USAID Civic Engagement Project in Macedonia (CEP)

Issue IV, July-December 2018

CEPMacedonia

WELCOME TO THE FOURTH EDITION OF USAID’S CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROJECT (CEP) NEWSLETTER. THIS EDITION COVERS THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES COMPLETED IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, MARKING THE SECOND CALENDAR YEAR OF CEP’S IMPLEMENTATION. THE RESULTS WE CHOSE TO SHARE WITH YOU ARE JUST A FEW FROM THE MANY ACTIVITIES ACCOMPLISHED DURING THIS PERIOD. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL FIND THESE STORIES INSPIRING AND WILL SHARE THEM WITH YOUR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS.

A Note We bid farewell to Ana Drakic, who has the best of luck in her future endeavors. Manager, so we are excited to see his been CEP’s Chief of Party for over two years. CEP is pleased to announce that Jeton contribution in the new position. She greatly contributed to CEP’s objectives Krasniqi will become CEP’s Chief of Party as In November of this year, CEP welcomed by providing valuable guidance to programs of January 2019. He will continue working Dejan Dokuzovski as the new Deputy Chief that improve the capacity of civil society on CEP’s progress and its meaningful of Party. With his skills and experience, he organizations in order to help them achieve results in relevant ongoing development will contribute to CEP’s objectives and tangible changes in society. She has helped processes on a local and central level. He the further implementation of activities the Project and those implementing it has done an amazing job as CEP’s Deputy aimed at bettering the community overall. excel in every way. We want to wish her Chief of Party and Capacity Development We are happy to have him aboard!

Jeton Krasniqi, Deputy Chief of Party and Dejan Dokuzovski Ana Drakic, Chief of Party Capacity Development Manager Deputy Chief of Party (August 2016-December 2018) (December 2016-December 2018) (November 2018-present)

Editor’s Note If you wish to subscribe to receive the Bi-Annual newsletter from the USAID Civic Engagement Project, please click here. Or if you would like to unsubscribe from this e-mail service, please write us a short note unsubscribe. We invite you to visit www.cep.mk and https://www.facebook.com/CEPMacedonia/ and be among the first to find out about our latest activities and opportunities.

1 Issue IV, July-December 2018 | Civic Engagement Project PROGRAM NEWS Grants under CEP CEP completed its second year that focused and for women and girls in rural areas. on strengthening dialogue between Persons with disabilities also monitored the citizens, civil society organizations (CSOs), referendum and were certified as observers. and government on important social To support the Government of Macedonia’s issues. By the end of December we reached efforts to decrease the number of 278 CSOs throughout the country and young people that are not in education, made them aware of the opportunities employment, or training (NEET) through available for them to engage in dialogue their enrollment in the Youth Guarantee with citizens, civil society organizations Program, CEP worked with the Ministry and the government to advance important of Labor and Social Policy and awarded social issues. Youth Engagement Support (YES) Grants In the last six months, CEP awarded to the Association of Citizens “Youth Can” three Rapid Response Grants (RRGs) and Center for Youth Activism KRIK. focused on voter education related to In September, CEP launched the Call the Referendum. The following CSOs were for Applications for the 3rd Linking, grant recipients: Association for Promotion Engagement, Advocacy, and Development and Development of an Inclusive Society Program in Macedonia (LEAD MK). In INKLUZIVA; the Union “National Council for early fall, CEP issued its 3rd Request for Gender Equality” and the Association of Applications for the Partnership Grants Citizens "Media Plus". They carried out and the Strategic Support Grants, as well voter education activities for persons as the 5th Request for Applications for the with disabilities, marginalized groups Youth Engagement Support Grants.

Tackling Local Issues on a Bus n September 2018, during CEP’s develop a list of local priorities, which will second CSO Bus Tour, citizens from serve as a guide and help them direct their Ithe villages of Karbinci ( work towards real concerns of people in of Karbinci) and Podaresh (Municipality the area. of Radovish) were connected with civil In Podaresh citizens shared their opinions society organizations working in the region. about issues they have to deal with day- In Karbinci, the attendees including to-day such as inadequate public services, the Mayor of Karbinci talked about youth migration, unemployment, and local problems such as education and road safety. CSO representatives who opportunities for youth, agricultural attended the event offered viable Jordan Nasev, Mayor of Karbinci (left) development and waste management. solutions and ways to tackle the issues discusses local challenges with a -based CSO representative They agreed to work together and raised at the meeting.

What Will the NATO Accession Process Bring to Macedonia and its Citizens

n September 14 in , CEP of Macedonian citizens. The panel organized a Policy Forum titled was comprised of prominent speakers “NATO Integration Perspectives including (from left on the picture): O Danijela Barisic, Ambassador of the – What Will the Accession Process Bring to Macedonia and Its Citizens”. The Republic of Croatia in the Republic of event gathered around 100 participants Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski, National from civil society organizations, central Coordinator for NATO Accession, Ismet and local institutions, businesses, Ramadani, President of the Euro - media, academia, and other relevant Policy Forum on NATO Integration Perspectives Atlantic Council of Macedonia, Goran stakeholders. Edward Gonzalez, Director Ilikj, Dean of the Faculty of Law “St. of the General Development Office at Kliment Ohridski” at the University USAID Macedonia, delivered opening give the public an overview of what can of Bitola, and Nastasija Stojanovikj, a remarks at the beginning of the event. be expected from the NATO accession student and USAID’s Civic Engagement The Policy Forum was an opportunity to process and how it will impact the lives Project LEAD Fellow. 2 Issue IV, July-December 2018 | Civic Engagement Project

Learning How to Successfully Speak on Social Media for Fundraising

tories are the basic building blocks for organized by CEP in November 2018. reaching our goals. As fundraisers, Social marketing plays a big role in our Syou’re responsible for arousing everyday lives which is why, CSOs need sympathetic emotions and inspiring action. to enhance their skills in this area and The most powerful way to do that is to tell learn how to convey their message to a a great story. But what makes your story wider audience in a compelling manner. great? What do you need to include? The participants learned some useful tips Branko Dokuzovski from HORUS tried to and storytelling guidance how to engage answer these questions at the training and increase audience on social media on building communication and social pages and profiles. Branko Dokuzovski presenting the basics marking skills for effective fundraising of social marketing to the audience

Volunteering Knows No Age Limit

o mark International Volunteer Daskalo” from Bitola, which was Day, on December 5 the newly recognized for its humanitarian and Testablished Council for Volunteering environmental actions. in organized the “Local Verica Butlevska received the Award Volunteer Award 2018” event. Awards for for her contribution to the activities of the volunteers were presented for the first Women’s Organization – Bitola. Brewery time to recognize citizens engagement in Skopje was given the Corporate Volunteering improving the life of the local community. Award for their educational school Among the winners of the award was project, and Olga Ristevska, age 72, the volunteering club “Tereza Ferdinandi Group photo - Local Volunteer Award 2018 received a special recognition for her Litovska” from the secondary school “Taki long-term volunteering engagement. What Was Achieved Through Youth Civic Engagement Award hrough the Youth Civic Engagement enhanced the visual identity of all Scouts young people and helping them achieve Award (YCEA) in 2018, CEP awarded and increased the sense of belonging and their full potential as responsible citizens Tthree small grants to two individuals team spirit among Scout peers. The Scout in their communities. and one youth organization that have Association of Macedonia equipped 300 Marija Pavleska devoted her award shown a significant commitment Scouts with brand new uniforms, as they towards raising awareness about and dedication to benefitting their continued with their mission of guiding independent theater and promoting communities and society in general. The female empowerment among theater winners in the individual category were workers. She launched an on-line platform Senada Sali and Marija Pavleska. The titled “Trit.mk” and has so far published Scouts Association of Macedonia won reviews on theater plays, podcasts in the youth CSO category. Thanks to with actors, actresses, and directors, the award, Senada Sali, an experienced information about theater festivals in lawyer in the field of Roma rights Macedonia and even research on theater protection, used her platform as the work by women. Senada Sali working with Romani youth at winner of the Youth Civic Engagement her workshop in Skopje, September 15, 2018 Award to raise awareness about human rights and protection from discrimination among Romani youth. The YCEA winner in the youth CSO category, the Scouts Association of Macedonia, was able to replace the old Scout uniforms with new unified uniforms for all Scouts in Macedonia. In this way, the Scouts Scouts Association of Macedonia in Marija Pavleska’s platform Trit.mk, Association of Macedonia has successfully their new uniforms September 2018 launched on November 28, 2018

3 Issue IV, July-December 2018 | Civic Engagement Project

Linking, Engagement, Advocacy, Development Macedonia (LEAD MK) is Back Again EP’s LEAD MK Program is back with LEAD MK Fellows were part of the its third generation of Fellows. A lot LEAD MK Academy focused on topics Cof highly motivated and change- like leadership, advocacy, development, driven young people from all parts of community engagement, project cycle Macedonia applied during CEP’s open management and budget planning. With call, launched in September 2018. It was the help of their trainers, our Fellows had a tough selection to make, but we were a chance to further develop their skills happy to choose 20 Fellows that will in these fields, broaden their views, and develop and implement their small-scale become inspired to craft and develop community projects during the next year. their unique projects. We are looking Third generation of LEAD MK Fellows At the beginning of November, CEP’s forward to seeing what they come up with!

Marking the International Anti-Corruption Day n December 12, in order to mark to the challenges in strengthening International Anti-Corruption Day, institutional frameworks, the selection OCEP’s grantee, the Platform of and appointment processes of judges, Civil Society Organizations in the Fight public prosecutors, members of regulatory Against Corruption, organized the and oversight bodies, and the role of CSOs annual conference titled “Urgent Priority in the fight against corruption. Reforms: Strengthening the Institutional U.S. Ambassador Jess Baily joined Framework in the Fight Against Corruption: the final panel discussion at the Was Progress Made?” The event gathered conference. In his remarks, he affirmed together representatives from the the United States’ commitment to government, public institutions, media and U.S. Ambassador Jess Baily at the Panel helping Macedonia build transparent, civil society to discuss a coordinated effort Discussion on Defining the Role of CSOs in accountable institutions and strengthen Safeguarding the Existing Legal, Financial to fight corruption in Macedonia. The topics and Political Systems criminal justice systems to hold the of the panel discussions were connected corrupt accountable.

Civic Engagement in the Digital Age he increasing use of Information their local government. As of December and communication technologies 2018, Karposh (Skopje) became the T(ICT) in people’s everyday lives first municipality in Macedonia to has created new ways to communicate, communicate with its citizens through a new spaces to share experiences and mobile application. Through мЗаедница new methods to make their voices (mCommunity), Karposh municipality will heard. Through the YES Grants, CEP get a chance to develop an interactive has supported a local CSO, Blink 42-21, relationship with citizens and civil society with the implementation of a project to organizations, enabling them to propose create a mobile application that enables ideas and initiatives through this mobile young people to constructively engage application in order to improve their with their community and interact with municipality. Promotional poster

Upcoming Activities

▪ In January, CEP will organize a number of capacity development activities for its grantees, such as: Quarterly Grantees Meeting, In-Country Exchange visit on Local Citizen Participation and Learning Circle on Volunteering; ▪ In February, CEP will launch 20 LEAD MK small–scale projects; ▪ In March, CEP will issue its third call for Youth Civic Engagement Award; and ▪ In June, CEP will recognize the outstanding work of individual youth, youth CSOs and/or informal youth groups for the activities implemented during 2018.

This newsletter was produced by USAID’s Civic Engagement Project, with support from the United States Agency for International Development. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of East-West Management Institute, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government.

USAID’s Civic Engagement Project (CEP) • Tel/Fax: +389 2 320 4450 • [email protected] • FB CEPMacedonia • www.cep.mk 4