December 2020 marked the opening of the first career guidance center at local level in Albania. With the support of RisiAlbania, inspired by the Swiss model, Municipality of Tirana has established the first career center to support individuals and especially young people in their career development.

While this is a rather new service for Albania, as young people navigate their ways to the labour market, the demand for the services remains high. The career center at Municipality of Tirana provides a very good model for other municipalities in the country to follow.

For this purpose, RisiAlbania in Cooperation with Partners Albania for Change and Development has launched an advocacy campaign at national-wide, led by youth and youth-organizations, to advocate for career services at local level. As a result, 27 non-governmental youth organizations are engaged throughout the country to raise awareness on the importance of career services and the vital role that municipalities can play in the provision of such services.

As part of the advocacy campaign, youth organizations have been supported to develop a bottom-up approach to advocate for career services at local level. On one hand they have worked on the demand side and have organized information sessions with youth and have engaged in interactive means of communication (podcasts, media appearances etc). On the other hand, they have approached their local decision-makers and institutions to share the model of career services at local level and to potentially have commitment from these municipalities to invest in career services for their communities.

On 12th of February 2021, representatives of 9 municipalities of Albania and representatives from youth organizations that are engaged in the advocacy campaign, participated in a e-roundtable with representatives of Career Guidance Office of Municipality of Tirana. The purpose of the meeting was to share the model of career services at local level, for other municipalities to have a first-hand experience of what it means to establish and run a career center at local level.

During the roundtable, staff of municipality of career guidance office of Municipality of Tirana, shared their experience to date, and emphasized the available content and tools that could be placed at the disposal of Municipalities that will decide to commit to these services, and expressed their availability to support with their knowledge and experience, any other municipality that would embark on career services delivery. This roundtable was also a very good opportunity to discuss some of the most common challenges for municipalities to commit to these services, and how to overcome them.

While the work of the youth organizations continues, there is already commitment from some of the municipalities. Recently Municipality of Kruja and Municipality of Pogradec signed a memorandum of understanding with the youth organizations to commit resources for delivery of career services.

While there is still a long way to go, this advocacy campaign supported by RisiAlbania in cooperation with Partners Albania for Change and Development and led by youth organizations, has already impacted the career services in Albania as there is an increased awareness on the importance of the services, both from demand side and supply side.