Powering Change – GYM Youth Webinar Series

To support the launch of our new impact report, “Powering Change: Young People Leading the COVID-19 Response and Recovery”, GYM is hosting a series of webinars to share insights from the report and discuss lessons learned. The webinars will provide a platform for young people from Local Solutions and National Projects funded project, as well as representatives from national organisations of the Big Six Youth Organisation, to showcase their projects and engage in dialogues with practitioners on the following thematic areas:

  • Education disruption and youth empowerment – 18 April 2022 – 12H00 (UTC)/14H00 (CEST)/ 09H00 (EST)/14H00 (CAT)
  • Vaccine hesitancy and combatting misinformation – 21 April 2022 – 12H00 (UTC)/14H00 (CEST)/ 09H00 (EST)/14H00 (CAT)
  • Mental Health – 27 April 2022 – 12H00 (UTC)/14H00 (CEST)/ 09H00 (EST)/14H00 (CAT)

Read more about each session and how to register below:

A focus on Education disruption and youth empowerment

Date: 18 April 2022

Time: 12H00 (UTC)/14H00 (CEST)/ 09H00 (EST)/14H00 (CAT)

Moderators:

  • Tharindra Arumapperuma —  Youth Representative, The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award (The Award)
  • José Andrés Estrada Aguirre Youth Representative, World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM)

Guest speakers:

  • Alice Mukashyaka — Advocacy Manager for Livelihoods and Education, Restless Development and UN Foundation Next Generation Fellow for Education
  • Thais QueirozYouth Representative for WOSM and UN Foundation Next Generation Fellow for Education

The pandemic has disrupted access to education and employment opportunities, severely impacting the futures and livelihoods of young people worldwide.

Through a direct investment in non-formal education and learning programmes young people are being provided with new and innovative opportunities for learning. Additionally, through youth-led projects young people and the most vulnerable in society are provided with new self-sustaining employment opportunities, which in turn must be supported by policy makers and stakeholders to support their investment and innovation to address the widening inequalities caused by the pandemic.

Hosted by the Big Six, this webinar will feature recommendations from youth-led funded national projects of the Big Six and Local Solutions projects, supported by the Global Youth Mobilization, to discuss learnings and ideas for shaping future approaches to non-formal education and how to overcome barriers for improved education opportunities.

A Focus on Vaccine hesitancy and combatting misinformation

Date: 21 April 2022

Time: 12H00 (UTC)/14H00 (CEST)/ 09H00 (EST)/14H00 (CAT)

Moderators:

  • Michelle Chew Shi JieYouth Representative, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
  • Loris Tarazi – Youth Representative, World Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations (WYMCA)

Guest speakers:

  • Lisa Menning Technical Focal Point, Vaccination Demand and Behavioural Sciences, World Health Organization
  • Merith BaseyExecutive Director, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines

The spread of misinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a public distrust in the response measures and hesitancy in receiving vaccines, which in turn has a disastrous impact on individuals, communities and society as a whole.

To curb the spread of misinformation young people are working, through their projects, to provide education and training programmes on COVID-19 to ensure that there is a higher uptake of the vaccines in their communities.

This webinar will showcase the evidence-based communication and training strategies implemented by young people and how they are taking a lead in the COVID-19 prevention and protection measures at local, national and international levels.

A Focus on Mental Health

Date: 27 April 2022

Time: 12H00 (UTC)/14H00 (CEST)/ 09H00 (EST)/14H00 (CAT)

Moderators:

  • Helga MutasingwaYouth Representative, The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)
  • Meti Gemechu Youth Representative, World Young Women’s Christian Association (WYWCA)

From the onset of the pandemic many young people have experienced bouts of isolation and loneliness that has further impacted their mental health. According to the WHO, 93% of countries worldwide have seen disruptions in critical mental health services.

To address these issues many young people, youth-led organizations and national organizations of the Big Six are working towards providing additional mental health support and identifying solutions for young people in their communities.

This webinar will highlight some of the lessons learned from these projects, explore the policy recommendations from GYM’s report and will showcase some of the examples of youth-led solutions to the mental health challenges today.

In each session, we will hear first hand accounts from young people leading projects in their communities, followed by a broader discussion with insights from experts and practitioners. We hope that you will join us!

Latest news

The European Commission and the world’s largest youth organizations, the “Big Six”, announced a partnership today to launch the EU Youth Empowerment Fund, to be implemented through the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM). It marks the first anniversary of the Youth Action Plan for EU External Action, the EU’s policy framework for a strategic partnership with young people to build a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future.
A global movement that funds youth-led community projects across the world is aiming to expand its efforts. Led and implemented by young people across the world, Global Youth Mobilization (GYM) has been operational since December 2020 and already invested in schemes in 125 countries, with young people tackling issues such as the mental health of young people fleeing the war in Ukraine to child victims of sexual abuse in Zambia. Now they are seeking a further $15m over the next three years to expand the initiative.