YOUTH ACTIVIST

International

Action Without Borders

www.idealist.org

Action Without Borders connects people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives. Action Without Borders is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Our work is guided by the common desire of our members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

A comprehensive site with listings in the following categories

  • Organizations (48,770)

  • Consultants (6,066)

  • Jobs (4,196)

  • Volunteer opportunities (10,566)

  • Internships (1,104)

  • Programs (12,007)

  • Events (503)

  • Campaigns (341)

  • Resources (5,714)

  • Products (286)

Ashoka

http://www.ashoka.org/home/index.cfm

Ashoka’s mission is to develop the profession of social entrepreneurship around the world.  Ashoka invests in people. It is a global non-profit organization that searches the world for social entrepreneurs – extraordinary individuals with unprecedented ideas for change in their communities. Ashoka identifies and invests in these social entrepreneurs when no one else will. It does so through stipends and professional services that allow “Ashoka Fellows” to focus fulltime on their ideas for leading social change in education and youth development, health care, environment, human rights, access to technology and economic development. Ashoka has invested in more than 1,100 Ashoka Fellows in 42 countries. Those Fellows have transformed the lives of millions of people in thousands of communities worldwide.

 

Berkana Institute

www.berkana.org

www.fromthefourdirections.org

www.turningtooneanother.net

The Berkana Institute is a 501-c3 charitable scientific, educational, and research foundation established in 1992. For ten years, Berkana has hosted processes to develop the new organizational forms and leadership needed in the world.

Children’s Action Network

www.execpc.com/~i-can

Dedicated to empowering children & youth to heal & constructively transform their world while creating joyful, meaningful, and Self-realized lives of service.

Global Youth Action Network

www.youthlink.org

The Global Youth ACTION Network is an international collaboration among youth and youth-serving organizations to share information, resources and solutions. Its purpose is to promote greater youth engagement. The GYAN creates the opportunity for every young person to be heard and to impact national and global agendas. It provides tools, recognition and financial support for youth to take positive action to improve our world – community by community

International Youth Advocates

www.gregoryrsmith.com

International Youth Advocates promotes principles of peace and understanding among young people throughout the world with the objective of instilling enlightened attitudes that will ultimately advance education, improve families, influence world events and provide hope for the neglected, abused and disenfranchised. We work with international NGOs as well as government and business leaders to enhance and protect the rights and well being of children. Our mission is to create a peaceful, safe and healthy future for all children.

International Youth Co-operation

www.iyoco.org

International Youth Co-operation is a new Youth Organization whose major objective is to promote International Co-operation between the Youth in such fields as Conflict Resolution, Human Rights, Intercultural Communication, Politics, International Relations, Development Co-operation and Environmental Conservation, aimed at creating a culture of peace among the Youth.

International Youth Foundation

www.iyfnet.org/document.cfm/1

Founded in 1990, the International Youth Foundation (IYF) is an independent, international, nongovernmental organization dedicated to the positive development of children and youth throughout the world. IYF is based on the premise that throughout the world there are thousands of effective programs and approaches making a profound and lasting difference in young lives. Its mission is to identify these programs, strengthen their impact, and expand their reach so that many more young people may benefit. IYF works collaboratively with national foundations and organizations currently operating in 23 countries. IYF and its national partners are united as a global network by certain core strategies and objectives. Notable Feature(s): Archive of articles on successful programs and strategies; excellent contact information on IYF partners around the world; YouthActionNet initiative to connect youth to create change.

I.C.A.R.E.

www.soulutions.co.uk/ICARE/index.htm

Creating tomorrow’s future today by empowering our future leaders now. Put very simply, ICARE intends to give our children a voice for the creation of their own future. We will provide opportunities for children and youth to express what it is they want, what works for them, and to express their choices that will determine how our future will evolve. From their input will come the designs from which our education, our family environments and ultimately our business and political environments will evolve.

Optimist Club

http://www.optimist.org

The Optimist Creed

  • To be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

  • To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.

  • To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.

  • To look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true.

  • To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.

  • To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own.

  • To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.

  • To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature you meet a smile.

  • To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

  • To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

Optimist Club International Directory

http://www.optimist.org/club-listings.html

Optimists On The Net

http://www.optimist.org/club-links.html#intl

Pioneers Of Change 

 www.pioneersofchange.net

Pioneers of Change is an emerging global learning community of committed, young people in their 20’s and early 30’s, from diverse cultural, social, and professional backgrounds. We first came together when a common experience was voiced and shared among peers: an experience of wanting to contribute to a purpose higher than self, yet facing internal and external constraints in doing so, and of, in our day to day life and work, feeling pressured to compromise our personal values and beliefs. We are learning what is behind that experience, and are now, in an on-going process, developing the commitment, understanding, and a network of relationships to create or transform systems that they may come to serve Life, and operate in life-affirming ways.’

Taking It Global

 http://takingitglobal.org/community/members.html

TakingITGlobal.org is an online community that connects youth to find inspiration, access information, get involved, and take action in their local and global communities. It is now the world’s most popular online community for young people interested in making a difference, with hundreds of thousands of unique visitors each month. TIG’s highly interactive website provides a platform for expression, connection to opportunities, and support for action. Join now and connect with thousands of other young people around the world!

United Nations of Youth Foundation

www.unoy.org

In June 1989, a first International Working Group, attended by young people from five continents came together in Handel, the Netherlands to discuss the major problems threatening the future and survival of humanity and the role of young people and youth movements as agents of positive change. They identified the need for youth groups world-wide to work more closely together and to create some form of partnership with the United Nations in order to save future generations from the scourge of war, grave environmental and other man-made disasters, and together work for a ‘united and transformed world’. Thus, the United Nations of Youth was born as a vision, a sign of hope, and a challenge for the future.

World Youth Service & Enterprise

www.wyse-ngo.org

WYSE programmes take the form of two week intensive leadership programmes, that are conducted by a team of highly trained international educators. Over the past five years WYSE has found and supported many young people who feel inspired to do something for the world. Participants learn that to effectively lead others, they must first know themselves.

World Voices

www.worldvoices.org

the world voices website will be re-launched in april 2002 following an ambitious step-change in our thinking and ventures. World voices is a community of young social entrepreneurs rethinking basic assumptions about progress and proving that another world is possible.  our ventures are diverse:

* a two day festival at the royal festival in london followed by events in oslo, new delhi, mexico city & toronto

* a ‘spoof’ company space plc touring universities as part of the milkround to open a space for imminent graduates to ask fundamental questions about work and soon to be accompanied with a forthcoming book ‘careers un-ltd’

* a partnership with a community in soweto transforming a barren mountain into a creative hub as an inspiration and provocation to the world summit on sustainable development meeting down the road in august 2002

* a central london space opening in 2003 fusing a cafe, bar, events and performance space, hot desking, mentoring & consultancy

Youth Action Net

http://www.youthactionnet.org/

Around the world youth are working to preserve the natural environment, fighting for human rights, leading movements to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, and raising their voices for democracy. Locally and globally, young people are galvanizing positive change on a wide range of important issues. YouthActionNet seeks to connect, inspire and nurture present and future young leaders. The aim is to provide a virtual space where young people can share lessons, stories, information and advice on how to lead effective change. It is a space where youth can get up-to-date information, resources and tools to strengthen their work.

 

Youth In Action

www.peacechild.org

www.peacechild.org/bethechange/default.asp

Be the Change is the first youth-led, Web-based international development program focusing entirely on projects developed and executed by young people aged 12 to 25. The program, conceived by millions of young people in over 120 countries, facilitates low-cost, youth-led community development projects around the world. It is an initiative of Peace Child International, which runs its programmes on a global scale that encompasses all regions of the world.

Youth Link

http://www.youthlink.org/us/about.php

A 1997 Public Agenda report “Kids These Days, What American’s Really Think About Its Next Generation” shows that 58% of adults believe our next generation will make America worse than it is today. If the majority of adults are giving up on children and youth as a source of renewal and hope for our future, how is this mind set affecting the over 100 million young Americans who represent over 40% of our nation’s population?

1996 and 1998 Surveys from Kidspeak and Youthlink show that three-quarters of America’s youth believe their ideas and opinions are not valued in adult society. In addition, over 80% of youth believe they are unfairly and negatively stereotyped. These collective perceptions contribute to apathy and feelings of disempowerment and hopelessness towards impacting their (our) future.

To address these problems and to improve citizenship, service, democratic participation, and civic responsibility in our next generation(s), the Foundation of America created the Youth In Action Campaign. The Foundation of America is a nonprofit, charitable organization dedicated to improving the health, safety and well being of children and youth. Our mission is to create opportunities, recognition and financial support for the voices, ideas and solutions of youth. The Youth In Action Campaign serves as an umbrella to provide programs, recognition, and incentives for youth-initiated activities that are improving communities and our nation.

Youth Leaders In Action

http://www.youthleadersinaction.org

The Youth Leaders in Action mission is to inspire, mobilize and empower youth and adults to join forces in a bold effort to create a sustainable, peaceful world. We are manifesting our mission through a process of Education, Connection, and Action.

YouthNet International

http://www.iyfnet.org/document.cfm/24

Families and communities are the natural environments in which child and youth development occurs, but programs are often the catalyst for individual and institutional change. Child and youth development programs are strategic tools for improving the conditions and prospects of young people. As part of YouthNet International, IYF and its partner foundations work to identify and document programs around the world that are making a difference in the lives of young people.

To ensure efficient growth of the YouthNet International (YNI) network, IYF has adopted the Level 1/Level 2 concept. Level 1 programs are those that have been nominated or endorsed by an individual or organization with experience in the youth development field and in indicators of program effectiveness. A brief assessment is conducted on these programs before their incorporation into YNI to confirm they meet basic criteria of effectiveness in meeting positive youth development outcomes. Level 2 programs are those that have been identified by IYF staff or its partners, have undergone a full FEP assessment for inclusion into YNI, and are profiled as examples of best practices in youth development programming. Click below to access information on over 175 programs in over 30 countries. You can browse by region/country or by Area of Focus.

Youth Venture

www.youthventure.org/home.asp

Youth Venture empowers young people to create and launch their own enterprises, and through these enterprises, to take greater responsibility for their lives and communities. We are leading a growing global liberation movement of young people who are committed to making a positive difference and playing an instrumental role in the welfare of their communities. They are initiating a change in the role of youth in society, and are challenging traditional perceptions of young people as they take the initiative to improve their own lives and those of their communities by launching ventures of their own design. The ventures are as diverse as the needs – ranging from tutoring services to virtual radio stations, from bike stores to dance academies, from video festivals to youth diabetes support groups. What turns these diverse activities into Youth Ventures is that the young people themselves come up with the ideas and control the projects.