ALL AROUND THE WORLD -- ACROSS ALL BORDERS
Dream It. Do It. World Tour
On April 24, 2007 (GenV.net's birthday!!!), Youth Venturer Kyle Taylor announced the official launch of the Dream It. Do It. World Tour, a four-month tour through eleven countries on five continents to encourage thousands of young people worldwide to take action. He made his way around the world, meeting with and profiling fellow Youth Venturers - civic-minded young changemakers who create, launch, and run their own youth-led, community-benefiting organizations.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLD TOUR AND ROAD TRIP AMERICA!!
The D.I.D.I. Initiative
The D.I.D.I. Initiative is an 18-month initiative that launched in September 2007. It is a partnership in Second Life between Youth Venture and Global Kids to improve health and healthcare. Through generous support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the D.I.D.I. Initiative supports young people to launch their own sustainable ventures either within or outside of Teen Second Life that create lasting benefit to their communities. The Ventures can take place entirely within the virtual world of Teen Second Life, in the real world, or some combination of the two! CHECK OUT THE DIDI PROFILE!!!
Belgium and Canada
Ashoka announced on November 19, 2007 that it has successfully launched its Youth Venture program in Belgium and Canada. Its entrance into these two countries was made possible through Staples Foundation for Learning (SFFL), a private foundation created by Staples, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPLS), which is supporting the global expansion of Youth Venture.
On February 7, 2008, Ashoka expanded its youth program, Youth Venture, to young changemakers across Canada. Beginning in February, young Canadians in all provinces and territories can apply to Youth Venture for support in launching their own “social ventures”.
Brazil
The last few months have been huge for GMM (Geracao MudaMundo, which is the Youth Venture program name in Brazil), which has brought together Fellows, youth and YV enthusiasts throughout Brazil. In November, Ashoka fellows and 500+ youth attended the launch event in Fortaleza. The event was followed by a 2-day integration retreat that 130 Venturers attended in preparation for panel. Later in the month, 80 teams presented to 50 panelists in a 3-day marathon panel. GMM also launched in Belo Horizone and Santa Catarina. What's more, the first Venture Fair was held, and 35 teams presented to an audience of 400 people!
Germany
Peer to Peer
In 2007, Ashoka Jugendinitiative Deutschland (or Ashoka's Youth Venture in Germany) began a new model in which young changemakers between the ages of 19 and 24 learned to lead Dream It. Do It. (DIDI) Workshops. With Youth Venture Alumni leading DIDI workshops, young people not only benefit from learning from Venturers’ experiences, but they’d be able to easily relate to them and muster the courage to launch their won community-benefiting Venture. Because of Youth Venture’s dedicated volunteers, we are building local chapters all across Germany.< >
In December 2007, Youth Venture Germany expanded from Frankfurt to Stuttgart when two young changemakers found funders to help bring Youth Venture to Stuttgart. Since launching the "Stadt Stuttgart" program, they have motivated 10 more young people to join the "Everyone a Changemaker" movement. In March 2008, Ashoka's Youth Venture staff held an all-day "Train the Trainer –Workshop" to coach them on leading DIDI Workshops. Youth Venture is now expanding to Berlin as well, where it will be holding DIDI Workshops throughout the summer to launch 30 new teams!
Dreck Attack in the Media
Congrats to Venture Team Dreck Attack! Dreck Attack is a team of five young men who dropped out of school. Without an education, they began hanging out around the streets of “Kiez of Hamburg”, a tourist attraction. Disgusted by the litter and garbage left behind by tourists, they turned themselves around and began an environmental project to clean up their neighborhood. Their initiative brought them media coverage from radio stations, TV channels and local and national newsletters.Mexico
The "Youth as World Changemakers" (First National Gathering in Mexico) was held on November 23rd - 25th, 2007 in Zautla, Puebla. 51 Venturers came from 8 states to exchange experiences, learn from each other and generate proposals to define and create their youth movement in Mexico. The workshop focused on a variety of themes such as building the movement, teambuilding, collaborations, sustainability, etc. During this meeting Venturers decided to initiate a common fund to support other Ventures, they organized a cultural fair in Mexico City which took place in December, and 2 teams decided to collaborate in order to pursue HIV prevention amongst youth. Additionally, 7 youth were elected to oversee Venturer collaboration and represent their states in the National Venturers Board. At the same time, 5 Venturers were selected to participate as YV representatives in a conference called 'Youth Without Borders' that took place in Nicaragua in December.
South Africa
Ashoka launched it's Youth Venture program in South Africa in August 2006 with the mapping of youth sectors. In March 2007, Youth Venture held its very first Dream It. Do it. Workshop. Since launching, YV has helped 11 venture teams start, one of which made the news!
Venturer Walter Rikhotso was featured in City Press. He and his team teaches children basic mathematics, and how to write and speak English. Click HERE to read about WALTER
What's more, Youth Venture continues to grow. In the next workshop scheduled for June 20-June 22, 89 young people will be introduced to the Everyone a Changemaker movement.
Thailand
In November 2007, CNN International and CNN.com launched their “Be the Change,” program - an interactive program that will chronicle the lives and work of 6 changemakers around the world for a year. Ashoka’s own Youth Venture Director for Thailand, Ponchan (Newey) Kraiwatnutsorn, was selected as one of the "Be the Change" participants. Newey and her weekly blogs, testimonies, photos and video diaries have been hosted on the Be The Change website, and visitors can comment and post questions. What are you waiting for? Check out Newey's page!!
For information about Youth Venture in Thailand, go here (Thai) or here (English).
USA
It's been a very exciting year for Ashoka's Youth Venture, opening new franchises and establishing new partnerships. Check out just a few of Youth Venture's Special Initiatives in 2007-2008!
Lorax Challenge
Got an idea that will save the Earth? Enter the YV - Lorax Challenge! Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Youth Venture are proud to bring you the Lorax Challenge, in partnership with Earth Island Institute. It's an opportunity for young people between the ages of 12 and 20 across the country to turn their dreams of saving the environment into reality. Five Grand Prize winners will get a FREE TRIP to the University of Florida for Environmental Boot Camp! (Please note that while all Lorax Challenge teams are eligible for $1,000 in start-up funding, only high school students are eligible for the Grand Prize.) DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS MIDNIGHT, MAY 31, 2008. For more information, please visit About the Challenge or email lorax@youthventure.org.
Burton Snowboards Go Overboard Challenge
Burton Snowboards and Girl Overboard author Justina Chen Headley, in partnership with Youth Venture, are co-sponsoring the Go Overboard Challenge Grant to find the best youth-led ideas to change the world. So think about a problem and figure out a solution! Then tell us how you, your club, your team, or your entire school will Go Overboard. The best ideas will win one of the many Go Overboard Challenge Grants of up to $1,000 each. DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS IS June 30, 2008. For more information, please visit About the Girl Overboard Challenge Grant or email burton@youthventure.org.
Starbucks Tour
After a successful Washington State tour, Starbucks and Youth Venture are proud to team up again to take Youth Venture's vision nation-wide. Starting the last week in February 2008, we'll traveled to 13 cities all across America, conducting Dream it. Do it. workshops in schools and public venues in each city to inspire young people, giving them tools to start their social ventures and opportunities to apply for up to $1,000 in support. For more information, please visit You(th) Have the Power to Change the World.
Tu Voz My Venture Contest
Youth Venture partnered with MTV Tr3s, and received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to advance Latino educational achievement by investing in young people to have a transformative experience of launching and leading social ventures that encourage Latino students to finish high school and prepare for college or work, and supporting these young leaders by connecting them to a global network of likeminded young "Venturers."
50 Tu Voz My Venture Teams were created by awarding grants of up to $1000 to groups of young people to create Ventures that benefit Latino students. Of those teams, 5 were also awarded $5000 team scholarships. Full details are available at Tu Voz My Venture
Road Trip America
After several months, lots of recovery from illness, 3 months of near unemployment and sleeping on friends couches, it was time to embark on the next leg of the World Tour! On February 13, 2008, Kyle Taylor and Malena Buckley-Ess hit the road and traveled across North America, collecting video, blogging and taking pictures of young people who are truly changing their communities. During their 40 days travel across 32 US States and 3 Canadian Provinces, they highlighted the hard work of young Venturers across the planet who are launching their own initiatives for social change. To see all of Kyle's pictures, videos and blogs, go here.
