On October 31, 2024, the Institute for Rural Initiatives (iRi) organized the second session of the YouthACT Academy in Chisinau. The activity was attended by 33 active young people from 5 rural communities, brought together by a common desire to turn ideas into action and to assert their role as leaders in their communities.
The main theme of the day – Community Leadership – was approached from an innovative perspective, aimed at inspiring and creating active involvement among young people. This is an essential approach in rural communities, where young leaders not only take responsibility, but also develop the capacity to mobilize and stimulate meaningful change around them.
In the Brainstorming and Brainwriting sessions, young people worked in groups, exploring new ideas in a collaborative environment. These activities highlighted that participatory methods are an effective way to develop critical thinking and creativity in identifying solutions to community challenges. This session emphasized that collaborative methods, such as brainwriting, contribute to team building and create a climate of trust and openness among participants. Through this approach, every voice was heard and participants had the opportunity to deepen their understanding of their role in local decision-making.
At the end of the session, each group presented their ideas, highlighting the innovative role young people can play in revitalizing their communities.
“Through brainwriting, we manage to listen to everyone’s ideas and better mobilize ourselves to act with impact.” – Georgeta Popa, leader of the initiative group, Ciuciuleni village, Hincesti district.
“Brainstorming helps us to collaborate and find innovative solutions to community problems. The active involvement of young people has considerable potential in tackling local challenges, and innovation plays a central role in shaping solutions.” – Ana Mocanu, member of the initiative group, Sculeni village, Ungheni district.
“The final presentations opened new perspectives on how leadership can inspire and attract new young members to become actively involved, thus strengthening the sense of belonging and responsibility towards the community.” – Ruslan Stanga, community mobilization expert iRi.
With inspiring ideas and new motivation, participants returned to their communities ready to implement positive change and strengthen their role as active leaders.
More photos from the event can be found on the Facebook page of the Institute for Rural Initiatives (iRi).
This activity is part of the “Youth leaders at the table” project, implemented by iRi and local partners, with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the Comunitatea Mea program, implemented by IREX.