Developing emerging leaders in civil society: an experiential learning initiative in North Macedonia

Abstract

This action research examined civil society leadership in North Macedonia to propose, design, and implement an initiative to develop next generation civil society leadership. Since the establishment of the Republic of Macedonia in 1991, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have played an important role in providing community services and advocating for important social changes. However, over the last 30 years, the lack of ongoing training and succession planning, as well as weak support from government, private sector, and academia has left the sector limited in leadership, impact, and community engagement. An initial research cycle identified the need to engage youth in understanding the impact of NGOs and the opportunities to be involved in addressing community needs. Action steps were developed aligning leadership training with an NGO experiential learning opportunity for emerging young leaders in the capital city of Skopje. This study revealed that a combined leadership training program and an NGO experiential learning opportunity does support a dynamic pipeline of emerging young leaders who are aware of and engaged in civil society impact. The effective linking of community development knowledge and leadership education in the program addressed a gap in both areas while bridging personal growth with community impact. The study demonstrated effective institutional engagement and support from NGOs, high schools, government, and community organizations and the important collaboration required to sustain this program in the future.