CNVP has recently been awarded two new projects that are funded by the EU.

First, CNVP is the lead partner in Rural youth assisting Macedonia in EU integration. Working in partnership with the Rural Development Networks of Macedonia, Croatia and Serbia, project implementation will start in January 2018 for 18 months. The specific objectives of the action are to: improve the capacity of rural youth and their CSOs to create and implement public policies through structural dialogue with decision-makers; and strengthen capacities of rural youth, making them more competitive on the labour market. This will involve: identifying and networking rural youth; building their capacity to influence decision-making processes; and up-skilling them to be able to access more employment opportunities. The project’s target groups are at least 150 students and at least 10 rural youth CSOs from rural East and South-East Macedonia. Rural young people in general will benefit from the impact of the action, as will local and national institutions. Together with representatives of the youth CSO sector, these institutions will work to define the most important issues faced by rural youth, and propose practical policies for improving their contribution to rural development regionally and at national level.

Second, CNVP, the Ecologists’ Movement of Macedonia (DEM) and the Centre for Environmental Research and Information (Eko-svest) are implementing Communities Communicating Climate Change (CCCC). This 36 month project will start on 1 January 2018. The project’s overall objective is to strengthen the impact and involvement of civil society in decision-making processes and key reforms for support of the EU accession process in Macedonia. The action will improve CSO conditions in Macedonia, by organising CSOs and other grass-root organisations and joining their efforts, as well as improving their coordination to advocate for climate policies and mainstream climate issues in all other national/local policies. Better cooperation and communication channels will be established with the authorities to ensure that future actions result in better, more effective and more successful implementation of CSO activities. Target groups include more than 200 grass-root/national CSOs and formal/informal networks that address different areas and sectors relevant to climate change. Civil society will benefit from the action by increasing the capacities of local CSOs, and approximately 2 million disadvantaged citizens will have an opportunity to be directly involved in mitigating climate change.