives of these organizations established initial contact during CEP’s networking event.
e. Training Workshops
On January 16-17, CEP organized an Advanced Training in Advocacy. Nineteen participants (6 men and 13 women) attended the training. The training served to further CEP grantees’ capacities in developing and implementing effective advocacy strategies and advocacy action plans. It was designed and conducted by Presentation of the Advocacy Cycle CEP’s international expert Nicole Farnsworth. The participants were guided step by step in Box 2. Evaluation of the Advanced Training developing their advocacy strategies and action in Advocacy plans for the initiatives included in their CEP Content of the workshop: 4.83 Results of the workshop: 4.40 supported projects. The training enabled all Performance of the facilitators: 4.76 participants to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the concept of advocacy and apply the knowledge to different types of projects. As a result, all eight grantees drafted their advocacy strategic plans and developed advocacy action plans for the project initiatives.
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On March 1-2, CEP organized an advanced training on Implementing volunteering concept in CSOs and CSO alliances. The expert in volunteering, Zlatko Talevski, presented aspects of effective volunteer management, establishing a volunteer support system and developing programs and job descriptions for volunteers. Twelve participants ( 5 men and 7 women) worked to develop volunteering programs and job descriptions for volunteering positions. As a result: • 4 SSGs (PUBLIC, ESE, SEGA and Mladiinfo) and Serving to the community (what 2 PGs (ACP and FISCAST) developed volunteer volunteering really means) programs; Box 3. Evaluation of the Implementing • 4 SSGs (PUBLIC, ESE, SEGA and Mladiinfo) volunteering concept in CSOs and CSO and 1 PG (FISCAST) prepared job descriptions alliances for volunteer positions and ACP is in the Content of the workshop: 4.89 Results of the workshop: 4.91 process of its development; Performance of the facilitators: 5.00 • SEGA announced an on-line call for two volunteer positions.
Activity 2.2.4: Provide Support on Managing Constituencies and Domestic Giving The first training is scheduled for May 9-10, 2018.
Activity 2.2.5: Provide Tools and Venues for Citizen Engagement with Government Institutions
N/A
Activity 2.2.6: Improve CSO Public Image
a) Establishing a system for measuring CSOs economic impact N/A
b) Annual CSO Week This activity is scheduled for June 2018.
c) CSO Bus Tour As a follow up to the first Bus Tour, SEGA organized a meeting with the youth in Krivogashtani and brought in a UNDP Employment mentor who educated the youth about employment and self-employment opportunities.
d) Mentoring for project grantees on improving online presence
N/A
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Key Challenges BPIE: The remaining two BPI events planned for Year 2 will be postponed until an outstanding experience or innovative approach is identified that could be shared as a best practice with the wider CSO community.
Environmental Association Vila Zora: The Strategic Support grant was pre-approved by USAID but has been delayed given the environmental impact of the proposed activities. Even though the activities proposed by the CSO will have a positive impact on the environment, CEP will still need to amend its Initial Environmental Examination and develop a project specific Environmental Review Checklist and Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan. CEP is in constant communication and coordination with USAID on this subject.
Plans for Next Quarter - Assist 2nd round of SSGs to develop their SPs and CDPs; - Support 1st round of SSGs to implement their SPs & CDPs; - Conduct regular on-site visits with the SSG grantees; - Conduct OMPT training with the 2nd round of SSG grantees; - Organize advanced training on Good governance; - Organize the Abroad Exchange Visit; - Organize the Domestic Giving training; - Organize the 3rd Policy Forum; - Organize the 2nd Annual CSO Week; - Organize two Learning circles; - Facilitate networking with grantees; - Facilitate and monitor the mentoring process.
2.3 COMPONENT THREE: STRENGTHEN YOUTH ENGAGEMENT
Under Component Three, CEP, through its local partner, NYCM, implements a yearlong LEAD MK Program which represents an innovative approach to supporting Macedonia’s next generation of leaders as they become active and engaged citizens working on the issues they care about deeply. Under this component, NYCM also administers the Youth Civic Engagement Award (YCEA) to recognize the work of young women and men (age 18 - 29) and informal youth groups, whose activities demonstrate exemplary youth civic engagement. In cooperation with CEP and NYCM, FOSM provides information and connects LEAD MK Fellows with CSO partners in Macedonia, the region, and beyond, including information on regional and international networks.
Activity 2.3.1: Develop a Cohort of Youth Leaders
a. Award Fellowships
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In February, CEP signed in-kind grant and fellowship agreements with the 2nd generation of LEAD MK Fellows.
b. Ongoing support to LEAD Fellows
In March 2018, CEP conducted a survey with the 1st generation of LEAD MK Fellows to assess how many of them remained active in public life beyond the initial CEP support. CEP is proud to report that 71% of its 1st generation of LEAD Fellows remain active and engaged citizens. Information about the actual methodology and results are presented under Section III. 3.2 of this report (Indicators Table). CEP provided LEAD MK Fellows with different networking opportunities during this quarter:
• Presentation and networking event with National Agency for European Educational Programmes and Mobility
On February 6, in partnership with the National Agency for Educational Programmes and Mobility, CEP organized a one-day information and educational session for its 1st and 2nd generation LEAD MK Fellows. Twelve fellows (4 men and 8 women) were presented with different opportunities for short and long-term exchanges and visits to countries and universities Lidija Dimova, director of the Agency (right) delivers a presentation around Europe, as well as training opportunities.
• Private screening of the Oscar nominee "Hidden Figures”
On February 20, 13 LEAD Fellows (6 men and 7 women) attended the private screening of the movie “Hidden Figures” organized by the US Embassy in Macedonia to mark African American History Month and highlight the importance of supporting women and girls’ interest in science. Hidden Figures screening
• USAID’s Leadership Conference
On March 30, 13 LEAD Fellows (7 men and 6 women) attended USAID’s Leadership Conference that was organized to mark the 25th anniversary of USAID’s work in Macedonia. c. Develop and implement LEAD Projects
During the reporting period, LEAD MK Fellows, with the support of their mentors, developed their small-scale project outlines and submitted them to CEP for review and approval. CEP and NYCM received and reviewed 22 applications and subsequently obtained USAID’s approval for the projects. In mid-February, CEP signed 22 in-kind Grant Agreements with LEAD MK Fellows. The approved projects are presented in the table below:
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NAME OF PROJECT AND LEAD MK PROJECT SUMMARY IMPLEMENTER “Cinediversity” Тhe project will empower youth from vulnerable groups to engage in ANASTASIJA BOSHKOSKA addressing problems that concern them.
“United against corruption” The project will engage young men and women in efforts to prevent ANGELA NIKOLOSKA and denounce corruption in Macedonia. “Protect your mental health” The project will serve to educate young men and women on key risks ANITA NIKOLOVSKA for the mental health of young people and the main resources available to address mental health concerns for young people in Macedonia. “A step closer” The project will engage young men and women in efforts to increase ANJEZA SADIKU - GORENCA intercultural tolerance and understanding among different ethnicities. “Managing Start-ups and Preventing The project will equip young men and women with knowledge to them from Failure” improve their employability skills and be competitive in the labor ARD ZEQIRI market. “Young creators for big changes” The project will serve to educate young men and women on how to ELENA TRPKOVSKA improve and promote intercultural understanding, inclusion and tolerance in order to emphasize similarities between young students. “Multiculturalism and equality” The project will educate young men and women on advocating for ENES BILALLI human rights and equal opportunities for all ethnicities in Macedonia by introducing them to Roma traditions and culture. “Unity in diversity” The project will serve to educate young people on addressing the lack EVISA HODA of joint cultural activities among different ethnicities and lack of knowledge on cultural diversity. “Youth voice” The project will work with young men and women to educate and FATION XHELILI empower them to become actively engaged in the society. “The Humanizing Refugees Project” The project serves to educate citizens about refugee rights and FILIP KULAKOV contributes to advocating for refugees’ rights. “On stage for change!” The project will engage young men and women in advocacy efforts IGOR TOMESKI for improving the conditions of cultural venues in Tetovo.
“Youth Advocates” The project will serve to assist citizens in addressing legal matters and KRISTIJAN PANEV protecting their rights by providing free legal aid and informing them about civic rights. ‘’Golden Opportunity’’ The project will serve to create links and cooperation between young MARIJA BANDULOVA men and women and local companies. “Youth Ambassadors of Peace” The project will engage young men and women in efforts to improve JETMIR ASANI interethnic cohesion and tolerance between young people from different ethnicities. “Upfront” The project will serve to educate young men and women on how to MARIJA NIKOLOSKA recognize gender inequality and social degrading of women in mainstream media. “Be an Eco-Hero!” The project will serve to educate young students from primary MIHAIL NASKOVSKI schools on the importance of their active engagement in environmental protection. “Act together” Goal and objectives: The project will serve to increase understanding NADIR USEIN among young Roma and non-Roma youth about Roma culture and identity. “Hearing Youth's Voice about The project will serve to educate young men and women on the NATO” importance of the Euro – Atlantic orientation and integration of NASTASIJA STOJANOVKJ Macedonia.
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“Brain Fare” The project will contribute to educating young men and women on NIKOLA KRSTEV how to increase their employment opportunities.
“Aspire Today - Inspire Tomorrow” The project will empower young men and women to become actively NIKOLA SOTIROVSKI engaged in their community. “IncluDance” The project will empower youth from vulnerable groups to become OLIVER ANDREEVSKI actively engaged and included in cultural activities. “My community - inclusive The project will serve to educate citizens about the effects of community” stereotypes and negative narratives towards the Roma community. SELVIJE MUSTAFI Table 3: LEAD MK in kind grants (2nd generation)
During the reporting period, 14 activities were implemented as part of LEAD MK small-scale projects in 8 cities or 4 statistical regions of the country. The activities engaged 225 young people (123 women and 102 men). Some of the fellows were able to obtain in-kind support from local municipalities and educational institutions for implementation of their activities.
Project: “IncluDance”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Oliver Andeevski
Oliver works to empower youth from vulnerable groups to become actively engaged and included in cultural activities. On March 5, Oliver organized a meeting with representatives of folklore groups and people with disabilities from Skopje. Six participants attended the meeting (5 men and 1 women) and discussed next steps for inclusion of young people with Atmosphere at the meeting disabilities in future project activities.
Project: “Young creators for big changes”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Elena Trpkovska
Elena works to educate young men and women on how to improve and promote intercultural understanding, inclusion and tolerance. On March 10, she organized a presentation of her project to the volunteer team and on March 16, she Elena leading the workshop in held a workshop to increase socialization among Kumanovo schoolchildren. The activities took place in Kumanovo with The most important things we learned at the 17 young people (7 boys and 10 girls) attending. Elena’s workshop were: activities were supported by the “MultiKulti” youth club in How to work in a team, how to cooperate and make partnerships with our peers and Kumanovo, which also provided its venue for her activities. how to use different tools for cooperation- said one of the workshop participant Project: “Brain Fare”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Nikola Krstev
Nikola works to address the challenge of youth unemployment by creating opportunities for personal and professional development of young people. On March 15, he organized a
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workshop for communication skills in Shtip that was attended by 15 young people (8 women and 7 men). The participants learned about basic principles of communication and different methods and techniques that can help them improve communication skills. Nikola’s activity was supported by his mentor organization Local Community Development Atmosphere at the communication training Foundation from Shtip, which provided organizational support and venue for the workshop.
Project: “United against corruption”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Angela Nikoloska
Angela educates young men and women on how to prevent and denounce corruption. She organized two workshops, one in Struga on March 22 and one in Shtip on March 26, in order to discuss the typical manifestations and the negative impact of corruption in society with workshop participants. Twenty-nine Angela Nikoloska addressing the group young people (18 women and 11 men) attended the workshops, which included lectures from Angela and several guest speakers. Angela’s activities were supported by “Yahya Kemal College” Struga and American Corner Shtip, both of which provided venues for the activities.
Project: “Managing startups and preventing them from failure”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Ard Zeqiri
Ard works with young people from Gostivar in order to increase their understanding of businesses and educate them about basic principles of sales, marketing and entrepreneurship. His project activities Participants at Ard’s workshops equip young men and women with knowledge and skills to improve their employability and competitiveness. On March 10 and 25, Ard organized two workshops which took place in Gostivar. Eighteen young people (11 women and 7 men) attended and learned more about developing business plans, leadership strategies and helping communities through business development.
Project: “Golden Opportunity”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Marija Bandulova
Marija works to improve the employability skills of young people and create space for young people to meet with local businesses. As part of her project, she Maria Bandulovа addressing the organized a one-day workshop on preparation of a CV participants
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and motivation letter as first steps when looking for employment. The activity took place in Strumica on March 15 and included 13 young people (10 women and 3 men). Marija obtained support from Faculty of Social Studies University Strumica, where the event was held.
Project: “Multiculturalism and Equality”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Enes Billali
Enes works to educate young men and women on advocating for human rights and equal opportunities for all ethnicities in Macedonia by introducing them to Roma traditions and culture. On March 25, he organized a workshop in Tetovo, where participants learned more about Roma history, traditions and current position and challenges they face in the society. Seventeen young people (10 men and 7 women) participated in the workshop. Enes Bilalli setting the PPP
Project: “My Community, Inclusive Community”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Selvije Mustafi
Selvije works to educate young people about Roma history, culture and values and to equip young people with knowledge and skills in filmmaking for advocacy as a tool to push for positive changes. From March 25 to March 31, she presented her project in Tetovo and organized a workshop on Roma history, culture and filmmaking for advocacy. Twenty-eight young people (20 men and 8 women) attended her activities. Selvije Mustafi presents her activity
Project: “Mental Health Matters”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Anita Nikolovska
Anita works to educate young men and women on key risks for mental health of young people. In March, she organized three focus groups with relevant stakeholders in order to map the existing measures and support services, policies and programs for youth mental health. Focus groups took place in Skopje with 25 young people in attendance (18 women, 6 men and 1 other).
Project: “One Step Closer”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Anjeza Gorenca – Sadiku
Anjeza works to improve intercultural understanding and tolerance among young people from different ethnicities in Skopje. On March 31, she organized an activity called Days of tradition, where participants got the chance to experience different cultures, share their traditions and discuss the importance of intercultural understanding. The activity took place in Skopje and it was attended by 9 young people (4 men and 5 women). Anjeza’s activity was supported by the Municipality of Chair, where the event was held.
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Project: “On stage for Change”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Igor Tomeski
Igor works to increase the engagement of young people from Tetovo in cultural activities. Young people will be equipped with skills and knowledge on using multimedia products and theater performances as tools to push for changes that address their concerns. On March 31, he Theatre for Social Change - preparation organized his first workshop in Tetovo where 26 young for Igor’s workshop people (7 men and 19 women) participated.
Project: “Youth Ambassadors of Peace”, implemented by LEAD MK Fellow Jetmir Asani Jetmir works on strengthening the cooperation and collaboration of young people from different ethnicities that live in the municipality of Chair in Skopje. On March 31, the first activity of his project took place, where participants learned about the importance of interethnic cohesion, human rights and peacebuilding. Twelve young people participated in the activity (4 men and 8 women). Samet Shabani (right), Jetmir’s mentor addresses the group Jetmir’s activity was supported by the Municipality of Chair, where the activity was held.
Activity 3.2: Youth Civic Engagement Award (YCEA) Year 1 The grantee, Antonio Gjorgjievski (YCEA winner) completed all grant-supported activities under the project: “Activism à la carte” during the previous quarter and during the reporting period, CEP completed the grant’s close out.
CEP signed a no-cost modification with Cultural Youth Action, Krushevo, YCEA informal Group grantee to extend the grant period to April 15, 2018. In the next quarter, YCEA grantee will complete the technical preparation and printing of the products designed during workshops held in the previous quarter (100 Krushevo postcards and 1,000 interactive maps). In the first week of April, the grantee will organize the final event and present and promote the products to the public, as well as distribute the products to various tourist landmarks, organizations and the Tourism Office in Krushevo. Year 2
On March 20, CEP issued a Call for Nominations for the 2nd Youth Civic Engagement Award (CfN-CEP-YCEA-02). The deadline of the Call is April 5. YCEA will recognize initiatives by young men and women (aged 18-29) and informal youth groups and youth CSO’s that have demonstrated exceptional creativity and innovation, and have brought about tangible results
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in improving the community or society’s wellbeing. Upon award, CEP will support future initiatives by YCEA winners through grants.
During the reporting period, CEP established the YCEA Selection Committee (SC) consisting of the following members: - Aleksandra Filipova - Member of the Governing Board of NYCM - Lura Pollozhani - Researcher and PhD Candidate of University of Graz - Mladen Frckovski - Advisor at the Ministry for Labor and Social Policy - Ana Jovkovska - Writer, journalist and activist - Sotir Maja - member of the Informal group KMA Krushevo (YCEA winners, Year 1) - Vladimir Radevski - Professor and SEEU Skopje Campus Director - Sladjana Marjanovic-Panovska - Senior Program Manager at NDI Macedonia.
The evaluation of nominations and YCEA event is scheduled for the next quarter.
YCEA outreach activities The Call for Nominations for 2nd YCEA was disseminated through social media platforms and distributed via e-mail to CEP partners and other organizations. Facebook promotion activities were conducted from March 20 – April 1 (total audience reached: 12.088). Promotional activities were also done through 2 TV and 2 Radio appearances. More on the outreach activities see under Section III.3.1 Public Outreach of this report.
Key Challenges N/A
Plans for Next Quarter - Monitor the implementation of 2nd generation LEAD MK Small-scale project activities; - Provide ongoing support to 2nd generation of LEAD MK Fellows during project implementation; - Organize training on community mobilization and networking for 2nd generation of LEAD Fellows; - Provide networking opportunities for the 1st and 2nd generation of LEAD MK Fellows; - Organize meeting with YCEA Selection Committee and select the winners of YCEA; - Organize meeting with the winners of the YCEA; - Review and process project proposal outlines of YCEA winners; - Sign grant agreements with YCEA winners; - Organize YCEA event; - Monitor the implementation of the YCEA winners’ activities.
2.4 COMPONENT FOUR: STRENGTHEN YOUTH ACTIVISM
Under Component Four, through grants and CDA, CEP supports registered and informal youth groups to provide opportunities for young men and women to participate in public life and decision-making regarding their lives, their communities, and Macedonia’s society.
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ADI administers the grant program under this component, while FOSM coordinates CDA to youth CSOs and groups that CEP supports.
Activity 2.4.1: Award Youth Engagement Support Grants Under the 3rd round of YESGs, 7 (seven) organizations were selected by CEP for the final program and budget negotiations. These were: 1. Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of Republic of Macedonia – Skopje; 2. Blink 42-21 – Skopje; 3. Center for Intercultural Dialogue – CID Kumanovo; 4. Local Development Agency – LDA Struga; 5. Center for culture, communication and education of Roma “Svetla Idnina” – Kochani; 6. Youth Cultural Center – YCC Bitola; and 7. Get Innovation – Bitola. CSO Get Innovation from Bitola withdrew from the negotiation process and CEP worked with the rest of the applicants on their risk assessments and subsequently submitted 6 grant applications for USAID’s review and approval. USAID approved 5 of the submitted applications. By end of the reporting period, CEP had signed grant agreements with the following CSOs: 1. Local Development Agency – LDA Struga; 2. Center for Culture, Communication and Education of Roma “Svetla Idnina” Kochani; 3. Youth Cultural Center – YCC Bitola; and 4. Center for Intercultural Dialogue – CID Kumanovo
a. Issue the Request for Concept Papers for YES N/A b. IDEA Competition Event N/A
c. Grantees Results
The following are brief summaries of the activities that grantees completed during the reporting period.
1st round YES Grantees Progress On February 28, The Dyslexia Association Einstein successfully completed the project “Info Wall for Dyslexia”. The following results were achieved: - Dyslexia Association completed its research on dyslexia in Macedonian high-schools after collecting results from 1,721 tests. This was the first set of data produced on this
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important topic. Four working hypotheses of the research were proven through this research: - Hypothesis 1: Dyslexia would be detected at a range of 10% to 15% among the students, while the most prominent type of dyslexia would be detected among 2% to 4% of them; - Hypothesis 2: Higher percentage of dyslexic students would be detected in vocational secondary schools, as opposed to students studying in grammar schools; - Hypothesis 3: Higher percentage of dyslexic students would be detected among students from Albanian nationality, as opposed to the students of Macedonian nationality; - Hypothesis 4: Higher percentage of dyslexic men students would be detected, as opposed to female students. The research also shown that 12.2% of students suffered from dyslexia. - Dyslexia Association representatives held meetings with the representatives of the education departments from four municipalities (Bitola, Tetovo, Gostivar and Gevgelija) in order to present their research and activities, as well as to inform them about the obstacles and challenges that dyslexic students encounter. Representatives of the education departments guaranteed their future support in promoting the dyslexia test that the Association has developed within schools. - The final report “Research on the prevalence of dyslexia among high school students in the Republic of Macedonia” with concrete set of recommendations for institutions was published and promoted. According to the representative of the Bureau for Development of Education of the Ministry for Education, this project has set the basis for institutionalization of the efforts aimed at assisting dyslexic students in Macedonia. - On February 23, in Skopje, Dyslexia held their final event at the Faculty of Philosophy. The event gathered 60 (46 women and 14 men) participants. During the event, in front of representatives of government institutions, local authorities, university professors, representatives of the CSO sector and members of Dyslexia Association, key Ana Drakic, CEP’s CoP addressing the accomplishments were presented and the audience at the close out event audience was informed about the research results and its recommendations. - The project increased awareness and educated high school students about the advantages and disadvantages of dyslexia and enabled all students to share problems regarding learning disabilities through an interactive forum as an integral part of the Info Wall on Dyslexia. Scout Association of Macedonia that implements “Youth Engagement through Scouting (YES)” project completed the following activities:
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- Organized “Need identification Day” in 3 municipalities (Kochani, Kriva Palanka and Zajas) aimed to encourage youth to identify their community needs; 201 people attended the need identification days, where 81 ideas for community actions were identified; - Organized coordination meetings with the mayor of Centar (Skopje), the mayor of Need identification Day in Kochani Kochani, a representative from the municipality of Prilep and with the mayor of Kriva Palanka. As a result of these meetings, cooperation was established for successful implementation of the community actions in these municipalities. Scout Association will implement five community actions, work on five youth policy papers and organize one community forum in the next period.
2nd round YES Grantees Progress Youth Empowerment Platform (YEP) that implements “TechUP” project completed the following activities: - 40 TechUP students from Polog region (12 women and 28 men) visited the Seavus education and development center and were informed about the work and academic programs and scholarships that are offered by Seavus; - YEP received 99 student on-line applications, out of which 74, 68 from Gostivar and 6 from Bitola, were accepted to attend 8 computer Study tour in private company Seavus classes that will enhance their computer skills; - 5 local business and 7 CSOs were selected to work with YEP training participants in order to build functional websites for these organizations. In the next period, YEP project team will conduct the last two training classes and will organize a close out ceremony where project results will be presented.
Association, Leaders in Education, Activism, and Development (LEAD) that implements “MyVoice” project completed the following activities:
- The company that was originally hired to develop the platform “My voice” was not able to provide the requested product (website and two mobile applications) because their main web developer left the company. Hence, LEAD had to announce a new call for development of the platform. This delay is not going to have any financial implications but will require a no-cost extension. - LEAD selected a new company and had a meeting with them to discuss details about the platform that will enable students of High School “Georgi Dimitrov” to actively
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participate in the decision-making processes within their school. In the next reporting period, LEAD project team will complete the development of the website, Android mobile application and iOS mobile application. Youth Alliance – Krushevo (YAK) that implements “Youth Friendly City” project completed the following activities:
- Conducted community mapping process in the targeted municipalities of Krushevo, Strumica and Municipality of Centar using three different methods:
o Disseminated online questionnaire in all three targeted municipalities in order to gather opinions and perceptions among youth about the level of youth- friendliness of their municipalities. The questionnaire was answered by 254 young people (130 men and 124 women);
o Implemented three focus groups in targeted municipalities with 28 stakeholders (members of the local youth councils, councilors from the municipalities, teachers, professors, youth organizations and other CSOs) for the in-depth analysis of the current situation in these municipalities (8 men and 20 women);
o Conducted 29 targeted interviews (16 men and 13 women) with local stakeholders, to evaluate current youth policies and services in the targeted municipalities. - Based on the community mapping process, YAK started to produce 4 different sets of policy recommendations and measures for improving current youth policies. In the next period, YAK project team will complete the work on 4 different sets of policy recommendations for each municipality and will disseminate those to relevant stakeholders. The project team will also conduct 3 round tables with local authorities, non-formal groups, youth and other relevant CSOs, aimed at developing and building local competencies and knowledge about YAK’s policy recommendations. Activity 2.4.2: Capacity Development and Networking for Youth Groups During the reporting period, two capacity development activities were organized: • On February 27, in order to strengthen the capacities of its LEAD Fellows and YES grantees, CEP organized a training on “Inclusion of ethnic minorities and marginalized groups in grant-supported activities”. 16 representatives from YES grantees and LEAD fellows (10 men and 6 women) participated in the training. The training for YES grantees and LEAD Fellows • On March 28, in Skopje, CEP organized “Inclusion of ethnic minorities and marginalized groups in grant-supported activities” training for SSG and PG grantees. Five (all women) representatives from the SSG grantees participated at the training. Gordana Nestorovska, expert in Human
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Rights and Minority inclusion and Astrit Rexhepi, trainer on youth, interethnic and intercultural relations, conducted both trainings.
Key Challenges
The rejection of one of the proposed project applications under the 3rd round of YESGs by USAID has initiated the discussion between CEP and USAID about the evaluation process for YES grants. In principle, there is an agreement that CEP should institute a “pre-approval” process for YES grants, similar to the one that has been implemented for PG and SSG grants. This would mean that after the Idea Competition Event, when GRC makes the decision on the best concept papers, these are sent to USAID for their pre-approval. Upon receiving USAID’s pre-approval, CEP would then work with the applicants on developing their full project applications.
Plans for Next Quarter - Organize Youth training for YES grantees; - Networking YES grantees with partners within the country and participation in the (peer-to-peer) learning opportunities/events; - Organizing orientation session for 5 grantees awarded under the 3rd round of YESG; - Issue and publicize RfA for Rapid Response Grants; - Regular monitoring and evaluation of the YESGs.
CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT TO CEP’S TRANSITION ORGANIZATIONS For the duration of CEP, EWMI will assist CEP’s Transition Organizations (TOs), Metamorphosis and ADI, to improve their governance and management practices so that they become eligible and capable to directly manage USAID contracts. EWMI has also invited FOSM to all the planned activities targeting TOs and will assist FOSM staff to prepare for getting NICRA.
a. Develop Organizational Development Road Maps (ODRM) During previous quarters, Metamorphosis, ADI, and FOSM submitted for EWMI home office review their respective ODRMs related to compliance requirements for getting NICRA. ODRMs included tentative timetables for meeting the requirements; TOs staff members responsible for the respective processes, and EWMI’s assistance needed to meet the benchmarks in the draft ODRMs.
b. Provide Capacity Development Assistance to Transition Organizations
During the reporting period, EWMI’s home office specialist reviewed the ODRMs submitted by TOs, and focused his assistance on preparing feedback to Scope of Works for the Organizational Annual Audits of CEP TOs. He prepared specific audit steps to be included in the audit reports because salaries drive most of the cost allocations that would be used in the determination of NICRA.
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c. Launch work for developing the Indirect Cost Rate Proposal
During next quarter, and once organizational audits of TO’s are completed, and audit reports reviewed, EWMI home office specialist will provide feedback to respective TOs on their audit reports, will develop a step-by-step plan with them for accomplishing all needed financial management changes that would lead to obtaining the NICRA, and will provide on-the-job mentoring to TOs during his visit to Macedonia.
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SECTION III: CROSS-CUTTING ACTIVITIES
3.1 PUBLIC OUTREACH • Information Sessions – 2rd round of PG grants During the reporting period, CEP organized 4 information sessions for the 2nd RfA for PG grants, in Skopje, Bitola and Shtip, and an online2 information session. Total number of participants that attended the sessions was 66 (30 women; 23 FB poster for promotion of the info sessions men and 9 with no answer). In Skopje and Shtip, USAID officials (GDO Director and CEP’s Contracting Officer Representative) attended the sessions. CEP created a FB post to promote the Call and the sessions in each town.
• Visit of the USAID Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia Bureau, Mr. Brock Bierman Info session on PG grants in Skopje
On February 22, CEP hosted the meeting between USAID Assistant Administrator for the Europe and Eurasia Bureau, Mr. Brock Bierman and representatives of Macedonia’s Civil Society organizations: Center for Civil Communications, Transparency International, Macedonian Young Lawyers Association, CIVIL – Center for Freedom and Helsinki Committee for Human Rights of the Republic of Macedonia. Info session on PG grants in Shtip Participants discussed political context as well as how the political situation affects the work of CSOs; rule of law and human rights issues; and the efforts of civil society organizations in the fight against corruption. • Media Coverage During the reporting period, CEP gained significant media coverage through the “USAID: With civic engagement to a stronger society” article which was developed in coordination Meeting between USAID AA and Macedonia with USAID. 23 articles out of 67 published in this period were Civil Society leaders linked to this article. Here are a few links related to the article: http://m.makpress.mk/Home/PostDetails?PostId=214142 http://www.zhurnal.mk/content/?id=1821012574958 http://sitel.com.mk/antikorupciska-istrazhuva-aktuelni-funkcioneri
2 Representatives of four CSOs attended the online session where no demographic data were collected.
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• LEADMK at USAID's Leadership Conference On March 30, USAID organized its Leadership Conference titled: “Macedonia’s Journey from Development to Self- reliance” as a close-out event to mark the 25th Anniversary of USAID’s assistance to Macedonia. USAID/Macedonia Country Representative and U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Macedonia addressed the audience. CEP nd Representatives of LEAD MK02 with the U.S. representatives and representatives of the 2 generation Ambassador (in the middle) of the LEAD MK participated in the conference. • Youth Civic Engagement Award (YCEA) Outreach
During the reporting period, CEP conducted a number of outreach activities in order to promote its 2nd Call for nominations for the YCEA. Four interviews at different media outlets were organized and the fourth and final one was on “I am Cako” radio show. CEP’s representative Martin Miloshevski together with Aleksandar Matovski - Cako (last year YCEA winner) presented the YCEA Call, the criteria for nomination and what the YCEA meant to Cako Martin Miloshevski (right) on TV 21’ and and his work. In addition, CEP conducted a FB campaign its “10 minutes” show through releasing testimonials and visuals from last year YCEA winners.
• Grantees Orientation Sessions On March 22, CEP organized an orientation session for three SSGs: Association for Counselling, Treatment, Reintegration and Resocialization of People Addicted to Martin Miloshevski (left) on MTV Psychoactive Substances IZBOR Strumica, Association of “Morning Show” Citizens Center for Civil Communications (CCC) - Skopje and the Faculty of Things That Can’t be Learned, on CEP’s branding and marking rules.
• Branding and Marking Plan CEP staff monitored and ensured that: (i) all training and other public activities organized by CEP and its grantees complied with CEP’s Branding and Marking Plan; (ii) Martin Miloshevski on MTV radio grantees used new CEP’s templates without a CEP identifier (for invitations, agendas, power point presentations, list of participants, evaluation questionnaires, and demographic data sheets), as well as CEP’s promotional items (folders, notebooks, pens, and
“I am CAKO” radio show on RADIO MOF
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bags) in all CEP funded activities. CEP banners were placed during implementation of each activity, as well as USAID’s Macedonia visuals marking the 25th Anniversary of USAID’s assistance to Macedonia.
• Public outreach materials During the reporting period, CEP submitted its second issue of the e-Newsletter to USAID for review. Once reviewed by USAID, CEP finalized the Newsletter and translated it in local languages. The e-Newsletter was shared with CEP grantees, CEP Advisory Board; other donor representatives; and USAID funded projects.
• Project’s FB page and web site First page of the second issue of e- Newsletter On February 5, CEP submitted the first demo version of its website http://dev.nc.mk/cep/ to USAID for review. On March 13, CEP received comments for improvement of the website by the USAID Bureau for Legislative and Public Affairs, from Washington, DC. CEP started working with the web developer on incorporating all of the LPA’s recommendations and by the end of April, CEP will re-submit its website to USAID for final approval.
During the reporting period, CEP shared information about its activities and accomplishments through its FB page, as well as through its local partners’ social media channels. By the end of March, CEP’s FB page had 1,191 likes and CEP’s posts had reached 68.608 users.
• Media Monitoring In January 2018, CEP signed an amendment to the Contract with SETTE to continue providing media monitoring services for the next twelve months, ending on December 31, 2018. The Contractor will report on all instances when CEP is mentioned in the Macedonian news outlets - print, main web portals, and television - including both Macedonian and Albanian languages.
3.2. MONITORING, EVALUATION, AND LEARNING PLAN • Evaluation of Project Events During the reporting period, CEP’s MEPO Specialist analyzed the data collected from completed activities (through Demographic Data Sheet and Evaluation Form), provided summary of findings from each event, and shared them with respective partners. • Data collection During the reporting period, CEP’s MEPO Specialist in coordination with partner M&E specialists customized the M&E spreadsheets for each of the grant categories, and included these as part of the grant agreements.
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3.3 COOPERATION WITH USAID AND OTHER DONOR PROGRAMS
On January 29, CEP held a meeting with IMPAQ international and its local consultants. In order to evaluate USAID/Macedonia’s democracy and governance (DG) portfolio, the evaluation team was interested in the effectiveness of previous USAID DG support, CEP’s cooperation with USAID, and the changes in current socio-political context. On February 14, CEP had a meeting with the USAID-funded Local Systems Practice team about a new USAID approach (Local Works) in relation to Macedonian civil society. The team informed CEP representatives about the new approach, objectives and timeframe, as well as potential local stakeholders that might be considered for implementation of future programs. USAID’s Information Safety and Capacity Project (ISCP) started with field visits and trainings to Macedonian CSOs, including CEP partners. ISCP will continue to work with CEP partners in order to strengthen digital security and safety measures and enhance the safety of ICT communications. During the reporting period, CEP also stayed abreast of developments on donor- supported programs for CSOs and civic engagement in Macedonia, as well as on the new Macedonia’s government efforts to cooperate with CSOs, including CEP grantees, in advancing reforms. Furthermore, CEP invited experts from other donor-supported civil society and youth development programs to serve in CEP’s GRCs.
On March 23, CEP assisted its SSG grantee Mladiinfo to host a meeting with prominent Youth CSOs in Macedonia, representatives of Macedonian Government, Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Agency for Youth and Sports and MP - representative of the Parliamentary youth caucus. MladiInfo initiated this meeting in order to gather all relevant players working on on-going youth issues and programs such as: Youth Guarantee, Law on Youth, Youth unemployment, Local Youth Councils, etc., to enhance coordination and cooperation among these different players.
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U.S. Agency for International Development Macedonia Samoilova, 21 1000 Skopje, Macedonia Tel: (+389 2) 310-2000 www.usaid.gov/macedonia
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