IYC Borderless Leaders
Project Objective
The objective of the Borderless Leaders project is to create an inclusive and empowering platform that enables young people from all over the world to upload, showcase, and collaborate on their projects in support of sustainable development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Borderless Leaders aims to provide a space where young champions can amplify their voices, share their initiatives, and inspire one another to drive positive change in their communities and beyond.
Empowering Young People
Borderless Leaders seeks to empower young people by providing them with a platform that recognizes their potential, capabilities, and ideas for sustainable development. It aims to foster a sense of agency among young champions, encouraging them to take ownership of their projects and become active contributors to the global development agenda.
Showcasing Projects
Borderless Leaders aims to be a global stage where young champions can upload and showcase their sustainable development projects. By providing a dedicated space to highlight their initiatives, Borderless Leaders increases the visibility and exposure of these projects, attracting attention from potential collaborators, supporters, and funders. This exposure helps young champions gain recognition for their efforts and promotes the replication and scaling-up of successful projects.
Collaboration and Knowledge Exchange
Borderless Leaders facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange among young champions. By bringing together young leaders from diverse backgrounds and regions, Borderless Leaders fosters a vibrant and inclusive community where participants can connect, network, and collaborate on projects. This exchange of ideas, experiences, and best practices allows young champions to learn from one another, leverage each other’s expertise, and create synergistic partnerships for greater impact.
Inspiring Positive Change
Borderless Leaders aims to inspire and motivate young people to become agents of positive change in their communities and the world. By showcasing a wide range of impactful and innovative projects, Borderless Leaders provides a source of inspiration for young champions, motivating them to initiate their initiatives and contribute to sustainable development. Borderless Leaders emphasizes the importance of young people’s voices and encourages them to challenge the status quo and drive transformative change.
Advancing the SDGs
Borderless Leaders aligns its objectives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- By focusing on projects that address key local and/or global issues, Borderless Leaders ensures that young champions are contributing to the achievement of the SDGs.
- Borderless Leaders encourages participants to identify how their projects align with specific SDGs and to measure and communicate the impact of their initiatives concerning these goals.
Through its multifaceted approach, Borderless Leaders empowers young champions, showcases their projects, fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange, inspires positive change, and contributes to the advancement of the SDGs. By providing a platform for young people to share their ideas, experiences, and solutions, Borderless Leaders aims to create a global movement of youth-driven sustainable development, leaving a lasting impact on communities and the world.
Who can participate
Borderless Leaders is open to young people from all corners of the globe, between the ages of 15 and 35, who are motivated and passionate about sustainable development. The IYC welcomes a diverse range of participants, including students and young professionals, who are committed to making a positive impact in their communities and beyond.
- Age Range: Borderless Leaders invites individuals between the ages of 15 and 35 to participate in the program. This age range encompasses young people in various stages of their educational and professional journeys, ensuring a diverse and dynamic community.
- Geographic Diversity: Borderless Leaders is a global initiative that transcends geographical boundaries. It welcomes participants from all corners of the globe, recognizing that sustainable development challenges and solutions vary across regions. By fostering geographic diversity, Borderless Leaders creates a platform where participants can learn from and collaborate with individuals from different cultural, social, and economic backgrounds.
- Students and Young Professionals: Borderless Leaders encourages both students and young professionals to participate in the program. Students can be enrolled in schools, colleges, or universities, while young professionals may have already entered the workforce or pursued entrepreneurial ventures. This inclusion of students and young professionals brings together individuals with diverse experiences, skills, and perspectives.
- Motivated and Passionate Individuals: Borderless Leaders seeks participants who are motivated and passionate about sustainable development. These individuals are driven by a deep sense of purpose and a desire to create positive change. They are willing to dedicate their time, energy, and expertise to address pressing issues related to education, the environment, health, poverty alleviation, gender equality, and more.
- Specific Projects or Ideas: Borderless Leaders welcomes participants who already have specific sustainable development projects in progress. These projects can be at various stages of implementation, ranging from conceptualization to execution. Additionally, Borderless Leaders also encourages individuals with innovative ideas that have the potential to contribute to sustainable development to participate. Whether participants have ongoing projects or are starting from scratch, Borderless Leaders provides a platform to showcase and advance their initiatives.
- Focus Areas: Borderless Leaders recognizes the broad spectrum of sustainable development issues and invites participants to work in various focus areas. This includes but is not limited to education, environment and climate action, health and well-being, poverty alleviation, gender equality, sustainable cities and communities, innovation and technology, and social justice. Borderless Leaders embraces the diversity of projects and ideas that address these key areas, understanding that interconnectedness and collaboration across sectors are crucial for sustainable development.
By opening participation to a wide range of young individuals, Borderless Leaders fosters a global network of motivated and passionate changemakers. This diversity of participants enriches the exchange of ideas, encourages cross-cultural collaboration, and ensures a holistic approach to sustainable development challenges. The IYC provides a platform for participants to contribute their unique perspectives and expertise, collectively driving positive change and advancing the SDGs.
How IYC Supports Participants?
IYC’s Borderless Leaders provides a supportive and engaging environment for young champions to showcase their projects, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain valuable knowledge and skills. Participants will benefit from the following:
1. International Project Management Training: IYC is committed to providing participants with educational opportunities and resources to enhance their knowledge and skills in sustainable development. This support is offered through the following steps:
a. Webinars and Workshops: IYC organizes regular webinars and workshops conducted by experts in various fields related to sustainable development. These sessions cover topics such as project management, sustainable practices, advocacy, fundraising, and more. Participants can attend these interactive sessions to learn from experienced professionals and gain valuable insights.
b. Mentorship Program: IYC offers a mentorship program where participants are paired with experienced mentors who provide guidance and support throughout their project journey. Mentors share their expertise, provide feedback, and help participants refine their ideas and strategies. This one-on-one mentorship fosters personal and professional growth and enables participants to learn from the experiences of seasoned professionals.
c. Resource Library: IYC maintains an extensive online resource library that participants can access for reference materials, toolkits, best practices, and case studies related to sustainable development and the SDGs. This repository of knowledge equips participants with the necessary information and tools to develop and implement successful projects.
d. Recognition and Certificates: IYC acknowledges the efforts and achievements of Borderless Leaders by awarding certificates and recognition for their contributions towards sustainable development. These certificates can serve as a testament to their commitment and can be showcased on resumes, portfolios, or college applications.
2. An International Platform for Borderless Leaders: The IYC provides a global platform for participants to showcase their projects, connect with like-minded individuals, and gain visibility for their initiatives. The support offered through this platform involves the following steps:
a. Project Showcase: Participants of the Borderless Leaders program will be given an online platform and upload information about their projects. They can share project updates, milestones, challenges, and success stories, allowing them to receive feedback and support from the Borderless Leaders community. This exposure increases the visibility of their projects and helps attract potential collaborators, funders, and supporters.
b. Collaboration Opportunities: Borderless Leaders facilitates connections among participants who share similar interests or complementary projects. Through the platform, participants can explore collaboration opportunities, share resources, and synergize efforts. This collaborative approach enhances the impact of individual projects and fosters a sense of community and teamwork among participants.
c. Networking Events: the IYC organizes virtual and in-person networking events, conferences, and forums where participants can interact with fellow Borderless Leaders, experts, and potential partners. These events provide a platform for knowledge exchange, idea generation, and building lasting connections in the field of sustainable development.
3. IYC Funding: The IYC recognizes the importance of financial resources for the successful implementation of sustainable development projects. To support participants in securing funding, IYC offers the following steps:
a.Funding Database: IYC maintains a comprehensive database of funding opportunities specifically targeted towards young changemakers and sustainable development initiatives. Participants can access this database to explore grants, scholarships, crowdfunding platforms, and other funding sources relevant to their projects.
b. Fundraising Workshops: IYC conducts workshops focused on fundraising strategies and proposal writing. These workshops provide participants with guidance on how to identify suitable funding opportunities, craft compelling proposals, and present their projects effectively to potential funders. The aim is to equip participants with the skills and knowledge needed to secure financial support for their initiatives.
c. Grant Matching: IYC collaborates with partner organizations and foundations to provide grant-matching opportunities for outstanding projects. Through this initiative, selected projects can receive additional financial support, amplifying their impact and enabling participants to scale up their efforts.
What resources does IYC provide?
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We connect you to local IYC offices to invite speakers, support campaigns, share ideas, etc.
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Joining Borderless Leaders:
Application Process for Joining Borderless Leaders
Step 1: Eligibility Check
Before applying to join Borderless Leaders, please ensure that you meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 35 at the time of application.
- Applicants should demonstrate a strong commitment to delivering positive change in their communities or on a global scale.
- Applicants should showcase their leadership capacity and provide examples of their previous leadership experiences.
- Applicants should be actively addressing key local and/or global issues in their work, aligning with the objectives of sustainable development and the SDGs.
- Applicants should have a track record of generating impactful and innovative ideas that contribute to sustainable development.
- Applicants should possess or demonstrate proficiency in the following skills:
- Leadership: The ability to inspire and motivate others towards a common goal.
- Innovation and Creativity: Capacity to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to complex challenges.
- Collaboration: Aptitude for working effectively in diverse teams and building partnerships.
- Entrepreneurial: Ability to identify opportunities, take risks, and implement projects with an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Navigating Complexity: Capability to navigate complex issues and adapt to changing environments.
- Delivering Results: A track record of successfully executing projects and delivering measurable results.
Step 2: Application Submission
To apply to join Borderless Leaders, please follow these steps:
- Visit our website(www.internationalyouthcouncil.org/Borderlessleaders) and navigate to the “Join” or “Apply” section.
- Fill out the online application form, providing accurate and detailed information about yourself and your sustainable development project or initiative.
- Upload any supporting documents or materials that demonstrate your commitment to positive change, leadership capacity, and innovative ideas (e.g., project reports, CV/resume, recommendation letters, portfolio, etc.).
- Send two letters of recommendation from people who know the work you do.
- Highlight how your skills align with the required skills mentioned above and provide specific examples of how you have utilized these skills in your work.
Step 3: Review and Selection
After submitting your application, the IYC’s Borderless Leaders project team will review and assess it based on the eligibility criteria and requirements outlined above. The selection process may include multiple rounds of evaluation, such as document review, interviews, or additional assessments.
If your application is successful, you will be notified via email or through the IYC platform about your acceptance into the program. Further instructions on the next steps, including accessing the platform, joining webinars, and connecting with mentors and other participants, will be provided at that time.
Please note that due to the competitive nature of the program, not all applicants may be accepted. However, Borderless Leaders encourages unsuccessful applicants to continue their efforts in sustainable development and welcomes them to reapply in future application cycles.
We look forward to reviewing your application and having you join the IYC’s Borderless Leaders community!