We are happy to announce a new edition of the YMCA Leadership Academy Course in 2026: “Subjects Matter: autonomous leaders for impactful and sustainable civil society spaces” co-funded by European Youth Foundation.
For 10 years already, YMCA Europe organises a signature training course for young leaders of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to strengthen their skills in the spheres of personal autonomy, intercultural diversity, project design and management, governance and sustainability. Learn more about all Leadership Academy cohorts.
Leadership Academy is a movement strengthening project of YMCA Europe aimed at building the capacity of YMCAs through developing leadership skills of young people, striving to grow in their roles and positions, seeking to make more impact in communities through their YMCAs.
AIM AND OBJECTIVES
Aim: enabling young activist to promote active participation, inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue through community projects and civil society organisations’ (CSOs) development as safe spaces for youth transformation and empowerment
Objectives:
- Promoting and developing key personal competences of youth workers and young leaders: agency and autonomy, intercultural competences, ability to embrace diversities, proactivity, culture of self-development, etc.
- Raising awareness of youth workers and young leaders about the role of civil society organisations in enhancement of active participation, inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue, as well as the key forms of youth activism.
- Equipping youth workers and young leaders with the relevant practical skills to design, implement and evaluate the social community projects.
- Involving young people (from marginalized backgrounds) into community projects which promote active participation, inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue.
- Equipping youth workers and young leaders with key tools on sustainability and strengthening civil society organisations as transformative and empowering spaces for young people.
The Project will have the following 3 interconnected phases:
1.International Activity One: face-to-face educational session focused on key competences of being autonomous as personalities and activists, intercultural competences and proactivity as key features of autonomy, civic engagement and social change, CSOs as spaces of civil engagement, design of community projects (Local Activities) as a way of social engagement, promoting active participation,
inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue in the communities.
20-26 April 2026 (five full days of the training plus one day of arrival, and one day of departure: 19-27 April 2026), Spain, Toledo
2. Local Activities planned, delivered and evaluated by the participants of International Activity One based on the knowledge received. (May-October 2026). The Local Activities will include youth from marginalised communities and will promote active participation, inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue.
May-September 2026
3.International Activity Two: face-to-face educational session (continuation of the first part of the training) focused on how to evaluate the results of the organised local community projects, their follow up, learning which capacities a civil society organisation should possess for ongoing sustainable impactful work in order to promote active participation, inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue in a systematic way.
25-29 October 2025 (five full days of the training plus one day of arrival and one day of departure: 24 – 30 October 2026), Kosovo
PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS TO BE SELECTED
- 25 young leaders of civil society organisations from at least 15 countries of Europe;
- Being part of a Civil Society Organisation and motivation to apply gained knowledge within the civil society sector, grow as a Leader of a CSO;
- Having ambition and motivation to grow further in own leadership to positions of Board member, President, Staff member;
- Having some experience in the topics of the training, but little theoretical background of it so far (for example: being part of projects’ teams; newly elected Board member or a nominate to it; newly hired staff person; active programmes/projects volunteer, etc.)
- 18-30 years old;
- Good command of English;
- Ready for intensive education (the training days will include evening sessions) and for implementation of practical assignments (design and implementation of community projects);
- Working with youth with vulnerable backgrounds will be the priority for selection.
KEY KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO BE OBTAINED
KNOWLEDGE:
- Key competences of a subject/autonomous person
- What is Intercultural diversity and why it is an important competence
- What intercultural competences include
- Proactivity as a competence of a subject/autonomous person
- Ways of social proactivity and making change in society
- What is a civil society organisation and what is its role in personal and community development
- What is a social project and how to design it so it promotes active participation, inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue
- How to design and describe a social community project
- How to evaluate the results of a social project
- What is a follow up of a project and why it is important
- What is sustainability of projects and CSOs and how to ensure it through various mechanisms
- Inclusive representational governance and organisational culture
- Fundraising opportunities of CSOs, including opportunities of EYF
- Partnerships development in the communities
- Digital tools enabling organisations to promote active participation, inclusion, diversity, peace and intercultural dialogue inside and outside the organisation
SKILLS:
- Analysis of own intercultural competences
- Design and description of a social community project
- How to make a budget
- Management of projects
- Evaluation of the implemented community projects
- Reporting of social projects
- To create a follow up plan of a project
IMPACT
We expect the project to create an impact on several levels.
Personal Level of Participants:The project includes elements for personal transformation and growth as individuals and as civic activists. Young activists will reflect upon their autonomy and see the areas of personal growth, with the focus on intercultural competences, proactivity and personal sustainability.
Civil Society Organisations Level:
The CSOs will be strengthened with more capable, knowledgeable and motivated leaders, who can manage both “wings” of a CSO: creating impact and sustaining structures for stronger impact and sustainability.
Community Level:
The designed and implemented Local Activities will involve other youth from marginalized background and create opportunity for learning and promoting peace, inclusion, diversity and intercultural communication. The knowledge on follow up of the projects as well as sustainability of organisations will increase the chances of the continuity of the started work.
METHODOLOGY
Non-formal education face-to face (60%): we will use methods of non-formal education during 2 face-to-face meetings (5 full days each).
Online (10%): between face-to-face meetings we will suggest studying some theoretical materials and organise online support meetings.
Learning by doing (30%): practical design and implementation of educational activities.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Please, submit the application form by 10 December 2025
The Link: https://forms.gle/cRBPjxdLHHeXkoDT6
PARTICIPATION FEE INCLUDES
- Board and lodging in youth hostels, in shared rooms with common bathrooms for the days of the training;
- Covering cost-efficient and ecological travel costs to the training sessions;
- Programme costs, including work of external experts;
- Administrative costs which includes communications and mentoring during the practical assignments implementation.
PARTICIPATION FEE: 500 euro
Subsidies are possible, please, mention this need in the application form.
The responsibility of the YMCA National movements:
- To select the participants in whom you really want to invest as leaders of your organisation, who have potential to grow in their leadership and strengthen your movement (as Board and Staff).
- To provide mentoring at all levels, especially at the stage of social projects’ implementation;
- To provide further involvement of the participants in YMCA activities at local and national levels.
Contacts:
If you have any questions, please contact Olga Lukina, olga[at]ymcaeurope.com
A project co-funded by the European Youth Foundation
