Impact Net Foundation in the town of Veles, North Macedonia, initiated a series of city walks, involving young people of the town. The purpose of these urban walks is to assess and collect information about the accessibility of public institutions in Veles. During these walks, young participants will have a possibility to observe, research, and record what levels of accessibility public institutions in Veles have.
The NGO designed three levels by which public institutions will be graded. These are: green – accessible and welcoming for everyone; yellow – partially accessible, with improvements needed, and red – significant barriers that exclude citizens.
By doing this grading, young people would learn to see how urban spaces can be better designed for people who do not always have full capacity to access those. For example, a mother pushing a stroller, a person in a wheelchair or an elderly citizen struggling with stairs. At the moment, for many people in North Macedonia, a simple visit to a municipality office, school, healthcare institution, cultural center, or public service can become a journey full of obstacles. A missing ramp, a narrow entrance, a broken elevator, or the lack of accessible information can prevent them from receiving basic public care.
The grading, then, will be uploaded to the existing application Green Map of Veles. This way, it will reveal where citizens are welcomed and where barriers still exist. It will transform individual experiences of exclusion into public data, encouraging accountability and change from the municipal authorities and others involved.
One more part of the project is launching awareness campaigns. After creating the map of accessibility, young people – participants of the project, will launch social media awareness campaigns, sharing stories and raising the voices of those who are too often overlooked. They will organize a public event and an open debate with local authorities, creating a bridge between citizens and decision-makers. They will also present their data, findings, and policy recommendations to municipal representatives and institutional leaders, turning evidence into action.
The project supports the broader vision of North Macedonia’s National Strategy on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2023–2030 and follows the principle of “Leave No One Behind.” It demonstrates that accessibility is not a privilege but a fundamental right and a condition for equal participation in society.
Through digital innovation, youth leadership, and civic engagement, ‘Digital Green Access’ transforms accessibility from a hidden infrastructure problem into a visible priority for Veles.
.
