The Youth Center is a project of Diakonie Kosova, implemented and financed by the German
Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) with the Municipality of Mitrovica. The Youth Center
enables young people to engage in free activities and various games. This will enable cross-
cultural learning. In addition, this center also offers joint activities within the framework of
various pieces of training such as sports, recreation, and other activities that enable educational
development. The young people of both sides can thus learn from contact with each other,
overcome the current existing conflicts and develop shared perspectives. Personal and
professional counseling services are also part of the wide spectrum of the Youth Center. The
The Center has a multi-ethnic staff: Bosniaks, Serbs, and Albanians working together, who will be
examples for young people. Young people have been involved from the beginning in the
development of the concept. This continuous process of development and cooperation with the
inclusion of young people of different ethnicities is an important part of the Youth Center.
The Diakonie Youth Center offers space for all young people between 14 – 21 years regardless
ethnicity, gender, or religion. In this way, young people find new friends from other
communities, have better communication with each other and build a common future
By participating in different pieces of training, young people can not only be trained in certain areas but
also offer the opportunity to break down prejudges and stereotypes.
We also have courses for youth such as Web-Design course, Camera course, DJ course, Nail
Course, Drawing Course in the way to prepare for the labor market.
An important outcome of the Youth Centre is also youth empowerment in decision-making
process, by teaching them about their rights and opportunities.
Follow-up meetings and activities organized by young people from different ethnicities (youth
forum, non-formal groups of young, youth clubs, etc.).

  1. Low-Level Access (open door) – Low-Level Access is a safe space where young
    people can spend their free time playing, drinking, discussing, and meeting other young
    people from different communities. Low-Level Access is helping young people to
    organize activities like competitions, movie nights, debates, and other different activities
    on raising awareness among young people in society. In the Low-level Access, the
    young people will be welcomed by the youth worker who will assist and advise them
    during their staying in the youth center. This space will be open every day in the
    afternoon from 13:00 to 18:00.
  2. Self-experience group for young females and males.–A youth worker will lead the
    group of young girls and boys through training and activities that will help them to
    develop their social and individual competencies. The course goes over 6 months (2
    courses during a year), two times a week and each time 90 minutes.
  3. Training courses required by young people such us: Make-up course, painting and
    Drawing course and Traditional cooking activities. This training helps young people to
    develop their soft skills and give them the opportunity to cooperate in between promoting
    as well the intercultural dialog.
  4. Pieces of training about how to find and apply for a job (CV, motivation letter, interview)- we
    organize this training because the youth don’t learn this at school and is very necessary
    for them to learn how to write a good CV and motivation letter, as well as how to go
    prepared for the interview. There will be 4 pieces of training during one year- 2 at the end of
    the season.
  5. Modern Dance Course- we are still the only organization that is offering this kind of
    course to the young`s of Mitrovica South and North. The interest in this course is very
    high, especially from the Roma community which is helping them to get new friendships
    and to build self-confidence (social inclusion). This crew got very popular and is
    invited always to events promoting a good example of intercultural dialog and
    reconciliation. These classes will be organized two times per week (on the weekends),
    for 60 minutes a class and the trainer will be from the Roma community.
  6. Political debates – the goal of this activity is that the youth will be involved on the
    decision making especially in policy-making in the field of youth, to learn the right
    meaning of democracy, to learn the political rights, to discuss how to fight the
    corruption, to understand democratic structures. This kind of debate will be organized
    every second month.
  7. Interfaith dialog – since our youth center is a multi-ethnic youth center we want that
    the youth learn more about their and other religions. In this way, they learn to respect,
    to not prejudice others without knowing them, and to fight radicalism. It will be
    organized every second month.
  8. Peace Weekend – this activity will be more focused on reconciliation. A selected
    group of young`s from Albanian and Serbian communities will seat together to discuss
    the past (dealing with the past) and for the future. We focus on peace and the
    youth will work in a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere watching movies with strong
    educational and peace content. Also, they will be part of many other sports activities like
    football, Basketball, Hiking, and other sports because the sport has social value and can be
    used as a medium to foster commitment towards change and reconciliation among
    different ethnic groups. These activities will be organized once in three months during
    weekends.