ZIman Calls: New Competitions for Youth!

ZIman Calls: New Competitions for Youth!

The Zaječarska Initiative has announced this year's calls for participation in its programs “School Elections,” “Youth in Motion,” and “ZIman Fund for Youth.” Following the success of last year's programs, the list of cities/municipalities from which applications can be submitted has been further expanded this year.

SCHOOL ELECTIONS

Through this program, the Zaječarska Initiative provides comprehensive technical, mentoring, and financial support to student parliaments to plan, prepare, and conduct school elections. The program is aimed at student parliaments from high schools located in the following municipalities/cities: Zaječar, Knjaževac, Boljevac, Sokobanja, Bor, Negotin, Majdanpek, Kladovo, Svrljig, Pirot, Babušnica, Aleksinac, Jagodina, Paraćin, Ćuprija, Kruševac, Ćićevac, Varvarin, Svilajnac, Despotovac, Žagubica, Kučevo, Petrovac na Mlavi, and Niš.

Through a very engaging process, high school students will have the opportunity to gather signatures for their candidacies, assemble their election teams, participate in education about elections, and conduct real campaigns in their schools. Candidates and their teams will have resources for their campaigns based on a previously submitted and approved campaign budget.

The goal of the “School Elections” program is to enable student parliaments from high schools to elect their presidents through real and direct elections! School elections are a very effective way for young people to learn about democracy, elections, and related topics, as well as to strengthen their confidence in democratic institutions and processes.

The Zaječarska Initiative has successfully organized school elections in several cities, which has motivated it to improve and expand this program. Similar programs are being implemented worldwide. Many countries today use similar methodologies to increase youth turnout who are voting for the first time in real elections.

YOUTH IN MOTION

Within the “Youth in Motion” program, student parliaments from the territories of Zaječar, Knjaževac, Boljevac, Sokobanja, Bor, Negotin, Majdanpek, Kladovo, Svrljig, Pirot, Babušnica, Aleksinac, Jagodina, Paraćin, Ćuprija, Kruševac, Ćićevac, Varvarin, Svilajnac, Despotovac, Žagubica, Kučevo, Petrovac na Mlavi, and Niš can apply for a maximum amount of 700 US dollars in dinar equivalent.

The goal of this program is to offer young people an additional opportunity for democratic and civic education through activities they devise and implement themselves. To date, over 90 projects of student parliaments have been supported through the “Youth in Motion” program, enabling young people to do something good in their school and community while gaining knowledge on topics such as democracy, activism, human rights, and more.

ZIMAN FUND FOR YOUTH

The “ZIman Fund for Youth” is aimed at youth organizations and for youth. Registered civil associations can apply for a maximum amount of 3,000 US dollars to propose ideas that contribute to the responsible and active participation of young people in the democratic life of local communities.

Within this program, support can be provided to projects initiated by young people to promote through traditional or innovative artistic forms and creative expression:

 - promoting the values of a democratic society, rights and freedoms of citizens, and freedom of expression among other young people

 - and/or b) critically reflecting on specific instances of violations of these values, freedoms, and rights in the community. Art and culture represent a very powerful means of interaction with the broader community and a way to communicate various topics with community members.

Project proposals should be based on artistic forms such as photography, video production, theatrical productions, various forms of street art (graffiti, murals, stencils, street installations, and performance art), digital art, music production, comics, etc.

Additionally, successful project proposals should include various forms of interaction with the community, primarily with young people, through which they engage in the artistic process or communicate the products of that process with the community.

For ZIman's funding, civil associations registered under the Law on Associations based in one of the following cities can apply: Zaječar, Knjaževac, Boljevac, Sokobanja, Bor, Negotin, Majdanpek, Kladovo, Svrljig, Pirot, Babušnica, Aleksinac, Jagodina, Paraćin, Ćuprija, Kruševac, Ćićevac, Varvarin, Svilajnac, Despotovac, Žagubica, Kučevo, Petrovac na Mlavi, and Ražanj, which have experience working with young people and have previously participated in the implementation of at least one project.

Through the ZIman Fund for Youth, the Zaječarska Initiative has so far supported over 70 projects of youth organizations, with a total value exceeding 150,000 dollars, enabling them to address various issues recognized as significant by young people in their communities.

How to Apply?

Interested civil associations and schools/student parliaments can find all information about the competitions on the website www.ziman.rs. Applications are submitted exclusively through this website by filling out an online form.

For any additional information regarding the competition, you can contact the donation program coordinator, Dragana Gogev ([email protected], 019 440 225, or 060 7 444 004).

The ZIman small grants program is implemented by the Zaječarska Initiative in collaboration with the Iskorak Foundation, with support from the National Endowment for Democracy.