Publications & Resources
Mentorship Manual for Youth Peacebuilders: Implementing the YPS Agenda in Albania
A practical mentorship framework for youth organisations, civil society actors and local institutions to build the next generation of peacebuilders in Albania.
Youth Voice Network of Organisations (YVNO)
UNFPA Albania
UN Peacebuilding Fund
About the Manual
This mentorship manual was developed by the Youth Voice Network of Organisations (YVNO) within the framework of the United Nations initiative “Youth for Inclusion, Equality and Trust”, supported by the UN Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund and implemented in Albania by UNDP and UNFPA.
The manual provides a structured, practical framework for establishing and running mentorship programmes that embed the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) Agenda — established by UN Security Council Resolution 2250 (2015) and reinforced by Resolutions 2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020) — into youth development work at the local level in Albania.
The manual positions mentorship as a strategic tool for building a new generation of youth peacebuilders — young people equipped with the knowledge, skills and values to contribute meaningfully to peace and security in their communities.
The 5 Pillars of the YPS Agenda
The mentorship programme is structured around the five pillars of Resolution 2250, adapted to the Albanian context:
What the Manual Covers
The manual is a comprehensive operational guide — covering theoretical foundations, practical tools and step-by-step instructions for running a YPS-focused mentorship programme:
Foundations of Mentorship and YPS — The conceptual framework linking mentorship to the YPS Agenda, grounded in UNSCR 2250 and Albania’s Youth Law No. 75/2019.
Roles and Responsibilities — Clear definitions of the mentor and mentee roles, selection criteria, matching processes and the ethical principles guiding the relationship.
Programme Structure and Sessions — A structured 6-month programme with session outlines, thematic modules covering all five YPS pillars, and facilitation guides for mentors.
Skills Development for Peacebuilding — Practical tools for developing conflict resolution, active listening, community dialogue, gender sensitivity and civic engagement skills.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning — Tools for tracking progress, measuring impact and ensuring continuous improvement of the mentorship programme.
Context-Specific Guidance for Albania — Tailored recommendations for implementing the programme in the municipalities of Cërrik, Pogradec and beyond, drawing on field experience from the Youth360 project.
International Best Practices — Lessons from MENTOR’s Elements of Effective Practice, RYCO’s regional youth cooperation model and the Youth4Peace training toolkit (Council of Europe, 2025).
Key Recommendations
- Institutionalise mentorship as a core component of youth policy at local and national level, with dedicated budget lines and coordination mechanisms.
- Ensure mentorship programmes are gender-responsive and inclusive — actively recruiting young women, young people with disabilities and youth from marginalised communities as both mentors and mentees.
- Train mentors not only in subject knowledge but in facilitation, active listening and the “do no harm” principle to ensure safe and supportive mentoring relationships.
- Link mentorship outcomes to the National Youth Strategy 2022–2029 and the Local Youth Councils to ensure sustainability and policy coherence.
- Leverage regional cooperation through RYCO and Western Balkans platforms to connect Albanian youth peacebuilders with peers across the region.
- Integrate systematic monitoring and evaluation from the outset, with age- and gender-disaggregated data and active youth involvement in the review process.
Who Is This Manual For?
- Youth organisations and NGOs looking to establish or strengthen mentorship programmes with a peacebuilding focus
- Youth workers, trainers and facilitators working with young people on YPS themes
- Local and central government institutions, including municipalities and the Ministry of Youth
- Young people themselves — as mentors, mentees and co-designers of the programme
- International organisations and donors supporting youth peace and security programming in Albania
This manual is grounded in the findings of the Youth Needs Assessment on the UN YPS Agenda (YVNO, 2025), field experience from the Youth360 project in Cërrik and Pogradec, and international references including MENTOR’s Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring (4th ed.) and the Council of Europe’s Youth4Peace Training Toolkit (2025).
Authors and Contributors
The manual was produced through a collaborative process led by YVNO, coordinated by Andi Rabiaj (Executive Director) and Kostian Jano (Board Member), with contributions from the YVNO team and peer educators. Supported by UNFPA Albania.
Disclaimer: The views, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this document are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations, the Peacebuilding Fund, UNDP or UNFPA. © 2025 Youth Voice Network of Organisations (YVNO). All rights reserved. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
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