Youth Empowerment Platform (YEP) is a youth-orientated non-governmental organization, located in Gostivar.

It was founded on April 24, 2015 by a group of enthusiastic young people who believe in amplifying the voices of young people and serving their communities.

YEP strives to support Gostivar’s youth by fostering their leadership skills, encouraging their civic engagement, providing technical skills, and ensuring all members have a space to full their potential in becoming their most authentic, best version of themselves.

Inspiring young people to take an active role in their futures, and teaching them that their voices are strong and vital to the decision-making process; and

Supporting the youth group with their leadership skills, strengthening their civic engagement, and ensuring they have the proper skills to thrive in their futures—not only will this aid young people in becoming leaders in their communities, but also inspire their peers to be more active members of society.

YEP has been active for seven years, and during this time, more than 50 activists have supported the mission and goals.
Currently, there are nine different projects our members participate in or lead. These projects include the following: Say It, TechUp, Film It, YEP Talks, My Future, Techathon, Gostronic, and My City, My Pride.
Through these projects, YEP has supported over 600 young people by assisting them with obtaining various technical skills, providing mentorship, and fostering their activism.
In addition to the regularly scheduled projects, YEP holds informal activities — like movie nights or group hikes — for the members. During the academic year 2018-2019, approximately 200 people from Gostivar have attended these events.
Not only are these events a way for members to develop their skills and knowledge, but they also serve as a networking event.

Our long-term goals mainly include:

YEP’s active members consist of more than 30 youth, mainly between the ages of 14 and 19. There are also some more experienced members, between the ages of 20 and 29. About 50% of our members are females.
Our members are passionate about serving their communities, learning from each other, and building their experiences. While the president is available to guide and mentor YEP members, it’s the members who take the lead on projects.
Members meet once a week to discuss the projects they’d like to design and implement, and the president is there to facilitate the meetings and provide any support they may need. The task of the president is to act as a moderator during the meeting, and never as a lawgiver. This ensures that the members are actively involved during the discussions at the meetings.