Author: Goran Zarić

5August2025
by Goran Zarić

Gender Sensitivity in HR Policies for Cybersecurity Organizations

Open Call

Photo by Kampus Production

Become a Partner in the CybHER Programme: 

Her Cyber: Empowering Women and Girls in Cyber

The British Council and Propulsion invite cybersecurity-focused organizations in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia to join the Gender Sensitivity in HR Policies for Cybersecurity Organizations initiative.

This activity will support up to 15 organizations per country in revising their recruitment, retention, promotion, and workplace safety policies to create a gender-supportive environment. Through evidence-based workshops, tailored technical assistance, and showcasing best practices, the initiative aims to catalyze systemic change within the cybersecurity sector and strengthen organizational capacity for gender-sensitive HR policies.

About the Programme

CybHER is a regional programme implemented in six Western Balkan countries, aiming to empower women and girls in cybersecurity and support a more inclusive, diverse, and future-ready talent pipeline.

The programme is funded by the UK government and implemented by the British Council. One of the programme components is related to the enhancement of Gender Sensitivity in HR Policies for Cybersecurity Organizations. This initiative is implemented with the support of Propulsion, and industry leaders who recognize the value of gender inclusion and early-career mentoring in tech.

This initiative addresses key HR challenges in the cybersecurity sector by:

  • – Eliminating potential gender bias in recruitment
  • – Expanding diverse talent pools
  • – Ensuring equal career advancement opportunities
  • – Creating safe and inclusive work environments for women

It will deliver:

  • – Two one-day workshops per country for HR professionals
  • – Technical assistance to support HR policy adjustments
  • – Practical toolkits and guidance for gender-sensitive recruitment, retention, promotion, and workplace safety
  • – Final national public event showcasing organizations that have successfully implemented changes

Who Can Apply?

Eligible participants are:

  • – Cybersecurity-focused organizations (public or private)
  • – Organizations with a dedicated cybersecurity department or personnel
  • – Organizations willing to commit HR professionals/ Managers or Directors to attend training sessions and follow-up technical assistance

Why Participate?

Selected organizations will:

  • – Strengthen their HR systems to attract and retain diverse talent
  • – Improve workplace culture and inclusion standards
  • – Gain access to tailored technical assistance
  • – Be featured in best practice case studies at public dissemination events (national visibility)
  • – Position themselves as active promoters and contributors to gender equity in the cybersecurity sector

Programme Outline

Workshops:

  • – Two one-day workshops per country (up to 15 participants) on:

    1. Gender-sensitive recruitment policies and practices
    2. Gender-sensitive retention policies (including work–life balance)
    3. Gender-sensitive promotion policies and practices
    4. Gender-sensitive workplace safety policies

Support:

  • – Technical assistance to at least 5 organizations per country to adapt their HR policies
  • – Development of a toolkit and guidance for gender-sensitive HR practices

Visibility:

  • – 6 national public events (one per country) with 80–100 attendees, showcasing best practice examples

How to Apply

Organizations interested in participating are invited to express their interest by completing the application form below.

Deadline for applications: September 10, 2025

Following the selection, the British Council and Propulsion will contact chosen organizations to confirm participation, provide workshop details, and schedule technical assistance sessions.

For questions, please contact Ivana Jovanović at ijovanovic@propulsion.one.

 

16June2025
by Goran Zarić

Call for Companies to Host Interns in Cybersecurity

Open Call

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Become a Partner in the CybHER Programme: 

Her Cyber: Empowering Women and Girls in Cyber 

The British Council and Propulsion invite forward-thinking companies in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to join the Her Cyber: Empowering Women and Girls in Cyber Internship scheme project as host organizations for a new generation of women in cybersecurity.

About the Programme

CybHER is a regional programme implemented in six Western Balkan economies, aiming to empower women and girls in cybersecurity and support a more inclusive, diverse, and future-ready talent pipeline.

The initiative is funded by the UK government and implemented by the British Council, in partnership with Propulsion, and industry leaders who recognize the value of gender inclusion and early-career mentoring in tech.

Who Can Apply?

Only companies whose core business is cybersecurity or who have a dedicated cybersecurity department and designated cybersecurity personnel are eligible to participate.

This criterion ensures that interns are placed in environments where their learning and development in cybersecurity can be meaningfully supported.

Why Become a Host Organization?

By participating in this internship programme, your company will:

  • – Gain access to motivated, skilled interns trained in IT or engineering
  • – Contribute to gender equality in the cybersecurity workforce
  • – Position your company as a socially responsible leader in the digital industry
  • – Establish partnership with the British Council, opening opportunities for future collaboration, visibility, and engagement in international programmes.

Each selected company will host intern/s in their cybersecurity team for a period of three months (estimated dates September–December 2025). Interested applicants should comply with the following: 

  • – Final-year undergraduate students in IT or engineering, or
  • – Recent graduates in IT or engineering actively seeking employment

or Master’s students in IT or engineering looking to enter the job market

Host Responsibilities

Participating organizations will:

  • – Offer a three-month placement within a cybersecurity department or project
  • – Define learning objectives and real-world tasks for the intern
  • – Appoint a mentor to guide the intern’s development
  • – Ensure a collaborative and inclusive work environment
  • – Accept the programme’s stipend arrangement (the British Council fully covers stipend)

Each selected company will sign an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) to formalize participation and define obligations, reporting mechanisms, and timelines.

Apply below

Companies interested in hosting a CybHER intern are invited to express their interest by completing the application form below. Following this, the British Council and Propulsion will schedule meetings with shortlisted companies. Once selection process if finalised, Propulsion will facilitate in coordination with British Council an introductory meeting with selected companies to discuss logistics, intern profiles, and MoU formalization.

 

3March2022
by Goran Zarić

Apply for our support

 

Apply for Our Support

 

Propulsion works with partners, companies, donors, organizations, and individuals who foster social innovation that creates more dynamic, equitable, and prosperous communities. 

Propulsion prefers to support more than one project per year, and the maximum amount of a total annual Propulsion fund is $50,000. 

Are you eligible?

If your proposal has the potential to make social change and create innovative solutions to the needs and problems of society or is aiming to improve the cooperation of the for-profit, non-profit sectors, and individuals in order to create powerful solutions to address social needs and problems, let us know and we will do our best to provide the support. 

Before you submit a project proposal, we ask you to ensure that you meet all our criteria:

  • Are you an organization or institution?
  • Do you work from a social impact perspective?
  • Is your organization or institution led by the community you serve?
  • Do you have the promotion of human rights and/or social impact as a primary mission, and not just as the focus of part of your programs?
  • Does your group’s work push for structural and fundamental change?
  • Does the work you do focus on issues that are under-addressed and/or contested?

 

Propulsion does not support: 

  • Groups whose mission and/or primary focus is not the promotion of social impact;
  • Groups that actively seek to deny the human rights of any social groups;
  • Groups led by, or structurally or economically dependent on political parties, government agencies, or religious institutions;
  • Stand-alone travel grants (costs for travel can, however, be part of broader applications provided they are consistent with the group’s mission and strategies);
  • Is commercial in nature;
  • Duplicate of an already existing project.

 

Do you share our principles of work?

Propulsion values listed principles, and we expect our partners to commit to valuing the same principles:

  • Respecting the Law;
  • The integrity of recording and reporting financial results, including: 
    • Co-financing principle – If the scale of your initiative is larger than our support we are supporting your efforts for co-financing and  Propulsion will finance your project respectfully scaling participation of other supporters;
    • No double financing rule – This means that you can only use the money for the purpose you have promised to use in your application.  Combining the Propulsion grant with other funding programs and state aid is possible, but the funding should not overlap. 
  • Respect for Human Rights;
  • Quality Delivery; 
  • Ethical Competition; 
  • Respect for Diversity;
  • Avoiding Conflicts of Interest;
  • Protection of Personal Information.

How to apply?

Language of application 

The application can be submitted in English or BCMS languages.

The application requires and must include the following items:

  • Proposal Narrative
    The Proposal Narrative template is available here.
  • Budget Proposal
    This is the financial description of the project you would like to be supported and should correspond to the activities in the Proposal Narrative.  The Budget Proposal template is available here.
  • Registration Documents
    Please include your Certificate of Registration or other documentation showing the legal status of your organization or institution. If you’re not registered, please include an explanation (in the transmittal email) as to why your organization is not registered and the status of any pending applications for registration.All registration documents should be uploaded and accompanied with the Proposal Narrative and the Budget Proposal in PDF format.

You can submit your application and/or ask for more information about the granting process and/or ask for consultations via email: grants@propulsion.one.

Every Application received by email will be sent a reply email acknowledging the reception of the Application.

Submissions that do not meet the above application requirements will be considered technically ineligible and will not be considered for funding.

How and when applications are being reviewed?

You may submit your proposals, during an annual window, while the decision on the support will be made bi-monthly. 

The grants review committee will evaluate all eligible applications. 

You may be asked to submit additional information and/or a revised budget. Propulsion may partly support your proposal depending on the availability of funding.

Each application will be evaluated and rated on the basis of the evaluation of the next criteria:

  • complete project proposal that meets application requirements;
  • quality of the project proposal;
  • potential for multiplier effects and sustainability;
  • costs are reasonable and realistic in relation to the proposed activities and anticipated results.

Redress procedure

The redress procedure shall uphold the principles of transparency and equal treatment. Redress shall apply to the context of evaluation only and shall be submitted maximally two weeks after the received decision letter.

The official letter providing information on the assumed shortcomings in the handling of the proposal, that jeopardized the outcome of the evaluation process, shell be submitted to the grants@propulsion.one with the subject “(name of the applicant) – Redress procedure”

Under the responsibility of the Propulsion, an internal evaluation review committee (“redress committee”) will then be convened to examine those cases that have been submitted.

To be considered eligible for the redress procedure, a complaint must be:

  • Received before the deadline specified;
  • Submitted using the method described and containing the description of the grounds for complaint;
  • Sent by the contact person representing the applicant;
  • Related to the evaluation process or the eligibility check of a particular proposal.

 

Good luck!

15April2021
by Goran Zarić

Web Development Services – Roster

Procurement

 

Propulsion is LOOKING for a qualified web developer or web developing company for the provision of web programming services. The web developer will provide web development services for active Propulsion’s programs and make sure that web portals under Propulsion’s administration are fully functional and maintained.

Propulsion is a communication organization specializing in innovative socially engaged campaigns and projects that address a wide range of topics, from critical thinking and problem solving, through media and digital literacy, to preventing radicalizing narratives, as well as other key communication skills needed to navigate the world which is constantly changing.

The Propulsion business model practices modern digital solutions and ideas. We seek the services of a web developer who utilizes modern digital solutions in web programming, follows the prescribed standards for website optimization and instructions of the Propulsion program and creative team.

Expected specific assignment
  • – Back- and Front-end web development with a focus on clarity, functionality, ease of use, the possibility of later expansion, modification, and optimization;
  • – Design and development of web architecture and web components, plug-ins, and adds-on optimization;
  • – Conceptualization and development of new features, visual identity, and website layout/user interface by using standard HTML/CSS practices;
  • – Implement SEO optimization in accordance with the engine’s prescribed standards.
Qualifications
  • – Three or more years of experience in web development – a portfolio of projects;
  • – Extensive knowledge of HTML5 i CSS3;
  • – Familiarity with at least one of the following programming languages: PHP, ASP.NET, Javascript;
  • – Willingness to implement ideas and projects in a short period of time.
APPLY HERE!

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

This call is always open.

15April2021
by Goran Zarić

Media, Information and Digital Literacy (MDIL) Expert – Roster

Procurement

 

ABOUT PROPULSION

Propulsion is a full-service organization specializing in innovative social impact communications. We are the leading supplier of social impact campaigns and projects in the Adria region and wider.

Propulsion occupies a unique market niche between the core business of our partners, their social impact, PR, communications, and marketing. For nearly 70 businesses, governments, civil society groups, and developmental organizations a year our team produces dozens of well-rounded and creative, digital, design, print, PR, public affairs, community, and video campaigns that reach up to hundreds of thousands of people.

We strongly believe that communication has the power to better the societies of the region on a daily basis. That’s why we design impact.

More about our work and impact is also available here:
propulsion.one,
fb.com/propulsion.one,
linkedin.com/company/propulsionone, and
instagram.com/propulsion.one.

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Media, Information and Digital Literacy (MDIL) Expert – Roster

 

Propulsion is currently recruiting a Media, Information and Digital Literacy Expert (MDIL) with significant experience and expertise in media and digital literacy topics.

The role of the MDIL Expert (Roster) is to provide strategic advice, consider and communicate key relevant information on topics of media and digital literacy to the Propulsion team, enabling necessary adjustments to programs strategies, activities, and approaches.

Duration of the assignment: April – December 2021 (up to 50 working days)

The MDIL Expert (Roster) main duties include:

  • – Contribute to building a context-relevant knowledge base for Propulsion’s programs and projects;
  • – Design the curriculum and materials for the lectures, workshops and/or seminars, including on the topics of use of media and digital literacy for different target audiences;
  • – Create different content materials for program activities including media offline and online campaign;
  • – Deliver the lectures, workshops, or seminars;
  • – Support teams in effective implementation of the various activities.

Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, and Experience:

  • – Academic degree in political science, public policy, philosophy, and/or social sciences and/or similar is preferred;
  • – Minimum of three years of experience in a similar role or working with the government;
  • – Excellent written and spoken English is required;
  • – Proven networking skills required;
  • – Excellent track record in the fields of media and digital literacy field.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Qualified and interested candidates are asked to submit their CV and motivation letter together with a financial proposal (in PDF format) through the form no later than April 21, 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Note that at this stage of recruitment we are able to provide only limited additional information.

Duration of the assignment: February 2021 – June 2021 (up to 30 working days)

FINANCIAL PROPOSAL 

This is a lump sum assignment. The Consultant is responsible for all personal administrative and travel expenses, including office space, printing, stationery, telephone and electronic communications, and all other costs incurred in this assignment. In specific cases, consultants could be based in the Propulsion offices in Belgrade, Serbia, or Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount (brutto) and payment terms around specific and measurable (qualitative and quantitative) deliverables (i.e. installments dependent upon completion of the deliverables or entire contract).
Payments are based upon specific output(s), i.e. agreed between Propulsion and Consultant based on services defined in ToR. The financial proposal (lump sum) includes a daily fee, travel costs, and per diems.

Please present the financial proposal per unit price of your engagement per hour and/or per day in dollar currency.

The selected experts would be put on the Propulsion’s consultancy roster and may be engaged for specific projects and activities.

HOW TO APPLY?
  • – Send your CV, portfolio, and a financial estimate (in PDF format) through the form:
APPLY HERE!

This call is always open.

1March2021
by Goran Zarić

Zahtev za dostavljanje ponude broj 20210301-01

 

ZAHTEV ZA DOSTAVLJANJE PONUDE 20210301-01

Nabavka usluga pružanja ekspertske, komunikacijske i produkcijske podrške u okviru tematskih oblasti medijske, digitalne i informacione pismenosti i digitalna prava i obaveza

  • Datum:
    01.03.2021.
  • Ime programa
    „Inicijativa za novu medijsku i digitalnu pismenost”
  • Predmet nabavke
    Nabavka usluga pružanja ekspertske, komunikacijske i produkcijske podrške u okviru tematskih oblasti medijske, digitalne i informacione pismenosti i digitalna prava i obaveza (pravna lica)
  • Procenjena vrednost nabavke
    Nabavka visoke vrednosti
  • Rok za dostavljanje ponude
    15.03.2021.
  • Naručilac
    Propulsion

Program Nova pismenost aktivno radi s građanima, medijima, kompanijama, obrazovnim sistemom, influenserima i državnom upravom kako bi se najbolje prakse medijske, informacione i digitalne pismenosti našle među temeljima savremenog srpskog društva. Ovako osmišljen program želi da doprinese stvaranju društva medijski i digitalno svesnih i odgovornih građana, s obzirom na to da je sve teže nositi se s promenama novije realnosti ukoliko ne postanemo pismeni na nove načine. Saradnja se odvija u okviru četvorogodišnje „Inicijative za novu medijsku i digitalnu pismenost” koju sprovodi Propulsion u partnerstvu s Američkom agencijom za međunarodni razvoj (USAID). Jedan od ciljeva programa je da se Vladi Srbije pruži pomoć u pogledu jačanja kapaciteta u oblastima medijske, informacione i digitalne pismenosti, kao i unapređenje institucionalnog razvoja ove oblasti, u skladu sa sporazumom o podršci zaključenim 2020. godine između vlada Srbije i SAD.

PREDMET NABAVKE

Naručilac u okviru programa i prateće kampanje proizvodi seriju materijala i drugih formata (priručnici, video materijali, animacije, bilteni, infografici, sastanci, mentorstva i sl.) namenjenih pre svega biznis zajednici, promociji dobrih praksi u oblasti medijske, digitalne i informacione pismenosti i digitalnih prava i obaveza i podizanjem znanja kako među kompanijama, tako i među institucijama i građanskim sektorom. Ovo je prva prva faza saradnje i produkcije u programu koji će trajati naredne 3 godine.

Kako bismo izabrali Ponuđača/Ponuđače za potrebe pružanja ekspertske, komunikacijske i produkcijske podrške u okviru tematskih oblasti medijske, digitalne i informacione pismenosti i digitalna prava i obaveza Naručilac prikuplja:

1. Finansijsku i tehničku ponudu pravnog lica
2. Traženu prateću dokumentaciju

ROK ZA PITANJA
Sva pitanja poslati do 05.03.2021. isključivo elektronskim putem: tenders@propulsion.one.

ROK ZA PRIJAVU
Poziv traje do 15.03.2021. do 17.00 po srednjoevropskom srednjoevropskom vremenu.

PREUZMITE ZAHTEV ZA NABAVKU
PREUZMITE OBRAZAC ZA TROŠKOVNIK