Qendra Rinore Ardhmeria-Kline

Youth Center “Ardhmëria-Klinë” was founded in October 1999 as a need for youth activities in post-war society in Kosova. The center was founded with the help of an Italian organization as ICS (Italian Consortium of Solidarity), FCEI, Arci, and IPSIA (Institute for Peace development Acli) which was active in Kosova at the very beginning of after war in our country. In the Youth projects, ICS has founded some Community Centers around Kosova including here also the south part of Mitrovica. These centers, there was also “Ardhmëria” in Klina. Youth Center Ardhmëria-Klinë was founded after a feasibility survey made by ICS- representatives, and after the employment of the working staff in which one is yet active in the activities of the center and other educational events led by the volunteers. Youth Center Ardhmëria-Klinë is dedicated to creating an environment for youth where they can grow and flourish. QRAK is an NGO building future adults into functioning members of society through supporting youth in developing their ideas; stimulating integration into society that will contribute to the development of peace, tolerance, and the removal of prejudices; and connecting their ideas within their communities needs while serving those communities through social work and education. Voluntary work experience in the youth center has been very successful and youth participation in voluntary work was very active and well known by the community. We have developed many activities for youth since 1999, and during these years have gained significant experience in education, culture, and creative activities. Through our work, we develop educational and cultural events, workshops (Create & Recycle), life skills, training, youth exchanges, conferences, volunteering, and youth groups. We have many years of experience at the local level by organizing and developing daily activities, and monthly events for youth. Daily we organize creative workshops for children (2 hours per day) and the same group (12 children) meets twice a week. English lessons that are provided to the young people twice a week, and sometimes we have two groups and sometimes 3 groups, the number of the participants’ changes from 20 to 30 young people in these activities. We have a youth group (15 youth) that comes to the youth center 3 times per week, they have their own environment to meet each other, to chat, to read, share the information’s, and organize youth initiatives in the city. Every week meetings of youth groups result in initiatives that contribute to the community development in Klina city. The monthly events are activities such as Halloween events, Humanitarian activity, International Aids day, Voluntary day, Sumer camps, etc. The events are organized in a way to involve local small businesses like sponsors of the event, and also the local authorities, parents, and teachers, in order to promote youth center work and give an opportunity to involve the local community within youth center activities. In big events participate from 50 to 100 youngsters and there is an opportunity to involve local partners and we are open also to internal partners, and also the solidarity corps. Meanwhile, the Center is active in hosting, and sending volunteers to international youth exchanges, training, and conferences, we host American Peace Corps volunteers. We have a strong working relationship with an American NGO named MCW, and every year we motivate young people from Klina to participate in Youth leadership conferences in the USA. In 2017, in cooperation with MCW, we hosted the International youth conference in Peja, Kosovo. The Youth Center’s work has been built by young community leaders and every young person that was part of our activities has developed their skills and improved their lives in general.