YOUth ACT

Netherlands · Civic & Social Organization

YOUth ACT’s objective is to enable Amsterdam-based youth to take action for social justice by creating a community-based hub for activism and entrepreneurship. We aim to encourage civic engagement by catalysing young activists/entrepreneurs personal growth and diversifying their network. Our initiative arose out of a collaboration of the Amsterdam-based Amnesty and Unicef student teams. Our goal was to build a local community of young people who want to drive social change and provide them with the knowledge, skills and audacity necessary for activism and the development of youth initiatives. During our two-day conference with fascinating keynote speeches, hands-on workshops and unique networking opportunities we looked at a diverse range of human rights and social justice topics through a practical lens. The opportunity to interact with inspiring change makers, thought leaders and youth activist was made possible through our collaboration with groundbreaking local initiatives, such as the Forward Incubator, She Matters, Our Bodies Our Voice, Right2Education, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, LCOY and the UN Youth Representative for Human Rights and Security. With over 100 participants we succeeded in creating an exciting global community of highly engaged people. In the light of this momentum, YOUth ACT has graduated into an independent initiative as of June 2019. Our goal is to develop a community-based hub that provides regular opportunities for young people to connect, co-create and address social and environmental challenges in their communities.