Balkan Youth Cooperation (BYC) is an independent, non-profit initiative born out of the need for more connection, collaboration, and youth voices in the Balkans. It was founded by two young Balkan studies specialists and has evolved into an open network that brings together young people, groups, and organizations from across Southeastern Europe.
We believe the Balkans are more than just a geographical region; they are a space of stories, experiences, languages, and cultures that can collaborate creatively. Our main goal is clear: to connect young people across the region and bring the Balkans to the world.
For us, networking is about building trust, collaborating on shared projects, co-creating ideas, and maintaining connections beyond a single program. We want young people who meet through our activities to continue collaborating, traveling, researching, and creating together.
Balkan Youth Cooperation operates based on principles of equality, inclusion, and intercultural dialogue. We create safe spaces where young people from diverse social and cultural backgrounds can freely express themselves, share experiences, and work collectively.
Our work is built around three main tools: youth programs, research, and events.
Youth Programs
We design cross-border workshops, educational meetings, and participatory activities that bring together young people from different Balkan countries while also connecting Greek youth more closely with their neighborhood. We use non-formal education methods, group exercises, creative labs, and peer-to-peer learning.
Our goal is for participants to develop skills, build confidence, collaborate interculturally, and transform their ideas into joint initiatives.
Research
BYC places special emphasis on knowledge and methodology. We do not see research as separate from youth; rather, it is a tool for empowerment. We support young people in understanding basic research methodology, designing small-scale studies, collecting and analyzing data, and presenting their findings effectively.
Our core project over the years has been research methodology for Southeastern European studies, through which we have trained more than 30 young people.
Events & Networking
We organize conferences, discussions, thematic workshops, and intercultural meetings that serve as networking hubs. Our events are designed to encourage meaningful interaction rather than mere formal participation.
Through these meetings, new collaborations are born, best practices are exchanged, and ideas for joint projects across the Balkans and beyond are developed.
Our main areas of activity include:
-Youth and cross-border collaboration
-Empowerment of women and other vulnerable social groups
-Trainings for youth groups in organization, collaboration, and skills development
-Research methodology
-AI and youth, focusing on the responsible and creative use of artificial intelligence in education, innovation, and daily life
Balkan Youth Cooperation operates as a continuously evolving network. We collaborate with organizations, informal youth groups, and educational institutions from different countries in the region, aiming to build a sustainable ecosystem of collaboration across the Balkans.
For us, the Balkans are a space of possibilities. Through knowledge, education, technology, and collaboration, we aim to contribute to the development of a generation of young people who think regionally, act collectively, and connect internationally.
Balkan Youth Cooperation is not just an organization. It is a network of people who choose to collaborate beyond borders.
