Young people are the experts of their own experience. We understand the value of inviting youth to participate in the creation and development of their own programmes.
Applications for the NextGen Youth Programme 2025 are open now!
Supporting a sustainable future
GOAL's NextGen Youth programme brings young people together from all over the world to deepen their understanding of Global Citizenship. We believe that deeper and longer-term engagement is the best possible way to support a generation of young people who are passionate about a fairer and more sustainable future.
Together, participants build skills in group facilitation, intercultural communication, project management, critical thinking, and more. Co-creation and youth participation guided the development of this programme, and this approach to participatory learning continues to guide its content and tone.
Youth Projects
Voices from the Farm
Voices from the farm emerged out of the GOAL NextGen Youth Programme 2023.
Using an interactive map, you are invited to engage with first-hand perspectives from farmers worldwide on the effects of climate change and food insecurity.
Further farm interviews added regularly.
If you would like to get involved by interviewing a farmer in your region, email dcuss@goal.ie for more information.
Be Food Wise, Not Foolish!
The 2023 NextGen Youth Programme explored the connections between food and climate, more specifically our interconnected food system and the issue of food insecurity.
Be Food Wise, Not Foolish aims to raise awareness of food loss and waste around the world.
Vision for Change
The 2022 NextGen Youth Programme explored the Sustainable Development Goals and how they can contribute to a fair and sustainable world.
Young people from Ireland, Ethiopia, Honduras, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Uganda worked with spoken word artist Adam Mohamed to share their learnings and create a spoken word piece and film titled Vision for Change.
#Connected2 Climate and Food Systems
The 2021 Youth programme focused on global citizenship and the interconnected roles of individuals, organisations, and sectors engaged in international development. Through the pertinent themes of Global Food Systems and Climate Change, participants learned how each relates to global citizenship and development.
Based on their learning and individual interests, participants produced materials in the lead-up to the UN Food Systems Summit, COP26, and throughout GOAL’s #Connected2 campaign.
Their work has culminated in a resource booklet and exciting online photo exhibition that you can now visit from the comfort of your own couch!
#Connected2 Photo Exhibition
The Global Citizen’s Journey: A Resource for Global Citizenship Education
The Global Citizen’s Journey: A Resource for Global Citizenship Education is as innovative and interactive as the group of young people that created it in 2020. When you work through the activities, whether you are facilitating or participating, you’ll develop the critical thinking skills to explore the realities and complexities of our interconnected world. And recognize the imperative for active solidarity at local and global levels.
Each activity was designed to be adapted to any context – we encourage you to incorporate aspects of your local context so that you can get the most out of every opportunity for discussion. It is our hope that these discussions bring you and your local community the confidence to act for fair and sustainable change.
For more info on the resource please contact Róisín via rmcatamney@goal.ie
Stay tuned for opportunities to join online activity sessions facilitated by the members of the Global Youth Network! We will have dedicated sessions for young people, as well as sessions for educators.
NextGen Youth Network
We want to stay connected to all the young people we engage with and continue to support them even after the programmes and projects they participate in conclude. This growing network of motivated and critically-minded young people offers opportunities to sharpen and hone the facilitation, communication, and collaboration skills they began building with us in our youth programmes.
The Global Youth Network connects the deeper Global Citizenship Education work of our youth programmes with awareness-raising campaigns.
Members of the GOAL NextGen Youth Network visited Dublin in September 2023 to engage members of the public in discussions of global justice issues. Denis, Uganda, Josh, Zimbabwe, and Bezawit, Ethiopia attended the Earth Rising Festival at the Irish Museum of Modern Art where they spoke about climate change and the effects on their communities.
