What is the Global Youth Mobilization?

Global Youth Mobilization (GYM) is a movement of young people taking action to tackle global issues to improve their lives and their communities. It is an initiative of the Big Six Youth Organizations – a network of the world’s largest youth organizations powered by millions of volunteers across more than 170 countries.
 

Born out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and launched in late 2020, the GYM was funded by the World Health Organization and United Nations Foundation through the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund it was designed as an emergency response to the crisis facing young people.
 

Developed with and led by young people and youth-focused organizations, it supported young people to overcome the negative impacts of the pandemic and improve their lives during and after the pandemic, whilst ensuring the experiences, creativity and passion of young people informed policies and decisions affecting their lives. Today, GYM exists in its second phase, in partnership with the EU Youth Empowerment Fund. Launched in October 2023, the €10 million initiative provides youth-friendly funding for projects that contribute to the sustainable development of local communities.  This partnership is dedicated to dismantling barriers to funding and providing crucial opportunities for mentoring, coaching, and capacity building. It aims to ensure that marginalized and underrepresented communities have equitable access to resources.
 

Young people are an essential part of global solutions, and it is important, now, more than ever, that there be continued investment in programs, policies and initiatives led by and for young people to bring about sustainable change in the livelihoods and health of young people worldwide.