The Scout Association of Montenegro (SICG) and UNICEF Montenegro organized UPSHIFT - a competition for high school students from Montenegro, and the four teams that, according to the jury, had the best ideas, received financial support in the amount of 2.000 euros and mentoring support to implement their ideas.
"We challenged young people to identify a problem in their local community and come up with a solution for it. The large number of applications received is proof that they are up to the task and that they approached it seriously. We selected ten teams whose ideas we considered the most important and relevant for young people at this moment," reads a statement signed by the head of information at SICG, Milica Radonjić.
The participants of the competition were from Bijelo Polje, Pljevlja, Ulcinj, Bar and Podgorica and over the course of three days they discussed with their mentors the causes and consequences of the challenges they identified in their community.
"Using various techniques, they tried to look at the challenge from different perspectives, to put themselves in the position of those who cause the problem and those who suffer the consequences because of it. They honed their idea, with the help of a mentor, they talked about potential partners on the way to a solution, as well as possible challenges that may arise along the way. They also approached the budget seriously, making sure to allocate money for everything they needed. We worked with them on presentation skills so that they would be fully prepared to appear before the three-member jury," said Radonjić.
And that they were ready to appear before the jury was also shown by the fact that the three-member team did not have an easy task of deciding whose ideas to support, and the high school students showed that they care about solving the problems they identified, but also that they possess the necessary skills to implement the ideas.
The jury, consisting of: Nikola Vulić (coordinator of UNICEF's program for adolescents and youth), Peko Vukadinović (coordinator of the project "Youth for Clean Air") and Borislav Jovović (Secretary General of SICG), decided to support the ideas developed by the teams: "Morski čuvari" from Bar, "Peek a Peek" from Ulcinj, "Creative KAP" from Pljevlja and "Na - Polju" from Podgorica.
"We will also be a support for other teams and will make every effort to ensure that their ideas are realized. We are glad that we succeeded in the main mission of UPSHIFT - to enrich young people with new skills, acquaintances and great experience and show them that they can change things in their local community and in that way create a better world," said SICG.
The competition was implemented as part of the project "Strengthening Citizens' Trust in Institutions and Building Resilient Communities" implemented by UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO, in cooperation with the Government of Montenegro. The project is funded by the UN Peacebuilding Fund.
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