You may not know it yet, but you, young leader, have the power and potential to shape the world. You’ve probably heard that you hold the keys to the future, right? That means that in your hands are the possibilities for a future that is brighter, kinder, and more sustainable. Explore this by using what you know, expanding on your knowledge and skills, and igniting change.

We don’t need to go too far back to feel inspired to create change. Consider incredible people like Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai – both trailblazing young women who are creating real, wholesome change. They’re no different to you. They’re young people with hopes and dreams, who are not afraid of taking a stand for what they believe in.

Creating change is an exciting path — one filled with challenges, problem-solving, and most importantly, a sense of fulfilment and purpose. There are many ways to start your journey to ignite change, and we’ll explore more of this below. Ultimately, what you decide to pursue depends on your interests and what you’d like to see a positive change in.

Community Projects

Communities are the backbones of society, and by engaging in community projects, you can create lasting impact right at home. Whether it’s organising fundraisers for local charities, volunteering at shelters, or initiating youth-led initiatives, your efforts help foster unity and improve the lives of the people around you. Here are some examples:

1. You may find that older people in your community tend to exercise less, but need to maintain their health. You could initiate a walking session every day, where you accompany a group of elderly community members on a safe, lovely walk. People may even feel inspired enough to join with their families.
   
   
2. If you’d like to see kids in your community being occupied in healthy ways after school and on weekends, consider starting a gardening project that will allow kids to grow their own vegetables, harvest them and share with the community. There are many opportunities to ignite change right where you are.

Environmental Initiatives

Everyone shares the responsibility of protecting the planet and contributing towards a cleaner, greener world.

The first thing to remember about environmental initiatives is to start small and grow with it. You may think that as one person, your efforts won’t make a difference, but remember, one less straw being used is one less straw landing up in the ocean. You also have the power to make others think twice about their actions.

Consider starting environmental initiatives at your school, university or in your community, like:

• Community clean-ups
• Planting trees every month
• Using recycling bins or even separating plastics and paper to donate to recycling
• Using reusable materials instead of single-use items, like bottles or plastics
• Reducing electricity consumption

These efforts will create a ripple effect of positive change in the people around you, and you’ll see them contributing toward positive actions for the environment too.

Social Campaigns

In today’s world, social issues range from gender equality and mental health awareness to issues like inclusivity, poverty and unemployment. Get involved with initiatives that allow you to help others and make them feel safe. Some ways of contributing include:

• Using social media to share great content with your friends and family
• Organizing awareness campaigns, and engaging in open dialogue or discussions to challenge stereotypes and break down barriers
• Get speakers to visit your community
• Use your skills or passion to change narratives and tell stories. This could be through music, spoken word, poetry, filmmaking, art and more.

Young people have always been at the forefront of change, and now, more than ever, your collective impact can shape a better world. By collaborating on community projects, environmental initiatives, and social campaigns, you can bring about exciting, positive change.

Be the architects of a future you can all be proud of.

The time is now, and the power is within you.