As part of the Youth Empowerment Support (YES) Project in Serbia, the YES Grant Boot Camp brought together the teams behind some of the most promising youth-led initiatives from across the country, giving young changemakers the opportunity to strengthen their ideas, connect with mentors, and compete for grant support.
Held in Niš in June 2024, the three-day Boot Camp gathered participants representing 22 shortlisted initiatives selected from 90 applications. During the Boot Camp, participants worked closely with mentors to refine their project proposals and prepare presentations for an expert panel.
The Boot Camp was designed not only as a selection process but also as a learning and networking opportunity. During the first two days, participants improved their proposals through workshops and mentoring sessions focused on project development, citizen mobilization, financial management, and media visibility.
On the final day, each team presented its initiative, and 12 organizations were awarded with YES grants in two categories: Start-up and Ramp-up grants.
Beyond the competition, the YES Project helped build a community of youth leaders ready to address real challenges in their communities, from environmental protection and cultural initiatives to civic participation and inclusion.
Importantly, the Boot Camp demonstrated that youth empowerment goes beyond funding. Even participants whose initiatives were not selected for grants left with new knowledge, stronger networks, and valuable experience that helped them develop future projects. In fact, the Boot Camp was designed with this goal in mind — to provide education, practical skills, and networking opportunities for all participants, even those for whom financial support was not available.
The Boot Camp marked the beginning of a new phase under YES Project — one where young people across Serbia are emerging as leaders and transforming their ideas into impactful community action.