Five days. Three countries. One shared goal — to turn young voices into real change.
In October 2025, the city of Korçë, Albania transformed into a vibrant hub of ideas and energy as it hosted the SOEN4 Offline YOUth Academy. Dozens of young participants from Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro came together to learn, create, and lead through innovative non-formal education.
Through workshops, outdoor challenges, and teamwork simulations, participants explored what leadership truly means — not as authority, but as collaboration, empathy, and active citizenship. They learned to make group decisions using sociocracy, practiced public speaking, and designed small-scale projects addressing real issues in their communities.
“I realized that everyone can lead — the key is to listen,” said one participant.
The outcomes were powerful:
⭐ Leadership confidence increased by 28 %
⭐ Decision-making and teamwork skills by 23 %
⭐ Understanding of inclusive participation by 56 %
Nearly half of the group came from fewer-opportunity backgrounds, showing that diversity and inclusion are not just values of Erasmus+, but the foundation of strong leadership.
Participants rated the overall experience 4.7 / 5, highlighting the inspiring environment, creative approach, and welcoming atmosphere provided by the host organisation Balkan Youth Activism.
As part of the PlaNET SOEN4 project, co-funded by the European Union under the Capacity Building in Youth action, this training marks a milestone in empowering young people across the Western Balkans. The graduates are now preparing their own Youth Catalyst initiatives — spreading the SOEN4 spirit of responsibility, participation, and change.
Because SOEN4 doesn’t just teach leadership.
It empowers a generation to live it.
