The YLACatalyst Newsletter
Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC)
Deepening citizen engagement and building capacity to lead change
Dear Readers,
We are back with another edition of the YLACatalyst Newsletter.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating #8YearsofYLAC. Your support and kind words mean the world to us, reminding us of the incredible journey we've shared together and spurring us on for the next phase of everything YLAC! What began as a small dream has blossomed into a vibrant community of thousands of young changemakers.
We are deeply grateful for your unwavering support. Here’s a sneak peek of some of the lovely messages we received!
What’s Happening at YLAC
With the YLAC summer programs wrapping up, it’s the perfect moment to spotlight some of our ongoing initiatives and the remarkable impact they’ve had so far!
Expanding the Digital Champions Program: More Students, More Impact
In today's tech-driven world, understanding online safety is essential, especially for young people. YLAC's Digital Champions Program equips high school students across the nation with key digital citizenship skills, focusing on online safety, well-being, and managing online risks. The program aims to empower students to become informed, responsible digital citizens and cultivate a healthier relationship with technology.
Last year, we successfully reached over 10,000 students across three states and five cities, along with more than 10,000 out-of-school girls in nine districts of Rajasthan. This year, we’ve expanded even further, reaching five new cities and two additional states.
Additionally, we’ve partnered with Citizen Digital Foundation to translate our course into Malayalam, now available on their platform.
YLAC Teams Up with Women Climate Collective to Upskill Climate Leaders
YLAC is proud to partner with the Women Climate Collective, a dynamic group of 20 women climate leaders working at the intersection of climate and gender issues. Our collaboration involved a series of skill-building sessions designed to empower climate leaders. The sessions covered essential topics such as media engagement for advocacy, effective social media use, government stakeholders, and fundraising and proposal writing.
We were honoured to host expert speakers including Kailash Nadh Nadh from Zerodha /Rainmatter on scaling initiatives, Anshul Tewari from Youth Ki Awaaz on communicating impact, Pragya Mathur from Samagra | Transforming Governance on engaging with government stakeholders and Nandan Sharalaya from Climate Catalyst on fundraising and writing proposals.
Scaling the Social Action Incubator: Bigger, Better, Bolder!
We at YLAC are extremely excited about our newest partnership with the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship at Santa Clara University in the US.
This collaboration represents a major milestone in our efforts to scale the YLAC Social Action Incubator, offering continuous learning and capacity-building for young leaders dedicated to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through this partnership, we encourage social enterprises focused on women’s economic power or climate resilience to apply for the Miller Center’s Accelerator program. With tailored support, executive mentorship, and access to a global network, this program is an exceptional opportunity to scale impactful models.
Applications for the January 2025 cohort are open until October 15, 2024. Don’t miss out on this chance to drive meaningful change!
Calling All High School Students!
If you’re a high school student, YLAC in partnership with Indian School of Public Policy (ISPP) , invites you to apply for our High School Achievers program. This unique opportunity is designed to empower students to develop leadership skills and drive social change. Join a network of young leaders, learn from experts, and transform your passion into meaningful action. Applications close on 10th November’24.
Recommended by LinkedIn
If Gender and Politics is your cup of tea, this is for you!
Are you passionate about bringing gender issues to the forefront of political narratives?
Join us at the Asia School of Campaigners to learn how to run winning campaigns, leverage AI, and break the barriers keeping gender issues from mainstream politics. This non-partisan initiative will equip participants with the tools to mobilize political parties on women’s agendas and help them win the "women’s votes."
Over a period of three months, you’ll gain insights into reshaping political leadership across Asia, driving impactful change for women’s rights. This initiative is non-partisan and welcomes all who are passionate about reshaping political leadership in Asia. Applications close on 25th Sept 2024.
YLAC Alums Making Us Proud!
Our alums make us proud everyday by achieving extraordinary feats! This corner celebrates our alumni and their journeys.
In this edition, we bring you the journey of Harini S. , who was a Policy in Action (PAP) Fellow in 2023. She currently works as a Young Innovator (Technology), State Planning Commission under the Government of Tamil Nadu.
Read about Harini’s experience as a PAP fellow and how it shaped her professional journey:
Pay it Forward, by Empowering Future Leaders!
As alumni, there are several ways in which you can continue to contribute to the YLAC community. One such way is through our new “Pay It Forward” model. Even a small amount you contribute can support scholarships for deserving students to our programs.
Click below to sponsor an aspiring changemaker to join the upcoming 2024 edition of Policy in Action Program. No amount is too big or small!
Please note: Payments made are not eligible for exemptions under 80G.
Interesting Opportunities to Look Out For
To learn more about such opportunities, follow The Policy Square on Linkedin. We post exciting opportunities for early and mid-career professionals in the social impact space everyday on this page!
For anything else, write to us at office@theylacproject.com.