COSV - Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo

14/07/2026

🤝 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

On 30 June, Nikšić hosted the 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, bringing together institutions, local authorities, civil society organisations, social enterprises and entrepreneurs committed to building a more inclusive and sustainable economy.

Throughout the day, visitors discovered products, services and initiatives showing how entrepreneurship can generate not only economic value, but also positive social change and new opportunities for local communities.
The Fair also hosted the panel discussion “𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 – 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬”, moderated by Sanja Mugoša, Project Manager of YouSEED.

The discussion focused on the role of the social economy in promoting dignified work, social inclusion and a better quality of life, especially for persons with disabilities, young people, women from rural areas and other groups facing barriers to employment.

Particular attention was given to the 𝐃𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲, an important step towards creating a stronger legal framework for social enterprises and supporting new employment opportunities in Montenegro.
The initiatives presented also showed how practical training in eco-tourism, entrepreneurship, branding and marketing can strengthen young people’s skills and employability.
The message from Nikšić was clear: when people, ideas and communities come together, business success can also create lasting social impact.

The 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 is implemented by COSV in partnership with the Local Democracy Agency and the Network for Rural Development of Montenegro, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro.



https://youtu.be/HqWrl0vhgEE?si=Lt1rly4El-qTdzxB

13/07/2026

🧵 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬: 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

On 25 June, the Municipality of Zeta hosted the final event of “𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬: 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐙𝐞𝐭𝐚 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬”, implemented by NGO ADRA with the support of the YouSEED grant scheme.

The event brought together local stakeholders for a panel discussion on the role of social entrepreneurship in strengthening communities, creating sustainable employment opportunities and supporting women’s economic empowerment.

Through practical training, mentorship and opportunities to promote their work, 𝟓𝟎 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐙𝐞𝐭𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Initiatives such as Creative Threads show how investing in people, knowledge and local ideas can generate lasting social impact, especially in rural communities.
The event also provided an opportunity to share the project’s results and discuss how skills development, entrepreneurship and community-based initiatives can contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable local economy.

The 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 is implemented by COSV, in partnership with the Local Democracy Agency and the Network for Rural Development of Montenegro, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro.
.niksic

10/07/2026

🌱 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

On 26 June 2026, the Old Royal Capital of Cetinje hosted the panel discussion “𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 – 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬”, organised within the framework of the 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐃 – 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 project.

The event brought together representatives of public institutions, local authorities, civil society organisations and social enterprises to explore how the social economy can support local development, strengthen rural areas and create new opportunities for young people in Montenegro.
The discussion highlighted the importance of cooperation between institutions, civil society and local communities, as well as the potential of innovation and social entrepreneurship to generate both economic and social value.

Among the good practices presented was “𝟑𝐃 𝐏𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬 – 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝟑𝐃 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬”, implemented by epiSTEMe Hub. Through modern technologies, the initiative helps young people develop new skills while strengthening the innovation potential of rural communities.

The panel reaffirmed a clear message: the social economy can be a powerful driver of more inclusive, resilient and sustainable communities.
The 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 is implemented by COSV in partnership with the Local Democracy Agency and the Network for Rural Development of Montenegro, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from the Ministry of Public Administration of Montenegro.

13/05/2026

The roundtable “Social Economy in Montenegro - From Institutional Framework to Community Change” was held on April 24 at the Risto Stijović Gallery in Podgorica, within the YouSEED project 🌱

The event brought together representatives of institutions and civil society organizations. The opening remarks were delivered by Kerim Međedović, who spoke about the importance of the YouSEED project and cooperation with partners 🤝

Sanja Mugoša then presented the project’s goals and activities carried out so far in cooperation with institutions and other stakeholders, while Mersiha Hasanbegović on behalf of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Dialogue, spoke about the legislative and strategic framework for the development of social entrepreneurship. Suzana Stijović presented examples of good practice and the potential of social entrepreneurship in practice 🎯

The discussion highlighted the importance of strengthening the legislative and strategic framework, as well as the role of the social economy in the European integration process. It was concluded that the further development of this sector requires cooperation among all relevant stakeholders, along with continuous support for initiatives that contribute to community development 🌍

The YouSEED project is implemented by the Italian non-governmental organization COSV, in partnership with the Local Democracy Agency and the Network for Rural Development of Montenegro, with financial support from the European Union and co-financing from the Ministry of Public Administration.

Ministarstvo rada zapošljavanja i socijalnog dijaloga
Ministarstvo javne uprave Crne Gore
Evropska unija u Crnoj Gori
Evropska kuća
Agencija za lokalnu demokratiju Niksic / LDA Montenegro

05/05/2026

Open Call for Project Proposals – LEAD2Growth
An Open Call for Project Proposals has been launched within the project LEAD2Growth – Community-Led Rural Development and Growth Initiative.
The Call is open to civil society organisations and local initiatives that contribute to sustainable local development in Montenegro.
Through the Local Development Empowerment Fund (LDEF), the Call will support innovative initiatives in rural communities, especially in the areas of:
• rural development and local economy diversification;
• green innovation and environmental protection;
• social innovation and community-based services;
• digital, educational and cultural innovation.
Special attention will be given to initiatives that include Income Generating Activities (IGA) and contribute to strengthening local partnerships and Local Action Group (LAG) initiatives.
Total budget: EUR 350,000
Grant amount: EUR 10,000 – 30,000
Project duration: 6–12 months
Deadline for applications: 31 May 2026
Projects must be implemented in the targeted municipalities in northern and central Montenegro.
The Call is launched by the Network for Rural Development of Montenegro (NRDM), in partnership with COSV and the Local Democracy Agency (LDA), with the financial support of the European Union and co-financing from the Ministry of Regional-Investment Development and Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organisations of Montenegro.
Full documentation is available here:
https://agrokultura.me/otvoren-poziv-za-dostavljanje-projektnih-prijedloga-za-organizacije-civilnog-drustva-lead2growth/

02/04/2026

Join our team as a Trainer for "Nabta 2026 - Phase 2 🌱

COSV is pleased to announce the opening of applications for the "Trainer" position to participate in implementing activities for the Nabta project across several Syrian governorates.

If you have the expertise and passion for knowledge sharing and supporting beneficiaries, we look forward to having you on our team.

Required Locations & Application Codes:
📍 Latakia: (Code: NA22LATR)
📍 Idleb: (Code: NA22IDTR)
📍 Deir Ezzor: (Code: NA22DZTR)
📍 Hama: (Code: NA22HATR)
How to Apply: Please send your CV to the following email address:
📧 [email protected]
⚠️ Important Note: To ensure your application is processed, please mention the specific Location Code in the Subject line of your email.

For more information about the organization, visit: www.cosv.org

31/01/2026

🌍 iCARE – Inclusive, Accessible Healthcare Across Borders
We are proud to contribute to iCARE, a 24-month cross-border cooperation project improving inclusive, accessible and people-centred healthcare in the Greece–North Macedonia border area.

Funded under the Interreg VI-A IPA Programme Greece – North Macedonia 2021–2027, iCARE addresses shared challenges such as rural isolation, limited access to primary healthcare, low digital health literacy and unequal availability of e-health services. The project focuses in particular on elderly people, persons with disabilities, children and citizens with chronic conditions.

📍 Pilot actions are implemented in the municipalities of Prespes and Resen, where existing “Help at Home” services are expanded into inclusive “Healthcare at Home” models, supported by telemedicine solutions, mobile healthcare units and digital tools.

🤝 The cross-border partnership brings together public authorities, healthcare institutions and civil society organisations:

National Confederation of Disabled People of Greece (E.S.A.meA.) (Lead Beneficiary), responsible for coordination, management and communication, ensuring accessibility and inclusion throughout the project
3rd Regional Health Authority of Macedonia, contributing medical expertise and telemedicine solutions
The Municipality of Prespes and the Municipality of Resen, strengthening local healthcare infrastructure and piloting mobile and home-based services
COSV – Coordinamento delle Organizzazioni per il Servizio Volontario, through its branch in North Macedonia, supporting capacity building, digital health literacy, community engagement and cross-border exchange of good practices
🎯 Expected results include improved access to healthcare for over 3,000 citizens per year, wider use of e-health services, strengthened cooperation between 15 organisations and the implementation of 25 joint cross-border actions.
Through iCARE, we work together to remove barriers, strengthen communities and build sustainable, inclusive healthcare systems that leave no one behind.

09/01/2026

We are excited to announce the first phase training for the Nabta Project 🌱,

implemented in partnership with COSV - Cooperazione per lo SviluppoCOSV and the FAO Syria , through training workshops aimed at smallholder farmers in the following governorates: Hama, Idlib, Deir ez-Zor, and Latakia.

These training sessions focus on helping participants develop practical ideas for their agricultural projects, work with local resource maps, and understand supply chains related to the agricultural sector. This will improve their skills and set the stage for a smooth transition to later training phases of the project.

07/01/2026

05/01/2026

🎉 We were pleased to take part in the Policy Report Release on “Social and Solidarity Economy in Jordan” and the Concluding Event of the GJU Innovate for Impact Hackathon, held on 📅 5 January 2026 at 🎓 the German Jordanian University – Jabal Amman.

🤝 The event brought together policymakers, academics, practitioners, and young innovators to celebrate the social impact solutions developed by the hackathon finalist teams, who pitched their ideas to a distinguished jury and members of the Doing Good community.

📘 It also marked the official launch of the Policy Report on Social and Solidarity Economy in Jordan, developed in collaboration with the Jordan Strategy Forum. The report provides evidence-based insights and policy recommendations to further strengthen Jordan’s social impact ecosystem.

🌱 As COSV, we are proud to have contributed to this important work and to have closely witnessed, over the past year, the growing momentum and maturity of the social entrepreneurship sector in Jordan—driven by 🚀 youth-led innovation, 🔗 cross-sector collaboration, and 🏛️ an increasingly enabling policy dialogue.