Yunus&Youth Global Fellowship Program for Social Entrepreneurs 2021

Photo credit: Y&Y Twitter Page

Applications for the 7th cohort of the Yunus & Youth Global Fellowship Program are now OPEN! For young social entrepreneurs running social businesses aligned with the UN’s SDGs. They are excited to have you join them to become a part of a growing community of young social business leaders that are leveraging their skills, experiences, and the Yunus&Youth ecosystem to further the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda.

The Yunus & Youth Global Fellowship (Y&Y Fellowship) is a virtual, six-month program that is designed specifically for operating social businesses. The program is free, with no fee or equity stake required, and the application season is now open for the seventh global cohort. The relationships that would be built will transform the fellows’ social business and ultimately help promote sustainable global development and economic growth for the world.

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In the fellowship program, Y&Y Fellows access training on an online platform, including interactive assignments designed to help Fellows build a strong business plan. The Y&Y team works closely with each Y&Y Fellow to connect them with the specialized tools and training they need. Y&Y Fellows are matched with mentors from Fortune 500 companies, bringing know-how from the private sector. Y&Y offers Fellows the opportunity to learn from top social business thinkers, such as Professor Muhammad Yunus and researchers from prominent institutions. At the end of the program, Y&Y Fellows pitch to a panel of investors with deep knowledge of social businesses. Y&Y Fellows become part of a network of social business leaders, building close ties that last long after their cohort graduates.

What does the Yunus & Youth Global Fellowship include?

• Online training
  Y&Y Fellows access training on an online platform, including interactive assignments designed to help Fellows build a strong business plan.
• Tailored to the needs of each Fellow
  The Y&Y team works closely with each Y&Y Fellow to connect them with the specialized tools and training they need.
• Mentors from Fortune 500 companies
  Y&Y Fellows are matched with mentors from Fortune 500 companies, bringing know-how from the private sector.
• Insights from top sources
  Y&Y offers Fellows the opportunity to learn from top social business thinkers, such as Professor Muhammad Yunus and researchers from prominent institutions.
• Final pitch competition
  At the end of the program, Y&Y Fellows pitch to a panel of investors with deep knowledge of social businesses.
• Global community
  Y&Y Fellows become part of a network of social business leaders, building close ties that last long after their cohort graduates.

Yunus&Youth exists to make the challenge of social entrepreneurship easier. Y&Y was inspired by the work of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his belief that companies and entrepreneurs can engage in business models that create real sustainable social impact. People around the world struggle with social problems: some lack of access to safe drinking water while others struggle with unemployment or insufficient health services (to name a few). Here is where social business comes in. These early-stage start-ups drive social change because their founders are close to the problems they’re solving and the communities they’re helping. Like GreenChar in Kenya, where Y&Y Fellow Yina sells affordable charcoal briquettes that reduce the risk of contracting respiratory illnesses. Or Bella Handmade Jewelry, founded by Y&Y Fellow Walaa, which offers employment opportunities to women in refugee camps in Palestine. What makes social businesses unique is that they are for-profit, but they’re not profit-driven—they’re driven by their vision to improve society.

They know that social businesses have the power to improve communities and change the world. But we also know that successfully combining business skills, financial sustainability, and social impact is hard. That is why Y&Y exists. Y&Y started when a group of people from around the world came together in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to connect with leaders in social business. That’s where they saw a huge potential: What if the current generation of business leaders shared what they know with the next generation of social entrepreneurs? A funny thing happens when ambitious young people declare they need help to shape the future. People help. Since that conference in Malaysia, the Y&Y network and team have grown—and it keeps getting bigger.