UNESCO empowers 100 youth-led initiatives with grants & mentorship

Aims to address mental health, creativity & social issues among young people

Society

January 21, 2025

/ By / New Delhi

UNESCO empowers 100 youth-led initiatives with grants & mentorship

UNESCO and Seventeen will offer project management training and mentorship, led by social innovation experts, with winners also helping design the programme

In a collaboration, UNESCO and K-pop sensation Seventeen have offered financial grants and expert mentorship to 100 youth-led initiatives from 70 countries, aiming to inspire and support young people around the world.

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With the aim to empower youth, UNESCO and K-pop icon Seventeen, the Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO, are providing financial grants to 100 youth-led initiatives across 70 countries. The selected project leaders will also receive training and expert mentoring to help them implement impactful solutions. This initiative supports young people in creating change within their communities globally.

In a press statement, UNESCO says that 100 projects from 70 countries were chosen by an international jury for their potential to drive change, foster creativity, or improve youth mental health.

It adds that most will focus on music, sports, and the arts, with grants of USD 5,000 to USD 7,500 supporting their implementation until October 2025.

The statement adds that UNESCO and Seventeen will offer project management training and mentorship, led by social innovation experts, with winners also helping design the programme.

It adds that Seventeen, donated USD 1 million to the Global Youth Grant Scheme, with the #GoingTogether campaign receiving over 2,300 applications worldwide in weeks.

UNESCO says that 52 pc of the global population is under 30, projected to reach 57 pc by 2030, but youth face challenges like mental health struggles and limited opportunities.

It adds that youth-led projects include Haiti’s MakerLab for innovation in creative industries, Zambia’s DeafSmart for digital safety, the Philippines’ Islands of Imagination for cultural and environmental education, Tunisia’s PsyQuilibre for mental health, New Zealand’s Refugee Youth programme for skill-building, Brazil’s Coopera Flora Azul for conservation, and Greece’s SkatersCreators to combat discrimination through art and skateboarding.

Audrey Azoulay

Audrey Azoulay

It further adds that UNESCO’s Youth Programme supports youth by enhancing their skills, helping them tackle challenges, and implementing solutions. It also funds youth-led projects and research to inform policy recommendations for governments.

“Young generations are a source of innovation and solutions to meet the challenges of our century, but they often lack funds and support. With a budget of USD 1 million, made possible by Seventeen’s contribution, 100 inspiring initiatives created by and for young people will be implemented, benefiting thousands of youth and their communities,” says Audrey Azoulay, Director-General, UNESCO.

“The creative spirit and sense of responsibility that permeate these youth-led projects have been an inspiration to us all. We are excited to see how the collective experience will help build youth communities and empower many more like ourselves to achieve their dreams,” says spokesperson of Seventeen, K-pop group and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Youth.

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