About the project 

The project “A Generation at Risk: Addressing Youth Crime and School Safety through Informed Research and Reform” aims to drive meaningful change by creating safer and more inclusive environments for youth in Albania and Kosovo. This will be done through enhanced understanding of youth security issues and strengthened institutional responses to violence and crime among minors and youth in general.  

Youth security in Albania and Kosovo is facing an escalating crisis, marked by rising levels of violence and criminal behavior involving minors, particularly within and around school environments. There are institutional gaps that enable this problem, including weak conflict prevention and resolution mechanisms, insufficient supervision in school environments, a struggling psychological support, and the unchecked influence of digital platforms in shaping youth behavior. In light of youth security challenges faced by youth and broader community, this project has three primary goals designed according to the three levels of social work: micro (understanding drivers of security issues in schools); 2) mezzo (co-designing and piloting resilience-building measures through participatory activities in schools), and 3) macro (prevent violence and criminal activity among youth by raising awareness and advocating for effective institutional measures).  

Through a qualitative research approach that combines in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, and local authorities), as well as simulation-based learning through tabletop exercises and hackathons, the project will generate reliable data and test innovative solutions.  

Local impact 

This project seeks to address youth security issues in Albania and Kosovo by investigating the root causes and contributing factors of youth-on-youth violence and underreported criminal incidents involving minors, particularly in school premises. Through a qualitative research approach that combines in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key stakeholders (students, parents, teachers, and local authorities), as well as simulation-based-learning through hackathons and tabletop exercises, the project will generate reliable data and test innovative solutions. By engaging educational institutions, local governance, criminal justice and law enforcement, as well as young people themselves as co-designers of interventions, the project will also foster a collaborative response and local ownership to enhance school safety and youth protection mechanisms.  

Regional impact 

This regional project will be implemented in two countries of the region, Albania and Kosovo, fostering cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange on school safety and crime prevention among youth. By generating comparative insights into the drivers of youth-related violence and the effectiveness of institutional responses, the project will contribute to a broader regional understanding of these challenges. The findings and innovative practices tested through research, tabletop exercises, and hackathons will serve as scalable models that can be adapted and replicated in other Western Balkan countries. In addition, the project will strengthen regional networks among educational institutions, policymakers, law enforcement, and civil society organizations, promoting coordinated and sustainable approaches to improving school safety and youth protection across the region.