Did you know that about half the world’s population is 30 or younger, and that this number is expected to reach 57% by the end of 2030? Younger people have the insight, creativity, and desire to bridge the gap between global policies and their implementation. Empowering youth is now more essential than ever.
The Youth Empowerment Fund
Implemented through the Global Youth Mobilization, the European Union and the world's largest youth organisations, i.e. the 'Big Six' which include
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World Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations (World YMCA),
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World Alliance of Young Women’s Christian Associations (World YWCA),
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International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and
launched the Youth Empowerment Fund (October 2023), a flagship initiative of the Youth Action Plan designed by, with and for young people.
The fund provides and facilitates access to vital resources for young people to contribute to the sustainable development of their local communities and societies in EU partner countries to reach the objectives of Agenda 2030, in line with the EU's Global Gateway strategy.
Young people lead on all aspects of the Youth Empowerment Fund, from selecting grant beneficiaries, to sitting on the board of the initiative, supporting mentoring and capacity strengthening programmes, and participating in the design, leadership and implementation of projects in their communities.
More information on the Youth Empowerment Fund can be found here.
Abundant Village
Abundant Village is a non-profit organisation working with under-resourced communities by implementing projects and programmes to address urgent needs and co-create solutions. With the support of a network of partners, Abundant Village bring in funding, resources and expertise to turn ideas into reality, working side by side with local champions every step of the way.
In Thorndale, SouthAfrica, the GreenDream Academy provides afterschool activities to help children nourish their minds, bodies, and dreams through learning, creativity, and connection. Additionally, the programme supports young people's development to contribute to a more educated and capable population: unemployed, smart, local youth are trained as tutors so they can offer academic and personal mentorship to local students.
Additionally, the Abundant Village Internship & Community Transformation programme empowers youth and community leaders through mentorship, training and hands-on experience with the objective of developing practical skills in permaculture, sustainability, project management, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Young people become the agents of change within their own communities and are capable of creating solutions and transformation without needing external intervention.
More information on the work of Abundant Village can be found here.
The Youth4Foresight Toolkit
In line with the European Commission’s embedding of Strategic Foresight in better policymaking, DG International Partnerships uses Foresight to shift mind-sets from the here-and-now (reactive) to the future-in-the-making (anticipatory). The Youth4Foresight Toolkit supports the implementation of the Youth Action Plan in EU external action (YAP), through which the EU builds partnerships with young people worldwide by engaging, empowering, and connecting them through various processes and actions.
In particular, the toolkit helps promote the commitments to increase the voice and leadership of young people, promote their involvement in the EU external policies and actions, as well as to enhance institutional capacity and expertise of EU staff on how to engage with young people.
Using foresight tools can help integrate youth perspectives into EU external action, focusing on desired futures, transition pathways and trends. Embedding strategic foresight in EU policy making is in line with the objectives of Better Regulation Agenda and highlighted in the 2024 Communication on the European Year of Youth 2022.
More information on the Youth4Foresight Toolkit can be found here.
The Youth4Entrepreneurship Hub
Youth4Entrepreneurship was launched and implemented by the Youth Development for Innovation Foundation and funded by the European Union, with co-financing from Sweden through the East Europe Foundation, in partnership with the European Business Association, Contact Center, Digital Park and Starnet.
The project was designed to strengthen the business environment in Moldova’s Central Development Region by creating a dedicated Business Support Centre for young entrepreneurs, and providing both resources and guidance for launching or expanding youth-led businesses.
The Hub empowers young entrepreneurs by enhancing their access to funding and investment opportunities, offering mentorship, and facilitating knowledge transfer in modern technologies and innovation. Through its work, Youth4Entrepreneurship provided direct support to over 200 young entrepreneurs in the region, offering training, mentoring, and consultancy services. It also funded 14 functional businesses, driving economic growth and improving the wellbeing of local communities. Indirectly, the project inspired other young people to consider entrepreneurship by showcasing real success stories, and it generated wider benefits for communities in sectors where new enterprises emerged.
More information on the Youth4Entrepreneurship Hub can be found here.
The WYDE Civic Engagement project and the Global Youth Participation Index
The WYDE Civic Engagement project, a component of the Women and Youth in Democratic Engagement (WYDE) and led by the European Commission and the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), focuses on enhancing youth involvement in democratic processes at national, regional, and global levels via advocacy and research, civil society and youth leaders capacity building, and quick impact actions that offer country-level support for urgent needs in youth political inclusion and participation. The project aims to empower youth voices, foster international cooperation, and address the gaps in evidence on youth political engagement.
As part of the WYDE Civic Engagement project, the Youth Democracy Cohort, an inclusive platform bringing together governments, civil society and the private sector with the objective of advancing youth political and civil action, and EPD launched the Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI). The latter aims to fill critical gaps in global data on youth political participation by fostering youth-led research that highlights positive engagement practices, challenges systemic barriers, and amplifies young voices in the democratic process.
The GYPI is the first global tool that tracks and compares youth participation in more than 141 countries, by measuring indicators live civic engagement, youth representation in parliaments, electoral inclusion, and more.
More information on WYDE Civic Engagement can be found here, while you can learn more about the GYPI here.
B.R.I.D.G.E.
B.R.I.D.G.E., which stands for Bureau of Resilience, Innovation, Dialogue and Global Empowerment, was launched in 2024 and is an initiative dedicated to strengthening communication, mediation, and dialogue skills for young people and professionals alike. Through in-person and online workshops, interactive tools, and creative educational resources, B.R.I.D.G.E. helps participants build clarity, empathy, and confidence in how they connect with others across cultures and contexts, globally. Its approach is hands-on and engaging, mixing theory with practical exercises, real-life simulations, and reflective activities, so people can immediately apply what they learn in their personal, academic, or professional environments.
Beyond training, B.R.I.D.G.E. is also about community: creating spaces where diverse voices meet, exchange ideas, and work together towards more collaborative and inclusive solutions.
More information on B.R.I.D.G.E. can be found here.
The Capacity4dev team would like to thank the organisations and institutions who kindly contributed to our video.
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