Social Impact & Volunteering

5 Successful Youth Projects That Will Definitely Impress You on International Youth Day

Children International's Youth Councils Organize Community Improvement and Outreach Projects
Aug 12, 2015 6:00 AM ET
Campaign: Stories From the Field
The community garden in Guatemala produced beets, tomatoes, carrots, onions and more, which youth sold and donated to CI's nutrition program. ©2015 Children International

5 Successful Youth Projects From 2014 That Will Definitely Impress You

By Ashley Puderbaugh

Part of what makes CI's youth programs so exceptional is our encouragement for youth to give back to their communities. Enter: the Youth Council. These democratically elected groups of sponsored youth are chock-full of leaders-in-the-making. They work with CI to organize community improvement and outreach projects.

CI divides $300,000 among the 15 Youth Councils each year. The young people use this money – called the Youth Empowerment Fund – to invest in projects they consider important and that address community problems. The Youth Councils are responsible for managing the funds. They:

  • Assess needs in the community;
  • Involve other youth in community projects;
  • Review and select proposals; and
  • Plan, implement and evaluate jobs.

We've seen a variety of projects, from fun concerts to community-wide educational campaigns. Check out five of the most successful and inspirational Youth Empowerment Fund projects from 2014.

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