The Youth Placemaking Balkans (YPB) project brought together young people from across the region through two Regional Mentorship Workshops, creating a shared space for learning, reflection, and collaboration that extended beyond borders. Held online in December 2025 and January 2026, these workshops connected youth from the Balkans and wider Europe, offering them the opportunity to explore placemaking, youth participation, and the role of sport as a powerful tool for social change.

The first workshop marked the beginning of this journey, gathering 30 young participants from North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, and Greece. Coming from diverse backgrounds—students, youth workers, activists, and newcomers—the participants entered the space with different experiences but quickly discovered shared realities. Through open and honest discussions, they reflected on the challenges they face in their communities, including limited access to participation, lack of institutional support, and social norms that often discourage youth from expressing their ideas. What emerged from these conversations was a strong sense of recognition and solidarity, as participants realized that these barriers are not individual but systemic and common across the region.

A key highlight of this first encounter was the opportunity for participants to explore the Youth Placemaking Balkans e-learning platform for the first time. Rather than simply engaging with the content, they actively contributed to its development by sharing feedback on its structure, accessibility, and relevance. This process transformed participants into co-creators of the learning experience, reinforcing the idea that youth voices should be at the center of educational tools designed for them. Alongside this, interactive exercises encouraged participants to move beyond theory and into practice as they collaboratively designed ideas to transform public spaces into inclusive, safe, and vibrant environments. These activities demonstrated not only creativity and critical thinking, but also the capacity of young people to develop concrete, community-oriented solutions when given the right tools.

Building on this foundation, the second mentorship workshop expanded the conversation by introducing the concept of sport diplomacy and its connection to placemaking. Bringing together participants from across the Balkans and from countries such as the Netherlands and Italy, the session created a rich, intercultural learning environment where diverse perspectives could be shared and explored. Participants engaged in discussions and exercises that challenged them to rethink sport—not only as competition, but as a tool for dialogue, inclusion, and cooperation.

Through breakout discussions and practical examples, participants explored how sport can contribute to social inclusion, strengthen community bonds, and foster mutual understanding among diverse groups. They reflected on sport as a universal language that can bridge cultural, social, and even political divides, creating spaces where people can connect beyond differences. The conversations also highlighted the broader impact of sport on personal development, mental well-being, and confidence building, reinforcing its value as a multidimensional tool for both individual and collective growth.

Across both workshops, a central message became increasingly clear: young people are not just participants in these processes—they are key drivers of change. The sessions encouraged participants to see themselves as leaders, organizers, and advocates capable of shaping public spaces and influencing their communities. Through practical exercises, they applied this perspective by designing youth-led interventions that used sport and placemaking to address real challenges, such as social exclusion, lack of accessible infrastructure, and community fragmentation.

At the same time, the workshops emphasized the importance of connection and collaboration. By bringing together participants from different countries, the initiative created a regional learning community where experiences could be shared, ideas exchanged, and partnerships formed. These connections extended beyond the workshops themselves, fostering a growing network of young placemakers committed to creating more inclusive and vibrant public spaces across the region.

Ultimately, the Regional Mentorship Workshops demonstrated that when young people are given the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and lead, they are fully capable of turning ideas into action. By combining knowledge, creativity, and shared experiences, participants left the workshops not only with new skills and perspectives but with a renewed sense of confidence and motivation to actively contribute to their communities.

As the Youth Placemaking Balkans project continues to grow, these workshops stand as a clear example of what is possible when youth are empowered—showing that real change begins when young people are trusted to shape the spaces around them.