Mission

The Centre for Capacity Building designs and implements progammes which enhance capabilities of individuals and improves performance of institutions in order to contribute to the development of democratic society.

Aims

• improving performance and increasing efficiency of democratic society institutions;
  
• advancing competences of public officials;
  
• facilitating communication of stakeholders in various sectors;
• reforming and modernizing public institutions;
  
• increasing transparency and inclusion in public decision making process
• strengthening civil society;
• supporting civic activism, and
  
• enhancement of minority and marginalised groups’ positions.
  

Target Groups

• government and other public administration officials;
• political parties’ activists;
• civil society activists;
• university students and lecturers;
• minorities and marginalized groups
• representatives of business sector, trade unions, professional associations.;

Activities

• tailor-made trainings in civic activism, team work, management of organizations, public advocacy, policy papers writing and professional advancement;
• networking relevant stakeholders;
  
• supporting institutions in transition in their performance and development
• publishing.
  

After a couple of initial years of the Belgrade Open Schools, a need of the society for some other type of education and skills besides strictly academic was recognized, i.e. a need for civic education. A need of young people, especially of those from the province of Serbia, to actively participate in the process of democratization demanded a set of skills that will strengthen and encourage them, enabling them to “become autonomous, self-confident and respectable citizens, competent to act with positive distinction to the complexities faced by the transition process to democracy” (as stated in BOS Mission).

The beginnings of BOS engagement in political changes dated in 1995. On BOS first Summer school on political, economic and cultural reconstruction, students themselves developed a Program on Reconstruction of Yugoslav Society. In 1996, the Belgrade Open School initiated programmes within the Department for Civic Education. These programmes have offered young people who wish to change society they live in (members of democratically oriented political parties, trade unions, students' and other civil society organizations) a wide scope of knowledge and skills necessary for successful participation in social life. After several years, the Department for Civic Education changed its name to Centre for Capacity Building , continuing to conduct its activities using interactive teaching methods, such as trainings, workshops and simulations, organizing summer and winter schools, weekend seminars and intensive courses. Topics most frequently covered within the Centre for Capacity Building are:

• Education for Democracy, having two goals: raising awareness of the importance of democratization, and developing skills necessary for successful participation of primarily youth in this long-term process,
• Organisation Management supports and enhances the development of civil society. The participants obtain skills for successful organisational management, based on the Belgrade Open School 's experience, one of the first and most developed NGOs in Serbia ,
• Teamwork programme contributes to team building and development of team spirit in various organisations,
• Minority Programmes aim to strengthen national minorities and improve their position in society,
• Computer Courses for various target groups,
• Industrial relations and similar activities conducted for specifically defined aspects of social life,
• Advocacy that covers set of targeted actions that serve as support and influence on decision makers,
• Writing effective public policy papers, contribution to further development of open and democratic society and rational decision-making in Serbia by training government officials, political advisers and other members of policy community to write high-quality policy papers, key tool in promoting a more inclusive and transparent policy making process.