Within the SPACE Project – Youth and Public Spaces, a comprehensive Research Report was developed to document and analyse how young people experience, use and influence public spaces across the six partner countries: Austria, Albania, the Netherlands, Kosovo, Serbia and Montenegro. The report brings together research from peri-urban and rural communities in each partner region and provides a common evidence base for understanding local conditions, youth needs, barriers to participation and opportunities for more inclusive public spaces. Research-Report-Final-Version

The research followed a sequential mixed-methods and participatory approach, combining baseline studies, youth surveys and focus-group discussions. The baseline research examined demographic characteristics, land-use patterns, infrastructure and the presence of community organisations; the surveys captured young people’s views on how often they use public spaces, their preferred activities and places, perceptions of safety, and willingness to participate in community actions; and the focus groups explored young people’s lived experiences, aspirations and ideas for improving public spaces in greater depth. The report therefore combines quantitative information with qualitative insights directly reflecting youth perspectives. Research-Report-Final-Version Research-Report-Final-Version

Each country is presented through a dedicated site profile covering the neighbourhood context, spatial analysis, youth perspectives and priorities, baseline findings, survey results, focus-group findings, and relevant organisations and community actors. This common structure makes it possible both to understand each local context separately and to compare challenges and opportunities across rural and peri-urban areas in the different countries. Research-Report-Final-Version

For Albania, the research focuses on Paskuqan and Bathore in Kamëz Municipality. The findings highlight challenges linked to limited and uneven public infrastructure, lack of safe and inclusive spaces for young people, and limited stable resources and dedicated spaces for youth organisations. At the same time, the research shows strong youth interest in public spaces and participation: young people value safety, cleanliness, social interaction and opportunities for activities, and there is a clear demand for more functional, inclusive and well-maintained spaces that can be used throughout the year. Research-Report-Final-Version

Beyond documenting existing conditions, the Research Report was designed to directly inform the next phases of the SPACE project. Findings from all six partner regions were brought together into a structured inventory of needs and priorities, which serves as the basis for developing the project’s training curriculum and capacity-building activities. The report identifies three main areas for further work: improving physical facilities in public spaces, strengthening meaningful youth participation, and reinforcing cooperation between organisations and community actors. In this way, the report functions not only as a research output, but also as a foundation for subsequent training, local interventions and participatory placemaking activities within the project.

Read the full document here: Research-Report-Final-Version