Skopje – From March 24 to 27, Skopje was the epicenter of youth activism, creativity, and innovation. The regional UPSHIFT boot camp gathered young people with a common goal: to identify challenges in their local communities and, with expert assistance, develop concrete, innovative solutions.

During three days of intensive work, learning, and networking, participants had the opportunity to go through the Design Thinking methodology. With continuous support from their mentors, teams analyzed problems, mapped the needs of their communities, and designed projects that will bring about positive social change.

Focus on Teamwork and Problem Solving

The UPSHIFT program has once again shown that young people are ready to take initiative when provided with the right tools and space to work. The atmosphere in Skopje was filled with positive energy, the exchange of experiences, and mutual support among participants from different backgrounds.

Through practical workshops, the youth learned how to transform their initial idea into a sustainable project—from defining a budget and planning activities, all the way to the final presentation (pitch) before an expert jury.

Winning Teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina

At the end of the camp came the most exciting part—the announcement of the teams whose solutions most impressed the jury. These teams won financial grants and additional mentoring support to put their ideas into action.

We are especially proud of the grant recipients from Bosnia and Herzegovina who excelled at the camp in North Macedonia. Financial support for the implementation of their projects was secured by:

• Team CutCode – Vitez
• Team Ubavi deca – Livno

These teams demonstrated exceptional dedication and an innovative approach to the problems faced by their peers and fellow citizens.

What’s Next?

The conclusion of the boot camp in Skopje represents just the beginning for the winning teams. In the coming period, the implementation phase lies ahead, where they will turn their visions into reality with the allocated funds and continued mentoring.

Congratulations to teams CutCode and Ubavi deca, as well as to all other camp participants for their great ideas, effort, and motivation to make the world around them a better place!