Youth Voice Network of Organisations

Youth Voice Network of Organisations (YVNO) is an Albanian non-governmental network formally established in 2018, building on a collaboration that started in 2014 through the regional Youth Voice campaign supported by UNFPA. YVNO brings together 21 member organisations and youth clubs working in the fields of sexual and reproductive health and rights, education, social and health services, human rights, community development, youth participation, and youth, peace and security. The organisation’s mission is to mobilise, integrate and strengthen the potential of young people through awareness-raising, information, advocacy, peer education and community-based action, with a strong focus on inclusion and on reaching young people from marginalised and underserved communities. Over the years, YVNO has expanded its work across 16 municipalities in Albania and has built strong cooperation with local and national institutions, municipalities, civil society actors and international partners. The organisation combines grassroots engagement with policy and systems-level work: it has organised a broad range of advocacy and awareness actions, conducted surveys on young people’s knowledge and needs, supported the drafting of 15 Youth Action Plans and budgets at municipal level, contributed to youth budget monitoring processes, and helped strengthen local youth participation mechanisms. Through its programmes and partnerships, YVNO has trained more than 600 peer educators and volunteers and has supported local focal points, youth clubs and community-based structures that create long-term impact for young people. YVNO has solid experience in designing and implementing local, national and international initiatives supported by partners such as UNFPA Albania, the European Commission, Rutgers, the French Embassy, Terre des Hommes, IREX, the Albanian Helsinki Committee and other institutions. Its portfolio includes projects and actions on comprehensive sexuality education, youth information services, gender equality, prevention of gender-based violence, mental health, menstrual health, youth participation, migrant inclusion and tackling harmful narratives. In parallel, YVNO has invested in digital youth outreach through tools such as the JoTabu platform and app, providing evidence-based information and interactive content for young people, parents and communities. For SALTO and international cooperation, YVNO offers strong expertise in non-formal education, peer education, youth participation, advocacy, community mobilisation, the inclusion of vulnerable groups, and cooperation among local communities, public institutions, and civil society. The organisation values partnerships that combine quality learning processes with policy relevance, measurable social impact and meaningful youth engagement. YVNO is particularly interested in cooperation within Erasmus+ and other international youth initiatives related to inclusion, gender equality, health and wellbeing, digital youth information, peace and security, and democratic participation.