The world bank group

THE WORLD BANK GROUP

Application for Youth Innovation Fund – Round I

Country or Countries :	Responsible Unit:		Task Team Leader:
Albania	ECCAL		Franz Kaps
Project Leader (Youth):	Amount Requested:		Total Cost of Project / Matching Funds:
Valerie Stadlbauer	$5000		$5000
Title of Proposed Project:
Empowering Youth at Risk: Combining Skills Development with the Development of a Youth-driven Counter-Trafficking Campaign in Albania
Several World Bank social protection projects have begun to address the needs of vulnerable youth in SEE. In Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, and Moldova, the World Bank has funded youth centers and community based activities with an emphasis on the development of life skills. The proposed project will build on these efforts and leverage them to contribute to addressing a most pressing problem in South Eastern Europe (SEE), the trafficking in human beings. In Albania, minors account for the largest number of trafficked victims. Albania’s Government launched the National Strategy and Action Plan for Combating Child Trafficking and Protecting Child Victims of Trafficking. The strategy’s protection activities are based on two pillars: (i) information and awareness-raising campaigns to educate the population, especially high-risk groups; and (ii) initiatives to provide vocational and other non-exploitative alternatives to trafficking. These two strategies are already very powerful instruments to prevent trafficking. However, this project proposes to combine the two strategies to make them even more effective and to achieve more sustainable results. The objectives of this project are to step up prevention efforts and address the needs of vulnerable youth by: Allowing a small group of vulnerable youth to develop, design and present an awareness-raising counter-trafficking campaign and thus empower them as agents of change as well as increasing community knowledge and ownership of the issue of trafficking Equipping the group with the necessary knowledge and (job-relevant) skills (basic computer literacy, use of internet, public speaking, critical thinking, creativity, teamwork) to design and present the campaign. At the same time providing the group with critical information re vocational training and job placement opportunities to enable them to make their own and informed decisions in the future. Providing the group with the opportunity to put their new skills into practice to build their confidence and reinforce what they have learned by designing and presenting their campaign and setting up an internet forum Providing an environment to engage in peer-to-peer learning and try to mobilize others to get involved Activities Targeting a small group of vulnerable youth Over a period of 6-8 weeks a series of workshops and trainings will be organized. The group will receive basic IT-training, information on vocational-training and job opportunities, as well as learn about and analyze the multi-facetted issue of trafficking. Over a period of 4 weeks the group will develop and design the campaign. They will use technical equipment as well as the knowledge and understanding they have acquired in the workshops. The whole process will be accompanied by trainers and facilitators. The group will present the campaign to schools, community and youth centers within the framework of a road-show Partners Both IOM Albania (contacts: Valbona Lenja and Ruth Rosenberg) and the Albania-based NGO Different and Equal (D&E, contact: Marjana Meshi, Executive Director) fully support this project proposal and have agreed to partner with us to support the project. The two organizations know each other very well as they have already successfully cooperated in other projects. They bring complementary assets to the project: IOM has a strong analytical basis as well as human and other resources whereas D&E has valuable experience with grass-roots work in the field of protection and reintegration of victims of trafficking. Cooperating with the anti-child-trafficking-network BKTF is envisaged. Prospects for Sustaining and Mainstreaming the Project in Future Bank Operations The success and impact of the campaign itself and the project in general as well as lessons-learned will be discussed and evaluated at the end of the project. If the partners agree that the pilot was successful IOM and D&E would envisage continuing the project. Future activities could also be integrated into the Bank’s Social Services Delivery Project and Small Grants Program in Albania.
Key Target Group (s)/ Key Youth Issue to be addressed :
Key Target Group: vulnerable, disadvantaged “at-risk” Youth from high-poverty areas, particularly girls Key Youth Issue: The proposed project addresses the most prominent causes for trafficking of minors in Albania: lack of economic opportunity, social disenfranchisement and poverty. The project should provide participants with better future perspectives, confidence and self-esteem, as well as skills to improve their lives and those of others in their community.
Relationship of Proposal to Operational and Policy Work (Sector/Country Priorities):
This proposal draws on one of the main objectives of Albania’s most recent Poverty Reduction Strategy, i.e. its National Strategy for Social and Economic Development (NSSED): the improvement of human capital to reduce poverty. The 2006 CAS for Albania identifies improved service delivery as critical for fostering human capital formation and poverty reduction efforts, particularly at the local levels. The World Bank’s Social Services Delivery Project in Albania supports this objective with a particular focus on promoting new forms and initiatives in community-based social services, including community awareness and prevention, and increased involvement of beneficiaries in design and implementation of these services. This project combines community awareness and involvement of beneficiaries in an innovative way and could serve as a pilot for future activities in Albania and South East Europe.
Send completed applications electronically to Y2Y Community at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Preliminary Timetable of major events (Milestones): April – Beginning of May: Formalize partnership with D&E. Identify group of Youth to work with, refine work plan Beginning of May 2006: workshop with partner NGO (Different and Equal), IOM, and the BKTF network to undergo stock-taking exercise and develop training and workshop program for youth. Hire trainers, facilitators and workshop instructors Mid-May – End of June: Hold series of trainings with Youth to develop computer and internet skills, workshops on the various aspects of trafficking as well as workshops on vocational training and job options July – August: Design the campaign, organize the road-show September – October: Road-show: group will present campaign in schools and community centers. Organize evaluation workshop with partner organizations to assess impact, share lessons learned and discuss next steps Proposed Use of Funds (breakdown for use of resources for consultants, travel, materials. Please not e that ONLY variable costs can be met from the Fund) **All Budget items must comply with Bank guidelines**: Transportation/Space/Equipment/Food for Trainings and Workshops: $2200 IT-Skills Trainer Fee: $1500 Materials for Workshops: $300 Materials for Campaign (Posters, Leaflets, etc.): $500 Travel costs campaign: $500 Total: $5000 Implementation and Quality Assurance Responsibility: (**Keeping track of objectives planned and met; budget expenditures, project compliance with Bank guidelines, impact assessment, risk analysis, planned outcomes). Weekly consultation with partner NGO, IOM and Country Office Team Report on initial workshop results and work plan with NGOs NGO will accompany and monitor campaign in schools, community and youth centers NGO will provide monthly report on trainings and workshops Joint evaluation workshop and impact assessment Project evaluation report to be drafted with D&E and IOM Other Comments: The consultation with specialists on trafficking in the Balkans and reintegration of victims provided useful background information and feedback on this proposal. I have received valuable input and support from the Albania Country Office, particularly from Nadir Mohammed, Country Manager, Lorena Kostallari, Operations Officer in the Albania Office, Ana Gjokutaj, Communications Officer, and Gentjana Sula, Education Specialist and former UNICEF-staff, who has particularly contributed to this proposal with her wealth of knowledge on Youth-Issues in Albania. Statement of Confirmation I confirm that this activity has been cleared by the manager of the responsible unit listed on page 1. Signature of Task Team Leader: Extension: Contact person for proposal: Extension:
Date of Submission to Y2Y Selection Committee
Date of Review by Y2Y Selection Committee
Decision of Y2Y Selection Committee
Funding Number (Issued by Y2Y Selection Committee)