Ticking off the 12th month✅: What didn’t work?
Dear Friend,
We are ticking off the 12th month of 2024! I’m literally screaming!!
This year has been an incredible journey for NGYouthSDGs and among the many reasons, we are especially grateful for YOU. Truly, I just want to let you know at the outset of this green letter, that 2024 became what it is because of you.
You know, it’s common at this time of the year, including you and me to look into the year and either say it was a great year or one that fell short of our expectations. That’s perfectly fine; however, I hope your conclusion is a result of your resolve after carrying out these activities, including:
Reflecting on your commitments and engagement in 2024
Expressing gratitude for 2024
Evaluating or measuring what worked or did not work in 2024
One critical contribution of our Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Manager, Oluwabukunmi Obadeyi, is her ability to look into our project milestones before and after execution, and carefully evaluate what worked and what didn’t work based on our outlined project deliverables.
This approach can be applied to our evaluation of what 2024 turned out for you and me. Remember the popular colloquial by the renowned physicist, William Thompson, ‘ If you can not measure it, you can not improve it.’ Simple!!!
In that spirit, NGYouthSDGs is currently evaluating our 2024 programs—initiatives designed to equip young people with the tools to lead systemic change, influence policy, and bring youth development challenges to the forefront for stakeholders such as governments, international organisations, and lawmakers.
For now, let’s take a moment to look at some of our activities in November and December. We cannot wait to share with you the NGYouthSDGs Year-End Roundup document, which will capture our 2024 programs / initiatives and outline what to expect from NGYouthSDGs in 2025!
Exciting updates from NGYouthSDGs
Youth Activators Lab Programme - Cohort 2024
It has been a year of equipping young leaders with the knowledge they need to drive systemic change through our Youth Activators Lab program! What a wonderful experience and journey it has been!
The Youth Activators Lab program is a year-long initiative designed for young leaders interested in using systems thinking as a leadership tool to address developmental issues in communities across Nigeria. The 2024 cohort of the YAL program has been profoundly impacted by expert learning sessions led by facilitators specialising in vital subjects of global development. They also had the opportunity to engage in an exclusive virtual meeting with global change leaders, who shared their insights and principles on making an impact from where you are, reaching people around the world.
But it didn’t stop there! Participants had the chance to understudy the NGYouthSDGs programs, as well as the opportunity to be nominated by NGYouthSDGs for impact events and initiatives organised by our partners and other organisations.
As we prepare to say goodbye to the 2024 cohort, we are excited to welcome the 2025 cohort in January 2025! Are you one of them? Fingers crossed, and best of luck!
One important thing to note about the Youth Activators Lab program is that it goes beyond an incubation program; it is our thoughtful approach to nurturing future change makers who will be instrumental in influencing policies and driving positive change in communities across Nigeria. We look forward to securing funding support and partnerships to scale the vision of the YAL program. Visit https://yal.nigerianyouthsdgs.org/ for more information.
Local Adaptation Plan of Action - #ClimateActionForStrongerNaija project
Wondering what the Civil Society Organisations on the #ClimateActionForStrongerNaija project have been up to? Here’s the latest update!
In Enugu and Kaduna States, our CSOs have begun planning and formulating the Local Adaptation Plan of Action (LAPA) document.
This includes advocacy visits to key stakeholders, including the Commissioner of Environment, Enugu State. Engagement with the Ministries of Environment and Climate Change, Environment and Water Resources in Kaduna State. These activities aim to raise awareness about the pressing impact of climate change in communities within the states and the need to develop a Local Adaptation Plan of Action.
You may be wondering, why a Local Adaption Plan of Action?
We have seen from our advocacy and dialogue with community members in the implementation states of the #ClimateActionForStrongerNaija project that an effective way for Nigeria to address its climate impact and ensure the implementation of its climate policies, needs to be a bottom-top implementation approach that takes into consideration the concerns of the people and community stakeholders directly facing the impact of climate change.
The Local Adaption Plan of Action document is that inclusive document co-designed with community stakeholders, providing specific adaptation and mitigation strategies tailored to local challenges.
Our CSOs are actively engaging the important stakeholders for the co-creation of the LAPA as they will be organising a statewide forum on the co-creation of the LAPA. Stay tuned for more information.🎉
A Trip to Enugu State: Civic Leadership Programme
In Enugu State, specifically Enugu East Senatorial District, the project Manager and Civic Champions on the Elevating Youth Voices Building Trust and Civic Cohesion project also known as the Civic Leadership Programme (CLiP), supported by NYFF and Leap Africa are working towards a town hall meeting between young people and their lawmakers in Enugu State.
Why the town hall meeting you may ask?
If you followed our last green letter we talked about the focus group discussions, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews that took place, gathering young people’s and lawmakers' perceptions on the reason for civic desert and civic apathy in Enugu State.
These findings will now form the basis for the discussions at the town hall meeting aimed at rebuilding trust, promoting meaningful youth participation, and co-creating actionable solutions.
Well, The town hall meeting took place in December and provided an eye-opening, open discussion.
Here is a brief gist about the town hall meeting.
NGYouthSDGs Hosts Town Hall Meeting to Elevate Youth Voices and Build Civic Cohesion
It is true that building trust is not a one-sided effort; it requires intentional collaboration between lawmakers, organisations, and the youth. The just concluded town hall meeting between young people in Enugu East Senatorial District and the Lawmakers in Enugu State, established a firm platform to openly address youth disengagement in civic activities and foster trust between lawmakers and young citizens.
The town hall meeting had in attendance Lawmakers in Enugu State, including Hon. Princess Obiajulu, Hon. Ani Johnson, members of Civil society Organisations, Media, Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities and youth across Enugu State,
Through the Civic Leadership Programme supported by Nigeria Youth Futures Fund and Leap Africa, we have been able to address the lack of understanding of civic responsibilities that has hindered their ability to contribute effectively to democratic processes, with key recommendations, commitments from lawmakers, and a renewed optimism for youth participation in the democracy we have seen the significant impact of the Elevating Youth Voices, Building Trust and Civic Cohesion Project in Enugu East Senatorial District.
Are you a lawmaker or a young leader interested in connecting with youth in your community to improve governance and civic engagement? If so, be sure to download this toolkit.👇🏼
🔗 https://bit.ly/MeaningfulYouthEngagmentToolkit
International Volunteers Day 2024: Diverse Volunteers, Stronger Communities!
Volunteers often serve as first responders, stepping up with remarkable courage, dedication, and selflessness to create meaningful change.
The challenges we face—climate change, inequality, and unemployment—can feel overwhelming. However, it is during these moments that the spirit of volunteerism shines its brightest.
At NGYouthSDGs, we deeply appreciate the countless sacrifices and tireless efforts of volunteers worldwide. This is why every International Volunteers Day holds a special place in our hearts. We celebrated this occasion with enthusiasm, addressing the challenges faced by youth volunteers across Nigeria and providing them a platform to share their inspiring volunteering journeys with their peers. You can catch the highlights of the volunteer event here.
Additionally, don’t miss our new case study that showcases the incredible young people working with NGYouthSDGs to drive impactful youth-led change in Nigeria. You can download it here.
Partnership for the goals
NGYouthSDGs supports the Girls Education Summit
Ahead of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), we partnered with the Girls Education Access Initiative to educate young girls on their rights, advocate for stronger protection against GBV, and champion girl-child education.
These efforts emphasize our commitment to creating safer spaces and empowering young women to lead systemic change.
NGYouthSDGs attends the annual steering committee meeting of Generation Unlimited and its partners
As one of the partners of Generation Unlimited Nigeria, we joined other public and private sector partners for the annual steering committee meeting to celebrate the collective efforts of Generation Unlimited.
Represented by our Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Manager, Oluwabukunmi Obadeyi, we were there to learn more about the impactful work of Generation Unlimited partners, significantly reaching 9 million young people and children through various programs.🎉
As a youth-led organisation dedicated to empowering young Nigerians through programs that address development issues and advocate for policies supporting their livelihoods, our partnership with Generation Unlimited and UNICEF Nigeria represents an exciting opportunity to enhance our efforts in engaging Nigerian youth meaningfully. Stay tuned for something exciting that we will be sharing soon!😊
COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan!
We were live at COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan!
Our Founder, Joshua Alade, attended COP 29, joining global leaders and advocates to push for stronger climate action. This was an opportunity to engage with the National Council on Climate Change in meaningful conversations about advancing youth inclusion in Nigeria's Nationally Determined Contributions. We also shared key outcomes from our ongoing project, #ClimateActionForStrongerNaija, with civil society organisations (CSOs) and young people across Nigeria
Spot on our Volunteer of the Month!🎊
Oluwapelumi Aina has shown us that commitment yields positive results.
As a YAL Associate, Oluwapelumi has had the incredible opportunity to learn and volunteer in the communications efforts at NGYouthSDGs.
She shared, “Volunteering with NGYouthSDGs has been a valuable experience that has empowered me to advance my career. The most notable impact has been the enhancement of my writing, research, and data storytelling skills, which played a significant role in helping me secure a recent international opportunity.”
We celebrate you, Oluwapelumi! Keep achieving great things!💃💃🕺
NGYouthSDGs Opportunity Corner – Your Gateway to Growth and Impact!
In our effort to promote meaningful engagement of young people, we have curated various opportunities for you to explore, beyond our network.
Here’s us cheering you on and wishing you the best of luck with your applications!
Internal Opportunities
🔊Call for Mentors - Youth Activators Lab Programme
Are you ready to inspire and nurture the next generation of changemakers? The Youth Activators Lab (YAL), a leadership and capacity development program for young people in Nigeria is calling passionate professionals in development, academia, and business to mentor dynamic young leaders for 12 months. 🌍
🤝 Why Mentor?
•Play a direct role in empowering the next generation of leaders.
•Develop your skills in coaching and inspiring others to achieve their goals.
•Opportunity to access speaking engagements during NGYouthSDGs programs
📌 Eligibility:
✅ 8+ years of experience in youth development, advocacy, or leadership.
✅ Ready to commit 2-4 hours monthly
✅ Passionate about supporting and inspiring young leaders.
Join us in advancing youth leadership for systemic change!
🔗 Apply via https://bit.ly/YouthActivatorsLabMentors
🔊 Are You Our Next Board Member?
We are seeking dedicated individuals with expertise in areas such as Legal Compliance, Financial Management, Governance, Advocacy, and technology, to help us drive meaningful impact.
Please complete this form to express your interest or refer someone who would be a great fit. Your submission will help us assess the qualifications and align the right expertise with our mission.
🔗 Apply here.
🔊 Invitation to Impact Sharing Session on Elevating Youth Voices & Building Civic Cohesion project
Are you a youth changemaker or a leader in a government or civil society organisation working to promote civic participation and governance in Nigeria?
We are excited to invite you to an exclusive Impact Sharing Session focused on elevating youth voices, building trust, and enhancing civic cohesion project among civil society organizations and youth leaders.
This session will highlight the valuable insights, lessons learned, success stories, and outcomes of the Elevating Youth Voices & Building Civic Cohesion (CLiP) project in Enugu State. Our aim is to foster collaboration among civil society organisations (CSOs), youth groups, and stakeholders across Nigeria.
Date: Friday, 20th December 2024
Time: 11:00 AM (WAT)
Venue: Zoom virtual platform
🔗 Register HERE
We look forward to your participation!🤝
External Opportunities
Disclaimer: We do not claim any ownership or legal rights to the external opportunities shared. They are provided solely to promote meaningful engagement of young people.
Immap recruiting for information management and partnership officers
MEAL Manager (Compliance & Communication) at Grow Strong Foundation
Stakeholder Engagement Manager, Unions and Civil Society Open Supply Hub
Dear Friend💓,
2024 has been a whirlwind and I'm grateful for having you as part of our journey in 2024.
As you anticipate the NGYouthSDGs Round Up document, I want you to take out time to review your 2024. What did not work, what worked that can be scaled in 2025.
Feel free to write me back. I’d love to read your thoughts on this green letter💓
Cheers to more!