YEA do! Become a Young European Ambassador of the Western Balkans

YEAs come from different backgrounds, yet they all share a common vision: the Western Balkans united in diversity, learning about each other and EU together, pursuing creative projects, acquiring new skills, connecting via social media, organising inspiring events - always driven by the idea that activism in youth is the most powerful force of social change.

The YEAs initiative was established in 2020 as part of the EU Regional Communication Programme for the Western Balkans - WeBalkans.eu. The 180 YEAs were selected in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and you can meet all of them here: Meet the YEAs

Now already known among youth all over the region as ‘YEAs’, these young leaders are also here to tell their peers more about the opportunities that the EU offers - for education, skills development, travel, advocacy and much more.

Most importantly, YEAs are open to sharing ideas and developing their talents - towards inspiring change within their communities, the Western Balkans, across the EU and beyond.

As a YEA - you are here to create the best version of yourself and show it to the world.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for young activists who are willing to inspire change across the Western Balkan region and the EU.

You don’t need to know much about the EU before you apply, but you should be ready to learn, and to invest your time and talents.

You should be interested in both online and offline activism - from social media, podcasts, webinars, to real-life events, community actions etc.

Leaving your mark in the world as a Young European Ambassador will be your task - we are here to open the door😊

Read the Terms & Conditions here.

What’s in it for you?

1 Online Visibility!

You will learn how to become a truly positive youth influencer - both online and offline - in your community, your country, the region, and the EU
You will learn how to conduct interviews, as well as skills in developing campaigns, video materials, and projects on your social media platforms
You will have an opportunity to be featured in our ‘YEA of The Month’ campaign

2 Youth Events and Projects!

You will participate in conferences and debates dealing with topical issues
You will have access to selected cultural events in the EU and the Western Balkan region
You will participate in study visits to either Brussels, or other countries within the EU and the Western Balkan region (travel and accommodation expenses covered)*
You will help organise and participate in YEA events
You will participate in creative and social projects

*Subject to the restrictions of specific countries due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

3 Learning and Seminars!

You will follow tailor-made courses on many topics including communications and PR, the arts and media, civic activism, and much more
You will profit from online mentoring by expert trainers for the duration of the project
You will receive certificates of attendance for communication courses, as well as for professional and vocational trainings, and retain lifetime access to online and hard-copy learning materials

Selection process

The selection process consists of four phases. Full details are available in our Terms & Conditions

Carefully read the Terms & Conditions (Article 3: Participation requirements).

Complete the application form and prepare a 1-minute video explaining why you want to become a Young European Ambassador. You can easily do it on your phone.

Make sure you provide all the information required in the application form.

In your video, explain in your own words (remember English is the official language of the project) what makes you the best choice for the Young European Ambassador network. We will exclude videos that do not provide an answer to this question. The video has to represent you and your message. Remember… your creativity and charisma really matter here!

After the closing of the application process, all of the submitted applications will be screened for basic eligibility:

Application form duly completed
Video submitted according to instructions
Formal criteria for application duly met (as set out in the Terms & Conditions - Article 3).

The videos of applicants who passed the basic eligibility check will be published on WeBalkans.eu. From this point until the close of voting, applicants should seek to collect as many votes as they can from their peers and followers in order to maximise their chances - in a fair and legitimate way (please note that illegal voting and botting will be deleted by the system).

On the day after the closing of the Open Online Voting, the top 20 candidates from each of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia (ranked equally by the number of votes, respecting the gender balance) who receive the highest number of votes will continue to the next stage - the 2-stage evaluation of applications.

These top 20 candidates from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, will be evaluated in two stages by the Technical Jury and YEA Expert Jury.

Stage 1: Technical Evaluation - by the YEA Technical Jury made up of experts from the European Commission (DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations - DG NEAR), representatives of EU Delegations in the Western Balkans and the YEA coordinator. The Technical Jury evaluates the candidates on their communication skills, social media profiles and information provided in the application package (form + video).
Stage 2: Expert Evaluation - by the YEA Expert Jury made up of influential individuals from across the Western Balkans who are active in areas such as media, arts and culture, civic activism, and beyond. The Expert Jury evaluates the candidates on leadership potential and the overall impression of creativity.

The ten candidates with the highest combined score from each of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia will be selected as Young European Ambassadors.

The official announcement Ceremony will be announced on Webalkans website and social media channels! Stay tuned!

For more information on the selection process consult our Terms and conditions

Once you become a YEA

As a new YEA, you will be introduced to other YEAs during an orientation session, in which you will receive an information welcome pack, an overview of the main communication tools, along with a programme detailing the planned activities.

As soon as you are selected as a YEA, you will be asked to sign a Volunteer Agreement setting out expectations, roles, and responsibilities.

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