The Youth Incubator
Young people take the lead for international solidarity
Young people are concerned about the future: climate, inequality, conflicts… At the same time, they are bursting with ideas and the desire to contribute to a more just and sustainable world. However, research and BeGlobal’s recent SoliDare Hub project have shown that young people:
Are unsure about what steps they can take and are given too few concrete opportunities;
Find it difficult to connect with existing engagement trajectories because these initiatives are often not flexible and/or inclusive enough.
The Youth Incubator wants to address this issue.
Found out more about the conducted research:
Youth and their engagement: A participatory project with young people around the themes of social engagement and international solidarity.
Conducted by Méthos at the request of Enabel and Plan International Belgium. More info.
Young people in numbers and letters. Conclusions of the JOP (Youth Research Platform) Monitor 2023. More info.
Young people and international solidarity: how does it work today?
A study on young people, mobilization, and international solidarity.
Conducted by Méthos at the request of Enabel and Plan International Belgium. More info.
What exactly is the Youth Incubator?
The Youth Incubator is a trajectory in which young people translate their sense of engagement into something concrete by developing their own international solidarity project. The trajectory helps young people strengthen their skills, brings them into contact with experts and other young people, and gives them the space to turn their ideas into concrete actions.
Empower young people
- Encourage personal growth and social engagement
- Strengthen personal and professional skills
Further develop projects
- Young people receive tailored support for their project ideas and can call on expertise and networks
Expand a learning network of organizations
- Strengthen partnerships between organizations
- Greater impact on young people by joining forces
- Encourage knowledge exchange and learning
Create a social snowball effect
- Participating youngsters share their trajectories, insights, and skills with other young people
A learning environment in partnership
The Youth Incubator is a project in partnership. Each organization brings in its own expertise and network, and the organizations learn from each other how best to support young people in their engagement.
The Colruyt Group Foundation helped develop the concept and is responsible for the financing together with Enabel.
YOUCA and Globelink are youth organizations with years of experience in mobilizing young people around global issues. They are responsible for the first phase of the project and support young people in developing project ideas.
The Youth Incubator is also a learning environment. The project will run for five years and consists of three trajectories, each of which will work with a new group of young people. This allows each trajectory to be adjusted based on the insights and experiences gained from the previous one. In line with BeGlobal’s mission, the trajectory is thus improved and made more inclusive. This is done, among other things, through an action research, in collaboration with a research institute.
Interested in participating?
Be sure to keep an eye on the website and our social media. The call for projects will be launched before the summer of 2026!
