Coalition of Youth Organisations SEGA

The Coalition of youth organizations SEGA is a national platform of youth organizations in Macedonia, dedicated to lobbying for legislative changes as well as supporting youth activism, participation and access to information. Currently, Coalition SEGA strives to ensure that the goals and objectives of the national Youth Strategy are fulfilled. In addition, SEGA works with domestic and international partners to provide capacity building training to the member organizations of SEGA and youth organizations throughout Macedonia. Furthermore, SEGA designs projects to improve youth information and active youth participation. In short, SEGA represents and will continue to be the voice of the youth in Macedonia to the national institutions and European youth associations.
During the years of work SEGA has developed and implemented procedures and mechanisms that allow them to be today's leading national youth organizations with 21 current member NGOs that implement different activities throughout the country. Through a number of activities we have gained the knowledge and the best practices of working to improve the quality of life for youth, including but not limited to developing awareness for young people in order to increase acceptance of the differences between cultures and practice mass socializing by organizing public community service activities. Also, we have promoted standard and ethical values of youth life, and respect and tolerance among young people through activities that aim to overcome cultural and ethnical differences, broadening their views and opportunities inside and outside the country.
On the basis of the European experiences and standards of the European Agency for Youth information and Counseling (ERYICA), and regarding to the increase of the youth information, in 2010 SEGA opened the first “Youth Informational and Counseling Centre INFO SEGA” in Macedonia. Last year (2015) we opened the second Youth Information center INFO SEGA in Kavadarci. The YIC INFO SEGA in Prilep and Kavadarci are projects from Coalition SEGA and they are devoted to inform, educate and counsel young people about various possibilities available for youth (studying abroad, scholarships, volunteering, trainings and seminars, events, information for employment, etc.) through providing a direct and on-line contact with youth. The centers also facilitate activities with youth in local high schools in both towns and creative workshops.
Coalition SEGA has implemented several successful Erasmus+ project including projects in different actions KA1 for youth mobilities (EVS), KA2 (strategic partnership) and KA3 (structure dialogue). In all these projects have been laid possibilities for increasing the Youth participation in democratic life at local and national level, and method for improving the communication, among the young and decisions makers for their needs and problems at local and national level.
In the past ten years, SEGA has produced a number of publications, toolkits, manuals and monitoring reports and has organized number of seminars and trainings in an effort to raise the awareness for the needs of youth participation in society as well as advocacy and lobbying for the youth needs.
The Coalition of youth organizations SEGA works on developing and implementing youth policies in Macedonia as well as connecting and strengthening young people to improve their overall state.
Moreover, SEGA is a sustainable and developed youth organization active at the local, regional and national level, a long-term and serious partner in the implementation of youth programmes along with young people, NGOs, state institutions and the business sector. Our work has led to an improved overall state of youth, their inclusion in decision-making processes and their use of applicable laws. Our success is recognized in the promotion of the young people as a resource in the society, ready to answer new challenges.
Coalition SEGA has given significant contribution towards creation of the National Youth Strategy of the Macedonia and the Action Plan for implementation of the National Youth Strategy of the Macedonia. In 2009, SEGA prepared Alternative report for the implementation of the Convention on the rights of the child in Macedonia. In 2010, the report was presented to the UN Committee for the Rights of the child in Geneva. The recommendations of the Alternative report (in the same year) were presented to the Commission for labor and social policy of the National Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia.
Coalition of youth organizations is national network of youth NGOs with head office in Prilep, Macedonia. SEGA continuously works on developing and implementing youth policies in Macedonia as well as connecting and strengthening young people to improve their overall state. SEGA as a national organization builds upon collective membership.
The main focus of field of work of SEGA is:
- Youth activism;
- Youth participation;
- Youth employment;
- Democracy, mutual confidence and cooperation;
- Community development;
- Information;
- Advocacy and lobbying for youth policy.