4 Ways Young Changemakers are Networking for Good
A new virtual marketplace is forging connections with a growing community of peers and partners
For decades, USAID has supported civic engagement and skills development for hundreds of thousands of emerging young leaders around the world. However, many of these youth have lacked the skills to impact their communities and countries in a sustainable way.
To meet these needs, USAID launched the YouthLead platform Dec. 3 at the World Bank Global Youth Summit. It is a new and exciting virtual collaboration marketplace where young changemakers can forge connections with a growing community of peers and partners looking to benefit from each other’s experience — and eager to advance their work and scale their innovations.
Through the platform, young changemakers can learn about the issues and challenges faced by their peers. They will also discover and track opportunities to apply for funding that empowers their efforts — including grants, scholarships, conference travel support and tips for crowdfunding. They can even connect to peer mentors or other “allies” who offer professional mentoring.
YouthLead also features thematic discussion groups and free webinars, with access to resources such as how-to manuals, case studies, research reports and presentations.
YouthLead sprang from discussions among a group of 100 young changemakers from around the globe — including Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), Young Leaders of the Americas (YLAI), Atlas Corps Fellows and Teach for All — who have served as a Youth Advisory Group from the beginning of this activity.
Read on to get answers about YouthLead and its impact on USAID’s work with young changemakers.
Question: Who is a young changemaker?
Anyone who is a youth leader, and between the ages of 15 and 35, looking to make a positive impact in their communities, connecting people and ideas to advocate for and address the issues they care about, and looking to make the world a better place is welcome to join the platform.
Lupai Samuel Kenyi, the founder and director of the I Am Peace Initiative, was one of the first changemakers of YouthLead. He fled the violence in South Sudan as a refugee to Uganda — similar to the journey of over 2 million other South Sudanese. His organization — launched in May 2017 — aims to create a platform for young refugee leaders to influence policies and promote peace through activities that include media advocacy, arts and sports, community dialogues, and trainings on combating hate speech.
Through YouthLead he found peers in other African countries and ideas to support his programs. He also identified new funding resources to expand his network, and a space to lead discussions on issues impacting refugee youth, including marginalization and employability.
Question: What are four ways young changemakers are networking for good on YouthLead.org?
The YouthLead Advisory Council and numerous focus groups with young changemakers drove the functionality of this collaboration space. Here are the highlights:
1. GET CONNECTED: Young changemakers want to learn from other changemakers and collaborate with mentors and partners virtually and in real time. For example, Danielle Alikija, an Olympian, activist and filmmaker, is also the founder of The (Sic.) House organization, which focuses on building identity and citizenship among youth people in high risk situations. “The ability to use a platform that connects me to other changemakers around the world is invaluable,” she said.“I am learning out of the box ideas from other young changemakers like Abella Bateyunga, CEO of Tanzania Bora Initiative.”
2. GET INSPIRED: YouthLead allows participants to not only share videos on innovative approaches, but join together in specific campaigns such as reducing child marriage practices or expanding political representation.
3. GET FUNDED: YouthLead helps changemakers discover and track opportunities to apply for funding such as USAID’s new Development Innovation Venture Fund.
4. GET SMARTER: Young changemakers participate in thematic discussion groups and webinars, accessing resources and becoming influencers by sharing opinions and insights. For example, Teach for All education advocates are sharing resources on promising practices in teaching and advocacy with each other across countries, and with other advocates from other networks interested in quality education.
Question: Who is helping support this platform?
USAID contributed the initial funding to create the platform through its YouthPower Learning project, and will ensure the platform is by and for young changemakers and that it’s a collective impact platform. This means networks of young leaders supported by organizations like International Youth Foundation, Creative Associates International, Teach for All, Atlas Corps, IREX, FHI/360, Community Toolbox and The Accountability Lab have all committed to provide quality content resources and link their various networks of young leaders.
The philosophy behind YouthLead is that it’s the “connective tissue” between multiple networks of young changemakers — allowing them to leverage and discover the best of other networks.
Question: What do you see as the impact of YouthLead in the future for the young changemakers and their ambitious plans?
Says USAID Counselor Chris Milligan: “Throughout history, young people have sought to bring about social, economic and political change. We recognize that youth are central to the opportunities and challenges of each country’s journey to self-reliance. We seek to partner with them, supporting their initiative.”
USAID hopes that partners will actively leverage the platform to post best practice resources for young changemakers from their projects, and mobilize young changemakers in their countries to network on the site.
Visit YouthLead today to get started — whether as a changemaker, mentor or partner — and share it with young people who could benefit from access to a growing online community of global like-minded leaders.
About the Authors
Mike McCabe is the Agency Youth Coordinator. Jessica Benton Cooney is the Communications Specialist of USAID’s Center of Excellence on Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance.
