Programme objectives and outcomes AKA What is the purpose?
The BeeEffect Programme aims to gather a diverse group of young professionals with great impact-making potential and to provide a carefully designed experience developed and led by beeEFB alumni members, with the goal to equip them with a unique set of knowledge, skills and networking opportunities and provide avenues for them to create impact in their communities.
The programme follows the strategic principles of the EFB alumni network overall which are:
- Networking for networking
- Networking for learning
- Networking for Impact
The keyword of the BeeEffect Programme is impact, which refers to meaningful, measurable changes in the lives of people and their communities as a result of intentional intervention in various domains including education, employment, leadership, health, and civic engagement.
beeEFB, as the alumni network of 400+ senior and mid-career professionals from Western Balkans and wider region offers a contextualized and holistic programme for the new generation of change makers, building on their own experience and by employing and utilizing the capacity and resources built in the past 15 years.
Programme participants have an increased capacity to address complex issues, increased critical thinking, team collaboration and networking capacities, and access and opportunity to engage in meaningful activities and design new ones together with their peers and alumni.
Programme target groups AKA Who is it for?
The BeeEffect Programme aims to gather a diverse group of young professionals with great impact-making potential and to provide a carefully designed experience developed and led by alumni members, to equip them with a unique set of knowledge, skills, and networking opportunities and provide avenues for them to create impact in their communities.
Programme is designed to bring together and enable cross-learning from two distinct target groups:
- Participants - young professionals (aged 35 and under), impulse providers, and action takers in their own communities
- beeEFB alumni - senior and mid-career professionals coming from different sectors (government, business, development, academia, nonprofit), with diverse backgrounds and fields of expertise
- Eligible Countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Türkiye, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus
Programme description AKA What is it and
what it consists of, and how will it work?
Overarching theme of the programme is focused on the emerging future and looks to examine how positive impact in communities can be created, shaped, and supported in the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow, by looking at them through three distinct lenses of power, society and digital/tech. Programme aims to:
- Enhance community building between its alumni and future members
- Support contribution to the development of future leaders in Western Balkans and beyond
- Shift power to the people, organizations, and institutions that are driving change in their own countries and communities
Previously mentioned aims should be accomplished by the activities that will Increase awareness about the youth-led positive impact in the WB through the lenses of power, society, and technology. With the successful implementation of these activities, the beeEFB sets an example of regionally developed and led intergenerational and interdisciplinary strengthening of democratic capacities and fostering European integration by affirming the role of the WB people in addressing Europe’s emerging challenges.
Programme methodology
Programme combines in-person and online activities, tailored mentorship, group work and provides both inspiring talks/lectures and skill-building workshops.
Programme overview and main blocks
16 June 2025 - 29 June 2025
Programme starts with the launch of the Call for participants, with specific eligibility and selection criteria and journey in the programme. The mentors will be selected by the EFB board and they are interconnected through the programme.
30 June 2025 - 10 July 2025
The Selection Committee will first select participants of the programme, and then match them with alumni who are best fit to provide them with tailored mentoring. Results of participant selection will be known by the end of July. In case a profile is missing from the alumni applications, the Programme team will head-hunt suitable mentors from the wider alumni pool.
All alumni will receive Guidelines for mentoring and undergo training for mentors, so as to ensure confident and high-quality mentoring to participants.
18 September 2025 - 21 September 2025 Serbia, Fruska Gora
Launching event is a 3-day intensive in person event for participants and mentors containing inspiring presentations, skill-building workshops, and induction into mentoring and social impact initiative work.
Programme of the launching event includes introduction to EFB and beeEFB, embedded networking elements and informal community building activities.
Participants can expect interactive presentations, simulation games, practical analysis, and hands-on workshops, conducted by leading experts in the wider region.
By the time they leave the launching events, each participant will have their mentor and be assigned to a group and advisor for the social impact initiative work.
September 2025 - February 2026
In between Launching and Closing events, participants will have approximately 5 months to engage in mentoring, social impact initiative and participate in online workshops.
The mentorship model aims to enhance collaboration and maximise the impact of our programme. Each mentor will work with two (or more) mentees depending on the right fit of expertise. The mentorship meetings will include individual sessions between the mentor and each mentee, as well as joint sessions with both mentees together.
A. Individual mentoring
Each participant will have a minimum of 5 sessions to work with their own mentor on a professional and personal objective which mentor and participant will jointly identify during the launching event.
B. Joint Sessions & Social Impact Initiative
During the joint sessions, both participants and mentors will focus on developing the social impact initiative, leveraging the diverse strengths and perspectives within their group to create meaningful change. Participants within their mentoring group will work together to come up with a social impact initiative which they will present on the Closing event. As the groups develop their social impact initiatives, several online practical workshops on team collaboration, pitching and solution design will be organized to support the groups. Firstly, teams will work intensively on creating the ideas for the social impact initiative once they gather for the Launching event. From that moment each team will have a few months to develop their own idea and to engage in one in-person meeting during the Learning exchange where they will work on developing ideas about the social impact initiative, and mentorship at the same time. Before the Closing event, teams will attend training for pitching in order to ease their preparation for the presentation of their ideas for the social impact initiative during the Closing event.
This collaborative approach aims to foster deeper connections, enrich the learning experience, and amplify the overall impact of the program. This change offers several key benefits:
- Enhanced Collaboration and Diverse Perspectives: Working in a small group allows for richer discussions and the sharing of diverse perspectives. Mentees can learn not only from their mentor, but also from each other, broadening their understanding and fostering a collaborative spirit. This dynamic mirrors real-world scenarios where teamwork and diverse viewpoints are critical to solving complex problems.
- Stronger Peer Support and Networking: By engaging in sessions with another mentee, the participants can build peer support systems that extend beyond the mentorship relationship. This structure encourages networking, mutual learning and the formation of connections that can continue to provide support and collaboration opportunities even after the programme concludes.
- Increased Focus on Social Impact Initiatives: The group sessions will specifically target the development of social impact initiatives, allowing mentees to work together under the guidance of their mentor. This setup not only enhances teamwork skills, but also accelerates progress by combining the strengths, skills and creativity of all involved. You as their mentor can facilitate this process, ensuring that each mentee’s contributions are valued and that the initiative is both innovative and achievable.
C. Learning Exchange Visit
Participants and mentors are also expected to engage in one in-person visit to support the work on mentorship goals and to further develop ideas about the social impact initiative. These visits are called Learning exchanges and have proven to be highly effective in building stronger relationships and achieving mentoring goals defined by the participants.
February 2026 , TBA
Three-day in-person event dedicated to participants and members showcasing and evaluating results of the programme: social impact initiative, mentoring outcomes and reflections and evaluations of the programme. Programme includes presentations of (next to) immediate ways to implement know-how and skill acquired through a range of beeEFB opportunities for engagement; and allows participants to immerse themselves in the beeEFB community fully.
* Alumni and participants alike need to commit to attending both in-person events and to participate in online activities of the programme (mentoring, social impact initiative)
Programme benefits AKA What’s in it for you?
More information into what the programme brings to participants and alumni can be found in Participant and beeEFB alumni journey, but in short:
- If you are a participant, you will get premium know-how and skill training from renowned experts, tailored to the challenges of today and tailored specifically to your needs and strengthen your critical thinking, team collaboration and gain new perspectives
- If you are an alumni, you will share your expertise with a group of carefully selected young professionals from wider region and acquire mentoring training and experience through mentoring
Impact and sustainability of the programme AKA How it will live on?
This year's programme will gather the 4th cohort of participants. The programme has been constantly evolving through the last 3 years and changing to serve its main aims - impact, leadership, and networking. However, the main principles of the programme remain the same, and based on the feedback from previous years we are building a strong community of leaders for the changes we want to see in our communities.
The programme builds on the human capital and experience of beeEFB alumni, who have undergone EFB programs in the past and have through these programs and since built their careers and honed their expertise and know-how. They will share and transfer their know-how to the new generations of young professionals and work together with them to come up with solutions to select current societal challenges. The beeEFB through its activities provides several avenues to implement those solutions and encourages participants to engage in the Network’s activities and use their newly acquired know-how in creating change in their communities.
Testimonials
Aida Yzeiri
“The themes were interesting and very relevant for the situations, crisis and development we have nowdays.”
Dušan Radujko
“In general, the opportunity to meet a diverse group of people - all seeking ways to contribute towards meaningful goals, was the biggest benefit for me.”
Margareta Rončević
“My expectations were to meet new and interesting people who would inspire me, and to gain some guidance. It was all exceeded :)”