Empowered Youth, Empowered Futures: Celebrating International Youth Day
At Teen Action, every day is a celebration of youth—but today, on International Youth Day, we’re taking a moment to reflect on why our commitment to youth leadership is more than a programme feature. It’s a principle.
In a world where decisions about young people are often made without them, we work differently. We put young people at the centre—not just as participants, but as leaders, co-creators, and changemakers.
Why Youth Leadership Matters
We believe that leadership is not defined by age, status, or job titles—but by vision, voice, and the courage to make a difference. Young people bring insight, lived experience, and a deep understanding of the challenges they and their peers face. Too often, they’re underestimated or excluded. At Teen Action, we’re changing that narrative.
Leadership opportunities equip young people with real-world skills: confidence, communication, teamwork, and decision-making. But even more importantly, they cultivate agency—the belief that “I can make a difference.” And that belief is transformative, not just for the individual, but for entire communities.
What Youth Leadership Looks Like at Teen Action
From shaping project design to leading workshops and representing their peers in advisory groups, young people are embedded in every aspect of what we do. Our Youth Advisory Group plays a vital role in influencing decisions across the organisation—from programme planning to partnership development and orgnaisation strategy.
This isn’t tokenism—it’s trust. We listen, adapt, and evolve based on what young people tell us. Their ideas are smart, relevant, and often bold. Whether it’s designing programmes that reflect their realities or challenging us to take our inclusion work further, our youth leaders hold us accountable—and we’re better for it.
Led By Young People, For Young People
One of the unique strengths of Teen Action is that over 70% of staff and volunteers are young people themselves, aged under 30. This brings an authenticity and immediacy to our work that traditional hierarchies can’t replicate. Though an old organisation, we’re young at heart, reflected in our team and ambitions.
Our team reflects the experiences, identities, and aspirations of the young people we serve. They build trust naturally. They communicate in ways that resonate. They model leadership not as something distant or unattainable—but as something real and within reach.
Having a youth-led workforce means our programmes are relevant, responsive, and constantly evolving. It also means that we are growing the next generation of community leaders—providing jobs, training, and mentoring to ensure that youth leadership doesn’t stop at participation, but extends into employment, policy, and beyond.
A Platform, Not a Pedestal
Empowering youth doesn’t mean putting them on a pedestal. It means giving them the platform, tools, and support to lead on their own terms. At Teen Action, we provide that scaffolding: mentoring, training, and spaces where young people feel safe to explore, fail, learn, and try again.
We’ve seen what happens when you trust young people with responsibility: they rise. They grow. They lead.
A Call to Action
This International Youth Day, we’re calling on everyone to do more than celebrate young people—invest in their leadership. Make space at the table. Provide real opportunities for influence. Pay them for their time. Trust their voice.
Because when young people lead, everyone benefits.
