How the network that connected thousands of young people from the Western Balkans with European opportunities was created.
It has been 20 years since the establishment of the Contact Points Network in the Western Balkans. How did it all begin, and how has this network shaped youth work in the region? Find out below…
SALTO SEE and first cooperation steps
More than 25 years ago, the European Union launched the ambitious Youth Programme 2000–2006, aiming to empower young people through international mobility, non-formal education, and active participation in society.
As this EU programme evolved, it became clear that its reach needed to expand to the Western Balkans, promoting stability and reconciliation in a region recovering from conflict. To bridge this gap, the SALTO-YOUTH Resource Centre for South East Europe was established in 2002, becoming a bridge of cooperation and support between EU member states and the Western Balkans.
Establishment of Contact Points in the Western Balkans
In the years that followed, SALTO SEE recognised the importance of local engagement and, in 2005, launched a network of Contact Points across the Western Balkans. The SALTO SEE newsletter published in April 2005 shows that even then, the Contact Points were positioned as key actors in promoting the YOUTH programme in the Western Balkans. Twenty years later, they continue to represent a vital bridge between SALTO SEE and local organisations in the field of youth, disseminating information about the EU youth programmes in the field of youth, supporting organisations in accessing the Programmes and implementing projects, and supporting the development of youth work by creating partnerships across Europe.
Over the past two decades, the network of Contact Points has played an important role in strengthening the capacities of young people and youth organisations, providing them with opportunities to participate in various international projects, youth exchanges, and training sessions. One of the key achievements is the fact that three Western Balkan countries (North Macedonia, Croatia, and Serbia) gained equal access to the programme alongside EU member states. The support of the Contact Points played a vital role in this process.
Ms. Sonja Mitter, coordinator of SALTO SEE, shares her experience with Contact Points, stating that they are an essential and integral part of the SALTO SEE team. We could not do without them, not today and not 20 years ago. It’s maybe interesting to recall that the creation of Contact Points was the demand of the youth work field itself in 2004. We had created a process that brought together representatives of over 230 organisations from the countries of the region, who emphasized that in order to better use the EU youth programmes, there was need for contacts in each country that could provide information and support in local language and adapted to the specific situation. Some years later, Info Centres were established in the neighbouring regions of Eastern Europe and Caucasus, and more recently also in the SouthMed region. So, in my view, this is a success story we can be proud of.
Voices from the Network
Srđan Mitrović is one of the persons who has been involved since the very beginning of the Contact Points Network – initially as an employee of the organization Hajde da… that was then the Contact Point in Serbia, and today as the coordinator of the Western Balkans Contact Points Network on behalf of the SALTO SEE Resource Centre.
Reflecting on the journey of the Contact Points in the Western Balkans, I am reminded of my early involvement through a Contact Point in Serbia, one of the first organisations to take on this role when the CP network was launched back in 2005. The EU programme in the field of youth we promoted was smaller in scope but powerful in reach, focused on international mobility, giving access to small organisations to join and providing learning opportunities for both young people and the youth work sector. I still recall the excitement of introducing this new European programme to local organisations and seeing the first international youth exchanges and training courses come to life, Srđan recalls the early moments of the Contact Points Network.
Today, 20 years later, Srđan emphasizes that the role of the Contact Points has evolved, and they are now part of a much more complex landscape of EU funding and support, making the role of the CPs more demanding but also more important than ever.
ADP-Zid, the Contact Point for Montenegro is one of the proud members of the Network.
According to representatives of ADP-Zid Mirela Kalamperović and Milena Ščepanović, being a Contact Point means being a bridge between our communities and European programmes, providing information, support, and assistance to organisations wanting to implement international projects. Our role goes beyond simply sharing information—we aim to be true partners, relying on real-world experience, understanding the needs of our users, and having a deep knowledge of the local context.
As we mark twenty years of the Western Balkans Contact Points Network, we are celebrating the incredible work done and express our gratitude to all the organisations that have been part of this journey over these past years – to you who have built and further developed the network and provided support with your capacities and skills to everyone wishing to access the EU youth programmes. Thank you!
P.S. If you are from Western Balkans and have also been part of this story, whether as an organisation, Contact Point, exchange participant, youth worker, or volunteer, please get in touch with us. We’d love to hear your experiences with SALTO SEE, Contact Points and the EU youth programmes —how they influenced your path, helped your organisation, or shaped your work. We may feature your insights in our upcoming anniversary posts, reports, and social media highlights :).