Young people today face urgent global challenges – climate change, economic uncertainty, social injustice – and these are everyday realities, especially in young countries where 50-80% of the population is under 30. Despite being directly affected, young voices are often excluded from key policy discussions.
The United Nations Foundation Next Generation Fellows program equips young leaders not only to navigate global institutions but also to actively lead and influence policies at local, regional, and international levels. Through dedicated training, personalized mentorship, grassroots mobilization, and direct engagement with global institutions the Fellows become powerful agents of change across diverse global issues.
The Next Generation Fellows program directly connects talented young leaders with global policymakers, enabling them to engage meaningfully on issues such as climate action, social justice, education, health, and governance. This program is a springboard for young people committed to reshaping policies that impact their generation and beyond.
Fellows receive tailored training and mentorship that build practical skills in policy advocacy, strategic communications, and grassroots organizing. This personalized support prepares Fellows to confidently influence decisions at all levels, from community dialogues to global summits.
Our Fellows actively engage with global institutions like the United Nations, the European Union, African Union, and other influential regional organizations. This diverse engagement ensures Fellows’ ideas shape a broader set of international conversations and actions.
We recognize advocacy is real, impactful work. Fellows receive fair compensation, ensuring equitable participation and enabling them to invest meaningful time and energy in driving transformative global change.
Fellows lead grassroots mobilizations in their home countries, translating global goals into tangible local actions. They develop innovative projects addressing global issues on SDGs and the future.
Each cohort brings together diverse young leaders focused on amplifying young people voices in forums that shape global agendas.
The first cohort crafted the Our Future Agenda report, presenting a clear vision and action plan for next and future generations. The second cohort mobilized for high-stakes events, including the SDG Summit and the Summit of the Future, ensuring young perspectives were front and center. The third cohort will shape critical inputs to the 2100 Roadmap to be published at the final SDG Summit in 2027.
The India cohort, launched at the G20 Summit 2023, is developing the Our Future India report, set to debut at the World Social Summit.
The Next Generation India Fellows initiative is a partnership with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).
Since its launch, the Next Generation Fellows program has made significant strides in reshaping young people engagement in policy. Highlights include:
Authored by the first cohort, this groundbreaking report shared with the UN Secretary General to inform the future of the United Nations captured young people’s vision for areas like education, climate action, and social justice.
Fellows have actively influenced high-level global forums, including the UN High-Level Advisory Board on Multilateralism, the Nairobi Civil Society Conference, and high-level policy discussions within EU and AU, bridging grassroots with global policymaking.
Our Fellows have supported and led initiatives within the Engine Room, an open, youth-led digital platform empowering young changemakers to mobilize communities, collaborate globally, and drive transformative action.
Each Fellow’s journey doesn’t end with the program; they continue to drive change in their communities and beyond, shaping policy with real, impactful contributions that will resonate for years to come.
The Engine Room is a dynamic digital space – an open, unbranded, and independent global platform dedicated to empowering young people to shape the future.
Are you a young leader passionate about making a difference? The Next Generation Fellows program offers the tools, networks, and platform to amplify your impact. Stay connected by subscribing to our newsletters and following our initiatives on social media.
We also invite donors, policymakers, and organizations to partner with us in supporting young leaders. Together, we can ensure that the voices shaping the future are included in the conversations that matter most today.
Join us in building a sustainable and inclusive future led by the visionaries of tomorrow.
