Vision and Background
The cities of today appear to be struggling to cope with the multiple problems they are facing. These include serious infrastructure shortcomings, unrelenting rural-urban migration, uncoordinated planning and an absence of a holistic future oriented vision. Despite the urban chaos to lose hope and despair is to give up on cities that will increasingly be home to bulk of humanity in the coming decades.
Transformation and change are vital and the need of the hour. An urgent transformation towards Eco Cities that are bearable, breathable and livable. Since the youth of today will inhabit the Eco Cities of tomorrow they are critical stakeholders whose energy and ideas for change must be understood, appreciated and developed into practical solutions for civic transformation.
Young Leaders for Eco Cities is a youth oriented initiative from EmergingWISE and IndonesiaWISE that are pioneering sustainability oriented consulting solutions for emerging markets. Under this initiative awareness and competency development workshops, research and projects are developed in collaboration with leading high schools and universities. Deserving projects with practical and time bound actions are socialized to responsible corporations with the objective of raising necessary funding support. The focus is on starting with small meaningful steps and achieving impact as quickly as possible. Projects are developed in collaboration with key stakeholders including government agencies, companies, non government organizations, academic institutions and experts in the field.
Benefits to Youth
Young Leaders for Eco Cities is a participative initiative that aims to channel the positive energy of youth (primarily high school students, university students and young corporate professionals) in practical projects in their towns, cities, neighborhoods, fields of work and social engagements. Through interactive workshops conducted with collaborating academic institutions the concept and vision of Young Leaders for Eco Cities is explained to youth.
Interested youth can volunteer to participate in practical projects under guidance and mentorship of project coordinators from IndonesiaWISE and EmergingWISE. Deserving projects with tangible impacts will also be socialized to leading companies for possible sponsorship. Projects are executed with clear milestones, accountabilities, quality assurance and impact assessments.
Volunteering youth are required to complete a registration form and will be sent the quarterly Young Leaders for Eco Cities newsletter as well as provided ongoing guidance. Participation is based on the Young Leaders for Eco Cities P.A.C.T which involves commitments regarding Personal Responsibility, Action Focus, Constructive Attitude and Transformation Orientation. Expectations under the Young Leaders for Eco Cities P.A.C.T are socialized and reinforced periodically by the project coordinators.
Benefits to Companies
The corporate sector in emerging markets is playing an increasingly important role in corporate social responsibility or CSR activities. Leading companies are aware of their social obligations and keen to balance their business models with prevalent cultural values and societal expectations that necessitate greater engagement with neighboring communities and sustainable growth.
IndonesiaWISE and EmergingWISE have been assisting companies in enhancing their sustainability initiatives including CSR. Young Leaders for Eco Cities engages progressive companies through an annual membership process under which companies are offered information about practical projects identified by youth in towns and cities where their plants or offices are situated. Where interest is shown projects are further refined and integrated into the CSR activities of the company.
While execution of projects remains primarily youth driven there are complementary contributions from employees and other corporate stakeholders like suppliers, distributors and so on. Successfully executed projects are a win-win benefiting the community, properly harnessing the energy of the youth and demonstrating the caring approach of companies. It is hoped companies signing up to support Young Leaders for Eco Cities will do so from a long term commitment perspective and integrate the initiative into their annual calendar of CSR activities.
Periodic updates are provided to companies and projects also feature in the quarterly Young Leaders for Eco Cities newsletter.
Contact
Young Leaders for Eco Cities hopes to facilitate meaningful change and transformation. Given the enormity of the challenges we have adopted a practical one step at a time approach.
If as a responsible corporation, progressive academic institution or interested individual you wish to engage and be part of this exciting movement please contact information@youngleadersforecocities.com.