The New Social Initiative – NSI is looking for candidates who are 24 years old or younger, are students of political and other social sciences and are interested in the Brussels Dialogue and regional cooperation initiatives to take part in the project Enhancing Normalization and Regional Cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia.
What kind of person are we looking for?
We are looking for eight policy “nerds” from different ethnic communities in Kosovo and Serbia to attend our intensive training and mentoring program. At the end of the training, under the guidance of a mentor, they will write a practical policy summary on a topic of their choice.
The candidates we are looking for are 24 years old or younger, are students of political and other social sciences and are interested in the Brussels Dialogue and regional cooperation initiatives.
Albanians from Preševo/ Preshevë, Bujanovac/Bujanoc and Medveđa/Medvegja as well as Kosovo Serbs are especially encouraged to apply.
The working language of the program is English.
What should you do?
Learn
Selected participants are expected to undergo three in-person training modules, each lasting two days:
1. research methodology
2. policy document writing
3. data visualisation
The first two modules will be organized in February, while the third will be held in March 2023.
Write
Following the completion of the two first training program, the selected participants will choose topics and mentors at mentorship kick-off online workshop in February. Mentors will guide them through a three-month process of writing their own policy briefs that touch on topics related to the Brussels Dialogue or regional cooperation initiatives.
All costs related to participation in training, mentoring and other project activities are covered thanks to the support of our donor, the National Endowment for Democracy. This also includes a symbolic compensation for all young researchers who write a policy brief with the under the mentorship component.
Present
The jury will evaluate practical policy proposals, and the two best authors will be able to present their work at the annual Kosovo Peace and Democracy Summit. We will translate the two best papers into English, Serbian and Albanian.
Who are we?
New Social Initiative is a non-governmental organization from North Mitrovica that strives to impact inclusiveness, trust-building, democratization processes and good governance in Kosovo. NSI was founded in 2015, but we have been working non-stop since 2017.
Our mission is to empower non-majority communities in Kosovo and Serbia to participate in social and institutional life and increase trust between communities by supporting the processes of dealing with the past and the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina.
About the project?
Enhancing Normalization and Regional Cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia aim to provide policy inputs for the overcoming, status quo, or any other challenges of the Brussels-led Dialogue on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, including alternative initiatives for normalization and regional cooperation, such as the Agreement on Economic Normalization, Open Initiative, and the Berlin Process.
How to apply?
If you like this program, send your CV and a cover letter outlining your topics of interest to: office@newsocialinitiative.org
Deadline for submitting applications: November 20.
If you have any questions, write to us at: office@newsocialinitiative.org
