In North Macedonia, like everywhere in the world, a municipal budget can be hundreds of pages long, and council decisions are often written in legal language. Public documents may be technically available to everyone, yet remain inaccessible to many citizens.
This contradiction inspired the project, Open Government Youth Lab – Data and Decisions Made Simple, implemented by the Civil Alliance for Development in North Macedonia. The goal of the project was simple: To help young people transform complex public information into language and visuals that ordinary citizens can read and understand, without having to analyze or go through hundreds of pages to get informed.
For years, local governments across the region have made progress in publishing budgets, reports, and decisions online, as in our town, Tetovo. However, accessibility remains a challenge. Information is often presented in formats that require specialized knowledge and is put in some corner of the official municipal webpage, leaving many citizens, especially young people, disconnected from local decision-making processes.
As a youth organization working in civic participation and community development, Civil Alliance for Development repeatedly encountered the same question during workshops and community discussions.
Participants of the training often asked, “If this information is public, why is it so difficult to understand?” or “Why is it so hard to find?”
The answer was not a lack of transparency, but a lack of translation between institutions and citizens.
Looking beyond publication
When Civil Alliance for Development began planning the project, it wanted to test an idea: What would happen if young people became interpreters of public information?
Rather than creating another awareness campaign, Civil Alliance for Development invited a group of young participants from Tetovo to become “Youth Civic Data Ambassadors.” Their task was not to collect new information or investigate government activities. Instead, they would learn how to read existing public documents and explain them in clear, simple language. So at least, after the project is done, they would be left with the skills to continue interpreting complex documents in the future.
Many participants arrived with little or no previous experience in local governance. Some had never looked at a municipal budget before — let alone understood it. Others believed that public administration was too complicated for ordinary citizens to understand.
The first workshop focused on data and governance, helping participants understand how local government functions, how decisions are made, and where public information can be found. The second workshop introduced the basics of budget literacy, including how public budgets are structured and how public funds are allocated. The final workshop focused on data visualization, communication, and online publishing, providing participants with practical digital tools to present and share information effectively.
At first, the topics seemed complex and difficult to understand. Participants were introduced to government structures, public data, budget documents, and administrative procedures that often appeared overwhelming. However, as they progressed through the workshops on data and governance, budget literacy, and data visualization, their confidence steadily grew.
Instead of asking, “What does this information mean?”, they began asking, “How can we present this information in a way that others can easily understand?” This shift from simply understanding public information to communicating it effectively became one of the most significant outcomes of the project.
Turning data into stories
The training’s participants described the experience as similar to learning a new language. Municipal decisions that initially looked confusing gradually became understandable. Budget lines became stories about parks, youth programs, infrastructure, or environmental protection. Large spreadsheets were turned into visual explanations that could be viewed on a mobile phone in a matter of seconds.
Through collaborative work, participants developed simplified summaries of local decisions and created visual materials designed for citizens who might never read an official document.
As part of the project, participants contributed to the development of a digital platform that will make public information more accessible and easier to understand. Once launched, the website will present key information through concise explanations and visual summaries, helping citizens better understand local decisions and public spending.
For many participants, this was their first experience using digital tools not only for communication but also for civic engagement. They discovered that technology can do more than entertain or connect people socially. It can also help communities better understand how decisions are made, how public resources are used, and how citizens can engage more actively in local governance.
Why accessibility matters
For the project’s participants, one lesson became clear: transparency is only meaningful when people can understand the information being shared.
Citizens cannot participate effectively in public life if they struggle to understand budgets and policies. Likewise, young people are less likely to engage in local governance when information feels technical or inaccessible.
This challenge is particularly important for groups that are often underrepresented in public discussions, including young people from rural areas, women, and citizens with limited opportunities to participate in civic life.
By presenting information through simple language and visual formats, the project attempted to reduce some of these barriers.
The experience also demonstrated that civic participation does not always begin with protests or formal consultations: often, it begins with understanding.
When people know what decisions are being made and how resources are allocated, they are better equipped to engage constructively with local institutions.
Building a culture of understanding
Perhaps the most encouraging result was the enthusiasm shown by participants. Many entered the project believing that local governance was something distant from their daily lives. By the end, they viewed municipal decisions differently, as choices that directly influence schools, public services, environmental initiatives, and community development.
The project also strengthened Civil Alliance for Development’s commitment to digital democracy and civic technology. While the alliance’s previous work focused primarily on youth engagement and community participation, this initiative showed how digital tools can make public information more accessible and meaningful.
Citizens need tools, skills, and opportunities to interpret information published by the municipal and other governments. Young people, when given the chance, can play an important role in bridging that gap.
Civil Alliance for Development hopes to continue developing this approach and encourage other communities to experiment with similar models. The challenge of making public information understandable is not unique to Tetovo or North Macedonia. It is a shared challenge across many societies.
