Youth to Youth Initiative

National Network
Lithuania
Address

savanoriu pr
11203 Vilnius
Lithuania

Telephone
+37062138524
Telephone (other)
+37063117326
E-Mail
saida@y2yinitiative.org
Organisation Type
Non-Governmental Organization
Year of Establishment
2015
Fields of Activity
  1. Democracy and community development
  2. Human rights
  3. International/Cultural relations
  4. Others
  5. Youth and education
General Information

Y2Y created a unique structure which allows us to tackle all the issues we are working on through three levels: first, the annual thematic International Summits create a starting point, inspire, open dialogue and overall create an environment that allow to produce joint projects, which are developed and implemented in our online incubator. Secodn, Y2Y main platform is Y2Y Action Hub which is an innovative online and offline system for the development and successful implementation of socially beneficial ideas, concepts, start-ups, projects and initiatives created by youth and for youth. The Y2Y Action Hub is designed as a synthesis of highly responsive, community-driven social network and an interactive, flexible online incubator. The main idea behind it is to maximize the impact of youth-led initiatives by providing around-the-clock support in project management and development, communication and research, technology and innovation, funding and campaigning, marketing and PR, multimedia and design. Finally, in order to make sure that the projects are developed in a sustainable way, we established an additional monitoring body - Ambassadors, who are selected during the Summit among the most engaged young leaders for the period of one year. Y2Y is co-founded by 3 people: Saida Ibrahimava from Belarus, Karolina Mazetyte from Lithuania, Ania Ankowska from Poland. There are 3 key roles in the decision making process: Project Direct, Main Coordinator of the Y2Y Summit, President. Y2Y started working as a non-formal youth lead initiative in October 2014, while the NGO was established in Lithuania on 08th of July 2015. Legally Y2Y is based in Lithuania while it's members are working online from different countries. Currently there are working 8 people on voluntary basis. Y2Y 1st event was the Y2Y Summit on the Role of Youth in Solving Global Challenges and Bridging Gaps among Nations which took place on 16-20th of April 2015, Vilnius, Lithuania (more information: www.y2ysummit.org). In May Y2Y organized Brunches with inspirational speakers on the topics important for youth in Lisbon, Brussels, Vilnius, Krakow. Y2Y Brunches are held every 3 month. On 27th of September Y2Y alumni are organizing brunches in Paris, Vilnius and USA. Under the Y2Y Action Hub we are mentoring 6 projects: Dialogue through Art (USA), Pocket Stories (Norway), Study Opportunities (Ukraine), PLAYLEE (Columbia, Germany), LENSATIONAL (Singapore), IMU Exchange project (UK, Serbia, Italy, Russia, Mexico). Currently we are looking into sources for funding, because we either do work on voluntary basis or invest our own money.

Mission and Objectives

“Youth to Youth Initiative” aims to construct an effective environment for youth participation in the decision making process and solving global challenges locally. Through dialogue and immediate action plans we are solving the most critical questions in the sphere of education, employment, culture and faith, gender equality, informal diplomacy, migration, social entrepreneurship, sustainable development of communities, anticorruption, humanitarian actions. Y2Y mission is to give an access to young people from all around the world to efficiently participate in community development as well as to provide a networking opportunities for youth on a global scale.

Main Projects / Activities

Annual thematic International Summits create a starting point, inspire, open dialogue and overall create an environment that allow to produce joint projects, which are developed and implemented in our online incubator. In April 2016 Y2Y will organize a summit on transparency and anticorruption issues in Krakow, Poland. In 2017 Y2Y summit will be held in Middle, while in 2018 might be held in USA. Each year is dedicated to the most relevant issues for youth around the world. Y2Y Summits are mobile in a way that each year they will be held in different country in the world. Y2Y Brunch with a Speaker. The aim of the brunches is to discuss in a non-formal environment with an inspirational speaker on local challenges, as well as to build Y2Y network of change makers and activists. Y2Y Action Hub is a convenient virtual space for networking and team-building, skills-acquiring and knowledge-sharing, consultancy, analysis and monitoring, but first of all, it is a vibrant and supportive community of peers and professionals from Y2Y Global partners’ network helping social ventures and projects become catalysts for change. Y2Y Side projects: - CITIZEN - Citizen driven innovation in Eastern and Northern Europe - Capacity building training on entrepreneurship for migrant youth workers  

How can you contribute to the Network in your country?

In various ways, first of all involving interested members in our projects, activities and events. Second, cooperating and hopefully co-working on the joint fields of interest for the improvement of our local community. Last but not least spreading information among youth on the Anna Lindh Network and its activities as our organization are reaching many youth in Lithuania.

Why do you want to join the ALF Network?

During the 5th EuroArab Youth Forum in Strasbourg in September, 2015 the President of Y2Y discussed potential partnership opportunities and projects with Anna Lindh Foundation, such as graffiti art festival in the Medditeranean region or cooperation on the Y2Y Summit in Middle East, etc. Our organization wants to strenghen the cooperation among youth from Europe and the Arab world which is a big motivator to join the ALF Netowrk. Moreover, our fields of activities are going inline and we are already working on the same issues. We believe that working together we can achieve much more than alone.

Contact (1) Full Name
Saida Ibrahimova
Job Title
Director
Head of the organisation
Saida Ibrahimova
Contact (2) Full Name
Vilija Terezaite
Job Title (2)
coordinator