International Youth Foundation Seeks Dynamic Young People Leading Social Change Less Than Three Weeks Left for Young Social Entrepreneurs to Apply for YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Program
There's a lot of talk about the problems facing our world today, but it takes a special person to put that concern into action - a social entrepreneur. YouthActionNet®, an International Youth Foundation (IYF) and Nokia initiative that invests in the power and promise of young people to create positive change, is in search of 20 young social entrepreneurs from around the world for its Global Fellowship Program. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2008. Application information is available via the Web at: www.youthactionnet.org.
Tweet-- There’s a lot of talk about the problems facing our world today, but it takes a special person to put that concern into action – a social entrepreneur.
YouthActionNet®, an International Youth Foundation (IYF) and Nokia initiative that invests in the power and promise of young people to create positive change, is in search of 20 young social entrepreneurs from around the world for its Global Fellowship Program. The deadline for applications is May 15, 2008. Application information is available via the Web at: www.youthactionnet.org.
The YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Program recognizes young people for starting innovative projects to help their communities and is open to candidates between 18 and 29 years old. Applicants must be proficient in English and have founded existing projects or organizations with a clear vision for social change. This can include leading a new project within an existing organization. Winners will be announced on August 1, 2008.
Global Fellows will travel to Washington, DC USA to participate in a tailored learning experience, which includes:
· An all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC in November 2008 to attend the YouthActionNet® Global Fellowship Retreat that enables the 20 youth leaders to share best practices and learn from each other;
· Recognition for their efforts at the Annual YouthActionNet® Global Awards Ceremony held in Washington, D.C.;
· Networking with leading international nongovernmental organizations, development agencies, and donor institutions in the greater Washington area; and
· Access to global advocacy platforms, media coverage, and funding opportunities.
Past winners have undertaken a diverse range of special projects, including: providing disadvantaged youth in the Philippines with access to micro-credit; linking health professionals with volunteer opportunities throughout the world; empowering youth in Uganda to live in environmentally sustainable ways; and advocating for the needs of the homeless in Mumbai, India. Profiles of the 2007 Global Fellows can be viewed at: www.youthactionnet.org.
Selection Criteria
Applicants and their projects should meet the following criteria:
· Project must have clear goals and objectives
· Project should have clearly defined achievements/indicators of impact
· The project should transcend cultural, ethnic, gender, national, racial, regional, religious, and sexual orientation differences
· The potential for the project to achieve lasting social change and to be scaled up over time
How to Apply
Completed application forms are due by the May 15th. Applicants may fill out the form online at www.youthactionnet.org or download the application and email or fax completed forms to:
yan-info@youthactionnet.org.
Tel: +1 410 951 1500; Fax: +1 410 347 1188
Notes to Editor
About YouthActionNet®YouthActionNet® invests in the power of young social entrepreneurs around the globe. Launched in 2001 by the International Youth Foundation and founding sponsor Nokia, YouthActionNet® strengthens, supports, and celebrates the role of young people in leading positive change. Through its Fellowship Programs, customized trainings, dynamic website, and peerâ€toâ€peer learning opportunities, YouthActionNet® offers young change makers ideas, resources, and connections to like minds around the world. With support from the Sylvan Laureate Foundation, YouthActionNet® has launched institutes in Brazil and Mexico, with additional institutes planned for Australia, Egypt, Haiti, Israel, and Spain in 2008. For more information, please visit: www.youthactionnet.org.
About the International Youth Foundation (IYF)
The International Youth Foundation (IYF) invests in the extraordinary potential of young people. Founded in 1990, IYF builds and maintains a worldwide community of businesses, governments, and civil-society organizations committed to empowering youth to be healthy, productive, and engaged citizens. IYF programs are catalysts of change that help young people obtain a quality education, gain employability skills, make healthy choices, and improve their communities. To learn more visit www.iyfnet.org.
About Nokia - Community Involvement 

Nokia is committed to having a positive impact on society that extends beyond the advanced technology, products and services it creates. It has invested in community projects supporting young people and education in 30 countries, benefiting more than 1 million young people. The company has an active employee volunteering program which last year saw its employees give more than 18,000 hours to local community projects. Nokia is also supporting innovative technology projects designed to bridge the digital divide and bring the benefits of mobile technology to communities around the world. For further information, visit: www.nokia.com/communityinvolvement.