The Regional Capacity Development Network (RCDN), in partnership with IAWD – Voice of the Danube, successfully supported a nine-month Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Exchange Program (July 2024 – March 2025) for Young Water Professionals (YWPs) from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
The program, designed to empower YWPs and strengthen national chapters, combined two face-to-face workshops, eight online sessions, and continuous mentoring. It provided young professionals with the tools, networking opportunities, and confidence to take an active role in shaping the future of the water sector.
Building Skills, Confidence, and Regional Connections
Participants worked together on a range of activities, including:
- Team building and exchange of national YWP chapter experiences,
- Identifying common challenges in the water sector,
- Developing country-level action plans to strengthen YWP chapters,
- Drafting a regional Position Paper on the role of young professionals in addressing sector challenges.
The program also encouraged cross-border cooperation, with participants presenting their ideas and experiences at national and regional events, including the Danube Water Conference, Montenegro Water Conference, Balkan Join Conference, and Belgrade Water Forum, marking the first steps toward stronger regional advocacy for YWPs.
Position Paper
One of the main outputs of the exchange is a Position Paper that outlines the challenges YWPs face in the Western Balkans and provides recommendations for attracting young professionals to the sector.
Participants also agreed to continue their collaboration beyond the program by forming a Regional YWP Group, meeting annually to share experiences, and jointly promoting YWP chapters at regional events.
Investing in the Next Generation of Water Leaders
By investing in young professionals, RCDN is helping build a new generation of water sector leaders who are passionate, skilled, and regionally connected. Such exchanges prove that empowering YWPs strengthens not only individual capacities but also the overall resilience and innovation potential of the water sector in the Western Balkans.
