Our COVID-19 Response

The future is always uncertain, but the COVID-19 pandemic has given this truism a sharp, sobering clarity. The crisis also offers a vital lesson: transformative change requires a concerted effort, with young people at the center.

At IYF, we've been amazed and inspired by stories of young people courageously driving change in the face of COVID-19, and we’re elevating their achievements across our channels. We've moved life skills and other trainings online without sacrificing personalized feedback and coaching. And we're providing a host of free virtual learning tools to young people, employers, educators, and funders throughout our global stakeholder network. Connecting young people with opportunities to transform their lives—IYF's mission for 30 years—is now more critical than ever. Indeed, in this challenging new age, the three strategic objectives underpinning our Transformation 2025 strategy have taken on even greater urgency:

  • Youth Agency: Helping young people unlock their highest potential matters now more than ever. We're committed to supporting young leaders, like Tal manufacturing KN95 masks, because investment in their desire and ability to make decisions and drive change is foundational to crisis response and post-pandemic recovery.
  • Economic Opportunity: Providing access to education, training, and guidance has never been so critical. IYF is leaning into our commitment of providing pathways to earning and learning for young people like Darius and Vianey—and ensuring that opportunity gaps don’t widen.
  • Systems Change: Transforming lives by transforming systems to be youth-responsive is essential to recovery and rebuilding. In the face of systems that have been stressed and broken by the pandemic, we are pushing harder than ever to re-build them through direct engagement with education, government, civil society, and young social changemakers like Binayak.

Discover our full strategy and COVID-19 response