Welcome to YouthLead News!

A newsletter for young changemakers

Spring 2022

Read about our latest activity.
Grant opportunity.

Call for Applications: YouthLead Ambassadors

We are now accepting applications for our fourth class of YouthLead Ambassadors. We are seeking applications from motivated and active young leaders with interest and experience in strengthening their professional and leadership skills by serving as a YouthLead Ambassador. Detailed information about the Ambassador program, eligibility, and application instructions can be found at YouthLead.org.

Recognizing the Accomplishments of USAID’s First-Ever Digital Youth Leadership Council

Practicing positive youth development is a priority for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which is why the Agency decided to engage young changemakers at the programmatic level and actively involve young leaders in advising USAID on the implementation of their newly launched USAID Digital Strategy. As 2020 drew to a close, USAID, through YouthPower2: Learning and Evaluation (YP2LE), officially began accepting applications for the first-ever Digital Youth Council. Building upon the ongoing success of the YouthLead Ambassador program, the Digital Council was integrated into USAID’s work related to children in adversity. Over 1,000 youth leaders, ages 16 - 35, applied to join the council from every region in the world. The application process was highly competitive, with candidates demonstrating incredible passion and talent.

The Digital Council selected 12 young changemakers from Bolivia, Cameroon, Georgia, Haiti, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Zambia. The Council kicked off monthly member meetings with USAID in the Spring of 2021. Their work aimed to reduce digital harm for children and youth and gain a better understanding of how children and youth want to interact with digital assets. The Council also forms part of USAID’s new Global LEAD initiative to support one million young changemakers around the world with increased civic engagement and leadership opportunities.

The engagement with the Digital Council has had a two-fold effect, allowing USAID to learn from youth members, and gain important insights and creative ideas and recommendations to fulfill the goals of the USAID Digital Strategy, in particular the protection of children and youth from Digital Harm, while also strengthening the professional capacity of a generation of digital changemakers and advocates. Over the course of their time with the Digital Youth Council, members have also designed and led individual projects which will be presented to the USAID team in April 2022. In May 2022 members will officially graduate from the Digital Council.

YouthLead congratulates and thanks the graduating members of the USAID Digital Youth Council for their hard work and contributions to the prevention of digital harm, and for all that they have accomplished together this past year!

What's New on YouthLead?

Check out the Latest Episode of The PYD Lab

Ecofeminist Ineza Umuhoza Grace says it is going to take the inclusion of youth and women to truly protect the environment and have climate justice for all. In this episode, we dive into the challenges young leaders of color confront when growing their organizations, while trying to avoid the trappings of tokenism. Plus, Ineza shares how her organization, The Green Protector, is contributing to Rwanda’s sustainable development and inspiring the next generation of climate justice warriors. LISTEN NOW.

Access the Global LEAD Toolkit Today

The Global LEAD (Leadership and Education Advancing Development) Toolkit is strengthening the integration of education, civic/political engagement, and leadership development approaches across all sectors of development programming. If your organization is looking to enhance opportunities for young people to play stronger roles in community development then this resource is for you!

Global LEAD, a USAID-led collaborative initiative aiming to mobilize one million young leaders to guide their countries’ progress on key challenges of our time, such as human rights and climate action, has produced both an online and downloadable version of this timely toolkit. Packed with useful tips, intervention models, and ideas for successful youth engagement, the Global LEAD Toolkit is a key asset to add to your positive youth development resources for 2022. GET FREE ACCESS TODAY.

Connect with Us on Instagram
For the latest on members of YouthLead and changemakers like our recent graduating cohort of YouthLead Ambassadors, connect with us on Instagram at @youthleadglobal. Discover how these young leaders are transforming their communities for the better!

Graphic of the smiling young leaders to promote the YouthLead Mentorship Initiative Event Series.

New Year-long Learning Series Takes a Deep Dive into Mentorship Practices

Join us as we advance the YouthLead Mentorship Initiative through a new, six-part learning series. The Mentorship Event Series is designed to provide a pathway to understanding, implementing, and further developing good mentorship practices. Events will take place approximately once per quarter through Fall 2022.

The sessions support the overall objectives of the Mentorship Initiative and aim to help you:

Develop your skills as a mentor.
Learn how to develop and grow mentorship relationships.
Connect with other YouthLead members on topics and questions related to mentorship.
Find mentorship programs, networks, and other resources that can support your personal and professional goals as a young changemaker.

For more details on the Mentorship Event Series, including upcoming event dates, visit YouthLead.org.

Building the Evidence Base: Recent Learnings in PYD Research
The YP2LE Learning Network webinar titled, “Building the Evidence Base: Recent Learnings in PYD Research,” is now available for replay. Deepen your understanding of new PYD outcomes and definitions, discover recent learnings in the PYD evidence base related to youth development sectors and COVID-19, and learn how you can support the identification and development of areas of the PYD Learning Agenda, where there is strong evidence or need for future research and programming. Watch Now.

Open Grant Opportunity: Menstrual Health and Hygiene in Malawai and Zambia Schools

Youth Excel is launching a Grant Competition seeking concept notes to strengthen menstrual health and hygiene management for girl’s education in Malawi and Zambia. Menstrual health and hygiene management (MHH) is a critical aspect of addressing gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment, as it alleviates barriers to full and equal participation in education and public life. We encourage you to share this announcement with your networks! Learn more and apply at irex.org.

How The Biz Nation is Strengthening Online Learning for Underserved Youth

This brief presents the lessons learned by The Biz Nation, a young women-led organization in Colombia, during their first experience using Youth Excel's Research-to-Change approach to strengthen their online learning programs for youth in the Dominican Republic. You can also hear directly from The Biz Nation’s co-founder, Karen Carvajalino, on their experience in this video.

Participate in a Community of Practice!
YP2LE’s Communities of Practice (CoPs) are spaces where youth and youth-serving practitioners can come together to share ideas, tools, and build and test practical resources to advance PYD through sharing and collective learning. These communities are free and open to all. Register on YouthPower.org and then sign up for CoPs on the communities page: 

April CoP sessions will talk about breaking gender stereotypes in Tunisia, examining how universities are addressing climate change, and learning more about labor market assessments. Find more details about these and future CoP happenings on the YouthPower Events page! 