On 29 May 2024, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) and SHARE Foundation delivered an online mentoring and training session for young researchers from Albania and Montenegro within the project “Youth Participation in Digital Democracy: From Digital Skills to Digital Rights of Youth with Fewer Opportunities in the Western Balkans” (EYDR), funded by the Erasmus+ Capacity Building in the Field of Youth programme. The activity was organised under WP2 – Mapping Youth Participation in Digital Democracy, Task D2.2 Peer-to-peer learning and research design, and coordinated by SCiDEV as the lead partner.
The session gathered research teams from Albania (SCiDEV, ESN, CCIS, National Youth Agency) and Montenegro (UZOR). Building on a joint PowerPoint presentation prepared by BCHR and SHARE, the training focused on strengthening researchers’ skills in research design, use of mapping tools, and the structure and publication of the final report.
During the workshop, BCHR and SHARE presented and discussed different data collection methods to be used in the project, including surveys, focus groups, interviews with youth leaders and experts, and the use of case studies. Particular attention was given to how these methods can be combined in a coherent research design, and how they relate to the overall objectives and indicators of WP2. Researchers were encouraged to raise questions and reflect on how to adapt the proposed tools to their national contexts.
The materials and methodology developed by BCHR and SHARE were designed to support researchers in implementing their specific tasks in WP2 – designing survey instruments, conducting interviews, developing case studies, and organising focus groups. By providing clear guidance and examples, the training aimed to improve the consistency, quality, and comparability of research activities across partner countries, and to ensure alignment with the project’s timeline and deliverables.
The meeting concluded with positive feedback from participants, who highlighted the usefulness of the practical guidance and the opportunity for peer exchange. Following the session, SCiDEV circulated the presentation and supporting documents to all researchers for further reference.
DISCLAIMER: This article is part of Youth Participation in Digital Democracy: From Digital Skills to Digital Rights of Youth with Fewer Opportunities (EYDR) project, aimed to strengthen the capacities of Albanian and Montenegrin youth to meaningfully engage in digital activism through an approach that balances protection and digital participation.
EYDR is funded by the Erasmus Capacity Building in the Field of Youth of the European Union and is implemented under the leadership of SCiDEV in partnership with UZOR, Beogradski centar za ljudska prava, Asociación Youropia, Centre for Comparative International Studies, Erasmus Student Network in Albania, National Youth Agency in Albania, and SHARE Foundation.
Opinions in this article are solely of the author and do not necessarily represent the views European Union stand on the matter.
