With just under USD$600,000 of funding still to be allocated, over 50 young people from across the YMCA Movement came together for a Local Solutions information webinar on 23 February 2022. The webinar was designed to encourage further YMCA applications for funding for youth-led and youth-targeted responses to the COVID pandemic.
Today we hosted our first webinar Information session on how to apply for @gymobilization Local Solutions funding.
Call for applications for funding for young people (aged 14 -30) are currently open!
Visit – https://t.co/hXA1MmM4wE – to apply.#youthmobilize pic.twitter.com/n1oTkwBs0L— World YMCA (@WorldYMCA) February 23, 2022
Led by World YMCA’s Global Youth Mobilization Programme Manager, Nathalie Thomas, the webinar included powerful presentations from YMCA youth volunteers and members who have who have already been awarded funding for their youth led solutions projects in response to the COVID pandemic.
Urangoo Khongorzul (YMCA Mongolia) presented the “Coco Project”, designed to address the impacts of lockdown on the mental health of children and young people in Mongolia. Inspired by the call to action at the Global Youth Summit held in April 2021, the team were inspired to act by the high numbers of Mongolians who had been placed in quarantine and subsequently developed mental health problems including anxiety disorders, depression, and sleep deprivation.
Chisom Oliagba (YMCA Nigeria) used a creative art competition to debunk misinformation, stigma and divisive messages surrounding COVID-19 and vaccination in Benue State, Nigeria. Chismo also provided important tips for interested applicants, encouraging them to understand and identify the challenges in line with the Local Solution thematic areas and demonstrating clearly in their applications on the key impacts they want to achieve.
In Siderno, Italy, the founding team of young people, already involved in the YMCA, developed the “Get Out” project due to concerns about digital addiction in young people, understandably increased due to the pandemic.
All three Local Solutions teams encouraged webinar participants to apply to the fund, hailing the opportunity to encourage young people in the community, make an impact with the support of the Global Youth Mobilization and learn from other youth-led groups.
Applications for the Local Solutions are open now and will be reviewed starting 1 May 2022. Individual young people or informal groups can apply for either $500 or $1,500. Youth-led grassroots organizations can apply for either $3,000 or $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of young people on a three-month rolling cycle. A small number of these local solutions will also be selected for upscaling and replication through an accelerator program.
Apply here: https://globalyouthmobilization.force.com/s/apply-now
Learn more about the Local Solutions Fund here:
For questions about Local Solutions funding, please contact solutions@globalyouthmobilization.org