Together with young people, Ashoka Youth Years builds diverse communities of change leaders – educators, parents, and leaders from school districts, unions, schools of education, governments, and youth-serving organizations. We facilitate collaboration and innovation within these communities to create an Everyone a Changemakers World.
For the past 40 years, Ashoka has built the world’s largest network of social entrepreneurs – individuals who change the systems and patterns of societies around the world to make them more equitable and just. But it doesn’t take a social entrepreneur to know that we’re living in an unprecedented moment in human history, with change happening all around us and at an accelerating rate. This rate of change contributes to unforeseen social problems almost daily but it also opens new opportunities to make our societies better for everyone.
At Ashoka, we believe that in order to thrive in this changing world, every person must recognize his or her power as a changemaker. This means mastering empathy, leading through collaboration, and taking action to solve problems or create opportunities for the good of all.
The time is now for a fundamental shift in how people see the world and the role of young people within it. That’s where we come in. Ashoka Youth Years and our partners are working to reshape how young people grow up and redefine success, both inside and outside formal education.