Ashoka is an organization that supports social entrepreneurs and innovators around the world. It was the first to recognize social entrepreneurship as a field. Ashoka finds the most impactful social change ideas and supports the entrepreneurs behind them through funding, connections, and other resources. Ashoka's Youth Venture program helps young people launch their own social ventures to address community problems. It provides training, funding, mentorship and ongoing support to help teams of youth develop solutions and sustainable social enterprises in areas like agriculture, the environment and more. The goal is to develop a new generation of "changemakers" who will lead social change throughout their lives.

1. Ashoka and Youth
Venture
“How society helps children grow up needs fundamental innovation at least as urgently
as in how it produces computers. That is why Ashoka is so important. It finds, helps
launch, and then links and leverages the most powerful social innovations and
innovators.”
– Carol Bellamy, Former Executive Director of UNICEF, President and CEO of World Learning

2. Who are we?

3. PIONEERS OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Ashoka is the world’s first and largest community of more than
2,000 leading social entrepreneurs.
FINDERS OF INNOVATION
We find the most important social change ideas and support the
entrepreneurs behind them.
INTEGRATORS OF NEW IDEAS AND INITIATIVE
We connect social, business, financial and university leaders to
build an “eco-system” of initiatives that solve the fast-growing
social needs of the world.

6. Sound Bytes 6 (Bill 1)
“Social entrepreneurs are not content
just to give a fish, or teach how to fish.They
will not rest until they have revolutionized
the fishing industry.”
— Bill Drayton

7. Ashoka and Youth Venture are shaping an
Everyone A Changemaker™ society:
every individual will take initiative, develop
solutions to social needs and drive
change. Every part of society will benefit
from having more changemakers, from a
company to a school to an entire country.

8. Changemakers

9. Changemakers
• believe they have responsibility to improve
society
• believe they have power to make a difference
• take initiative to bring about change
• practice empathy
• work with others to maximize impact
• live according to their values
• ...create change.

10. Why do we need more
changemakers?

11.  Social problems are increasingly complex and
difficult to solve
 Social problems have ever greater ramifications as
the world becomes more integrated
 Our society has the capacity to solve any problem;
it is a matter of putting enough ingenuity and effort
toward solving that problem

12. Sound Bytes 7 (Bill 2)
“The key factor for success of any human
grouping – be it a company or a country – will be
the proportion of changemakers it has to
develop new ideas, take initiative and lead.”
— Bill Drayton

13. Ashoka and Youth Venture Are BUILDING
the MARKET for Changemakers
Supply
Youth Venture is shaping a generation of
changemakers who will lead change
throughout their lives, then inspire and
enable every next generation to do the
same.
SUPPLY
Demand
Ashoka is creating demand for changemakers
by fostering an environment for creating
successful ventures and encouraging
institutions to realize their potential by hiring
these changemakers.
DEMAND

14. How does Youth Venture
work?

15. What Is a YOUTH VENTURE?
 A NEW venture started by young
people
 YOUTH-LED
 Creates IMPACT on the community
 Has a credible plan that will be
SUSTAINABLE
 Has an adult “ALLY” willing to
support, but not control, the
venture
 Involves a STRONG TEAM
 Venturers who CARE and have the
energy to be successful

16. YV’s global supply of CHANGEMAKERS
leadership
• 92% are more involved in leadership roles
• 94% indicated that their involvement in YV increased their confidence in starting and
leading projects
effective work habits
After working in a venture, levels of knowledge of life skills were:
• 91.1% in setting and achieving goals
• 91.1% in the field of planning
• 87.4% in evaluating work
teamwork
After working in a venture, levels of knowledge were:
• 97.4% in being a successful member of a team
• 96.2% in successfully leading a team
• 100% of respondents indicated that it is important
to work with others to solve problems.
initiative
•
91% took steps such as identifying new leaders, and
recruiting team members
• 84% of students indicated that since becoming
involved with YV, volunteering has become more
important to them.

17. YV Program Detail
The Youth Venture opportunity consists of four stages:"
1. A call to action across the youth community; "
2. An intensive period of social venture creation with the aid of training workshops and resources,
a user-driven online learning platform, staff support, and mentorship;"
3. Support and start-up capital for venture teams launched; and "
4. Ongoing post-launch support and fellowship around their
social ventures as well as
changemaker skills development and career planning. "
Stage 2: Venture Creation Products:"
1. Dream It Do It series–training workshop series for ages 12-18"
2. Be A Changemaker series– training workshop series for ages 18-21/24 (globally)"

18. Participation Value
 Training and support around social venture creation and idea generation"
 Materials and resources invaluable to starting and maintaining a Venture "
 Start-up capital to start a Venture"
 Identification with a global movement of 100,000+ Changemakers in the
Youth Venture network "
 Experience and skills that will allow for a greater range of education and
career opportunities and a stand-out resume "
 Fellowship opportunities that allow for personal and Venture growth"
 Webinar series "
 Corporate competitions"
 Mentoring"
 Online platform"
 Global Summits "

19. Partnering to bring youth changemaking to
your community
Supporting young people in realizing their potential as changemakers is one of the most important
offerings we can make to young people and society alike.
Over the past 15 years, Youth Venture has helped nearly 6,000 teams of young people to launch and
lead sustainable civic-minded ventures. We have carefully developed the right balance of guidance,
tools and support to young people that underscores their role as the entrepreneurs in charge of their
venturing process. Venturing is a journey to self-realization as a changemaker. Young Venturers
experience not just the power of designing a solution and leading lasting change, but also the thrill of
knowing that they are changemakers, which will very likely become a core part of their identity and
mindset for the rest of their lives.
Young people who lead civic ventures tend to become more involved in school and in extracurricular
activities, are more motivated to go to college, and are more prepared for college and careers. The
problem-solving, entrepreneurship and leadership/team skills they learn through venturing will be
critical to their success in whatever career path they choose.
You can bring youth venturing to your community with 15 years’ worth of methodologies and content
that YV has to offer. YV can provide training, ongoing guidance, and user-friendly materials and
tools to support your organization’s efforts to enable your youth to become changemakers through
venturing.
19

20. Core YV components
1.
4.
20
Dream it. Do it.
Challenge
GROWTH
series
2.
3.
Be A
Changemaker
series
YV Action Kit

21. Examples of Youth Ventures Focused on Agriculture!
Disaster Displacement – Ataka, Japan
A group of people moved out of the nuclear radiation affected disaster region and evacuated to Hokkaido (the
Northern Island). Ataka, a native Hokkaido-ite, created a small farm where those evacuees could gather together to
grow their own vegetables to free them from anxiety towards food. The farm, at the same time, serves as an oasis
for the evacuees who were forced to heave home to start anew in the unknown area. She also plans to start a cafe
during the winter where she serves the cuisine from Tohoku region. Her goal is to make the evacuees to feel at
home in the new land. "
The Environmental Friendly Group – Evariste, Cote D’Ivoire
The Environmental Friendly Group is trying to solve the problem of the pollution of the environment caused by
waste. The most important action of the team will consist of re-educating the populations about the dangers of such
a behaviour and the necessity to change general ways of doing things. The Environmental Friendly Group strives to
make residents of Cote DʼIvoire accountable to and careful about the environment by enticing them to individual
actions for a better living environment for all and by convincing them that each of us is a changemaker who can do
something about the situation. Ultimately, the recycling involved with this venture will also help in efficiently
managing and profiting from the waste."
Ansenuza Huerta Orgánica – Alan, Argentina
A group of youth ten people strong set up an organic garden in a remote, rural community in Cordoba (town of 120
inhabitants) and started revolutionizing the entire community. It made such an impact that they even wanted to
name a street in the town with Ashoka´s name to commemorate the inspiration catalyst. "

22. Examples of Youth Ventures Focused on Agriculture!
Garden Angels – Shawn, Brooklyn NY
The Idea: Transform an abandoned, trash-filled lot into a park and community
garden and raise awareness about relevant community concerns such as
multicultural understanding; provide after-school activities to underserved youth "
Impact: 50 core members and over 200 other youths participating in events
and programs"
Shawn today: College counselor in Brooklyn, advising thousands of young
people"
Dulces La Lagunita – Flavio, Argentina
Dulces La Lagunita is a group of youth from a remote village in the mountains who take advantage of fruits that
grow in the area, which normally go rotten, to produce jams that they can then sell in town down the mountain. "

23. Sound Bytes 4 (Kristof)
“The godfather of the social entrepreneur
movement is Bill Drayton, who founded…
Ashoka to support ‘change-makers.’ Now he
is heavily focused on nurturing student
social entrepreneurs, and he has started…
Youth Venture to support them.”
— Nicholas Kristof

24. Ashokaʼs Youth Venture!
1700 N. Moore St. Suite 2000 Arlington, VA 22209!
+1 (703) 527-4126!
www.GenV.net!