What is Ashoka's Youth Venture?

Youth Venture is a global programme that concentrates on encouraging and enabling young people to assume responsibility for their communities and to improve them by seeking creative and practical solutions to social problems. Thus the overall idea is to create a global movement of young social entrepreneurs who are empowered to become responsible citizens and strong nation builders.

Youth Venture - South Africa

In South Africa the challenges of poverty, disease, and unemployment are great and the need to empower young people to create their own economic and civic opportunities, to address these issues is key to developing their attitudes towards civic responsibility. It is clear that government alone cannot achieve change purely through legislative means.  The issues require a committed, public response in which the youth are a pivotal factor.

By engaging youth in these challenges as active problem solvers we believe that we can significantly increase their confidence, autonomy, sense of belonging and competence towards a greater engagement with their school, families and communities.

YV motivates and teaches young people the value of social  entrepreneurship and life skills that will serve them in school, university, career and life.  Additionally, their experience of successfully launching and leading their own ventures for social change builds confidence and recognition of their power to engage in civic and entrepreneurial initiatives throughout their lives.

YV’s investment in young people teaches the essentials and dynamics of team work and supports emerging leaders of the future.

Go to the GenV.net website for More