As the global YMCA movement celebrates YMCA Day, we also look ahead to another important moment for young people everywhere: World Youth Skills Day on 15 July.
Established by the United Nations, World Youth Skills Day recognises the importance of equipping young people with the skills they need for employment, entrepreneurship, active citizenship, and lifelong learning. In 2026, the theme “Skills for a Shared Future” reminds us that when young people have access to opportunities to learn and grow, entire communities become stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for the future.
One Movement, One Shared Moment
Skills in Action is the YMCA movement’s global response to this call.
Throughout the first half of July, YMCAs around the world will organise activities that help young people develop the skills they need to thrive. These activities may focus on digital and AI literacy, entrepreneurship, employability, leadership, communication, creativity, financial literacy, sports-based learning, or other skills that respond to local realities and opportunities.
On 15 July, participating YMCAs will come together online by sharing their stories, activities, and impact using #YMCASkills2026.
Rather than one event in one place, Skills in Action is a collection of local moments happening across continents, countries, and communities:
- young people learning digital skills in community hubs,
- mentoring sessions connecting youth with career opportunities,
- leadership workshops and entrepreneurship training,
- sports activities that build confidence, teamwork, and resilience,
- creative spaces where young people discover their talents and potential.
Together, these moments show what Skills for a Shared Future looks like in practice: young people learning, growing, and contributing to stronger communities.
From Local Action to Global Impact
Behind every activity is a larger story: a global movement investing in young people’s ability to shape their own futures.
Across the world, YMCAs support young people through digital learning opportunities, skills development programmes, mentoring initiatives, entrepreneurship support, leadership development, and safe spaces where young people can learn, connect, and thrive.
Many of these efforts are strengthened through partnerships, including the YMCA–HP partnership for digital equity, which supports access to technology, digital skills, and future-ready learning opportunities through initiatives such as HP LIFE and YMCA Digital Hubs. At the same time, countless YMCA programmes and local partnerships continue to expand opportunities for young people in ways that respond to the unique needs of their communities. An example being YMCA Europe Online Courses
By bringing these stories together under one campaign, Skills in Action helps transform individual experiences into a powerful global picture of impact. It highlights young people as innovators, leaders, creators, and problem-solvers while showcasing the scale and diversity of YMCA’s work around the world.
Celebrating Innovation, Inclusion, and Impact
Skills in Action will also recognise organisations that demonstrate exceptional creativity, inclusion, and impact through their activities. A set of campaign awards, with a total value of €5,000, will celebrate YMCAs that engage young people in meaningful ways, share compelling stories, and create opportunities for those who are often excluded from skills development pathways.
At its heart, however, this campaign is not about competition. It is about sharing ideas, learning from one another, and inspiring more communities to invest in young people’s potential.
An Invitation
Skills in Action is an invitation to everyone who believes in the power of young people.
For YMCAs, it is an opportunity to stand together as a global movement and demonstrate what is possible when we invest in youth skills at scale.
For partners, supporters, and communities, it offers a window into the collective impact of a movement that is present in local communities across the world, trusted by young people, and committed to helping them build brighter futures.
On World Youth Skills Day 2026, while the world discusses Skills for a Shared Future, the YMCA movement will have thousands of stories to share—stories of young people gaining confidence, developing new skills, accessing opportunities, and taking meaningful steps toward the futures they want to create.
Follow #YMCASkills2026 on 15 July and join us in celebrating young people who are turning skills into action every day.