During the International Year of Youth, the World Bank Group Youth to Youth Community brought together over 700 young leaders to inspire, and learn from each other. Participants debated youth's role in peace building , entrepreneurship and leadership. Hands-on workshops allowed participants to gain tangible skills, and an Expo of youth organizations inspired many. Workshops: How to run a business. How to Lead a movement.

Itellecap, Ashoka, World Bank board members from US and Saudia Arabia, Connexxions, Howard Buffet Director of Argriculture for US Department of Defense

Bottom-Up

Innovation Funds

After 8 months working at the World Bank I decided something much bigger could be done to shake the monolithic institution out of its complacent slumber. At the World Bank I had unprecedented access to the brightest minds in every field imaginable and undertook fascinating projects with governments across the world. But decisions came slow, new ideas and technologies typically got axed by risk-averse security forces and the voice of a few senior staff dominated discourse. 

Challenge. How to have an impact on a bureaucratic 20,000 person organization spread across 180 countries? 

Approach. Motivated both by frustration and a vision that things could be much better I got involved and mobilized people to action on multiple fronts. There were many barriers, greater lessons and 

Mentality

Bottom-Up

Top-Down

IntergenrationalBottom-Up and Top-Down

Turn problems into advantages

1. - The bank is slow, act fast and apologize later. Find moments of disruption, act fast, show results, apologize later.  
2. I am young and unimportant - become the voice of youth. unite forces
3. Global Youth unemployment and violence problem - create dialogue around topic. 

Results.

Inter-generational Dialogues

1. Spoke with Senior management at World Bank to understand concerns/needs

2. Dialogues with Youth to understand concerns and needs

- Connecting the two: Youth Conference

- A digital strategy to create dialogue. Channel for youth to get voice heard

- Mentorship Program

Results

First youth to join Innovation Steering Committee

Launched Innovation Fund

Mentorship Program

Learning Journey Program