The longstanding Youth@SAIIA programme equips young people with the skills and knowledge to become active participants in international relations and public policy. We are shaping a future in which young people are empowered to drive positive change.
The Johannesburg Cityzens Hub is Youth@SAIIA’s urban sustainability project, empowering young people to use citizen science and data activism to push for cleaner, healthier cities. As part of the global UrbanBetter Cityzens movement, the hub equips youth with training, wearable sensors and digital tools to generate real-time evidence on air quality, heat and walkability across Johannesburg.
Youth participants, Cityzens, Run Trackers and Run Leaders collect and interpret environmental data, map community challenges and lead public activations that promote safer, more liveable neighbourhoods. Their insights support precision advocacy, ensuring young voices shape city planning, climate resilience efforts and policies for cleaner air.
It provides practical skills development, exposure to green careers and a platform for meaningful civic engagement. Implemented by Youth@SAIIA in partnership with UrbanBetter, the project builds ‘hope as infrastructure’ by equipping youth with the tools and evidence to influence urban change.
To find out more, contact youth@saiia.org.za.
The Africa Youth Portal and Research Programme is a strategic capacity-building initiative aimed at revitalising and rebranding the original Africa Portal, forging a dynamic platform focused on youth-led research and knowledge dissemination. This programme aims to empower young researchers from across the continent, amplify their voices in policy spaces and enhance employability through capacity building and leadership development.
The programme consists of two strategic areas:
To find out more about the application process or about submitting your research to the Africa Youth Portal, contact kendra.connock@saiia.org.za or rendani.tshitangano@saiia.org.za
The Youth Policy Committee (YPC) is the main network of Youth@SAIIA and brings together regional and international youth organisations and individuals to understand, comment on and participate in policy processes that affect young people.
It was launched in mid-2014 by high school learners and university student alumni from the third annual Young Leaders Conference. At the end of 2024, the network had 764 actively involved members.
The YPC appeals to student and learner clubs, youth organisations, young activists and researchers across South Africa to offer age-appropriate capacity-building that develops policy participation and negotiation skills. Some of the activities include:
The YPC consists of working groups under the following themes:
To apply for the Youth Policy Committee (ages 18-25), complete this form.
To apply for the Youth Policy Committee High School Network (ages 13-17), complete this form.
Get in touch for youth volunteer opportunities.
The annual Young Leaders Conference offers participants the opportunity to host their own negotiation sessions on critical issues facing young people. The negotiations culminate in the Young Leaders Declaration, which is handed over to the South African government at a high-level event.
During the conference representatives of government, the United Nations, various diplomatic missions, civil society organisations, businesses and universities join us as speakers, mentors and observers to the conference.
Conference participants are chosen from top-performing candidates in our Model United Nations Programme, Environmental Sustainability Project and Interschools Quiz.
Negotiation simulation is a role-playing exercise designed to help individuals learn and practise negotiation skills in a safe, controlled environment. Youth@SAIIA offers Global Negotiation Simulation sessions, and these provide participants with a deeper understanding of the functions and powers of entities such as the UN and the AU.
Delegates gain the opportunity to engage critically in regional and global affairs and come up with solutions to tackle the pressing issues we face today. Through negotiation simulations, delegates develop and fine-tune skills such as public speaking, research, writing, negotiating, diplomacy, consensus building, conflict resolution and tolerance. These are life-long skills that benefit individuals’ personal and professional lives.
Hundreds of schools from around South Africa as well as students from universities participate in the annual Model United Nations programme, which has been running since 1994.
University students serve as tutors for participating schools to ensure that all schools have a fair chance in the programme. Youth@SAIIA also coordinates a series of mini-Model UN conferences in several provinces each year to broaden outreach. Schools are encouraged to take part in at least one mini conference to ensure they are prepared for the large annual conference held each September in Johannesburg.
To find out more, contact youth@saiia.org.za.
Young people from across South Africa continue to develop the South African Youth Climate Action Plan (SA YCAP) as a framework to inspire youth-led action across the country. Its goal is to expand networks of people contributing to a sustainable, just, inclusive and climate-resilient future for all.
Contribute to the SA YCAP Document.
The SA YCAP is a living vision document that is constantly updated to reflect the views of young people from across the country. It stands as two essential things: a call to national stakeholders to honour their climate pledges and a framework to inspire youth-led climate action for a just, sustainable and resilient society.
The YCAP is underpinned by the principle of upholding human rights with special emphasis on promoting intersectional and inclusive climate action. It is divided into five pillars: intersectionality; advocacy and activism for climate action; good governance; systemic change; and environmental sustainability.
Find out more about the SA YCAP here: https://www.saycap.org/
The SA YCAP roadshows aim to create safe spaces for discussions, knowledge-building and learning. Participants reflect upon climate (in)equality within their own lives, schools, universities and/or communities. Participants also explore and engage with how the recommendations contained within the SA YCAP can be applied to local contexts.
In the run-up to the annual UN Climate Change Conference, Youth@SAIIA members draft the South African Youth Statement that is then presented to key stakeholders for future engagement. The statement is co-drafted by over 100 representatives from over 30 organisations, schools, universities and colleges.
The South Africa Youth Gender Action Plan (SA YGAP) is a youth-led policy document aimed at guiding policymakers, government, civil society organisations, the public and private sector, and academia in creating and supporting increasingly gender-inclusive spaces. This document is anchored by the vision of increasingly sustainable, affordable, and widely accessible solutions to gender issues in South Africa.
Since the SA YGAP was convened in 2023, Youth@SAIIA have commenced roadshows across the country. These events provide an overview of the SA YGAP, explaining its goals, objectives and expected impact. The session will help participants understand the plan’s importance and how it aims to address gender issues in South Africa.
The SA YGAP is shaped by seven pillars:
Learn more about the SA YGAP here: https://www.saygap.org/
Our enthusiastic group of student volunteers from various South African universities assist learners with research and public speaking skills to prepare them for participating in our youth projects, conferences and programme events each year. In addition, these volunteers also assist Youth@SAIIA with research as well as provide logistical support for events or activities.
Through tutoring sessions and workshops, these volunteers impart their knowledge and gain valuable new skills through helping high school learners grasp various topics. One of our past volunteers had this to say:
To find out more, contact youth@saiia.org.za.
The Youth Implementers for Change (YIC) was formally launched in 2023 through a multiphase approach supported by different partners.
Recognising the importance of translating policies into tangible actions, the YIC programme aims to provide opportunities and support for youth to implement climate policy-related project ideas.
Youth@SAIIA recognises that while the development of policy is essential, further efforts are needed to ensure policy recommendations are actualised on the ground. Implementation allows for the strategies and plans to be put into action to accomplish the strategic objectives and goals identified. It can be argued that implementation is as important, if not more important, than the policy itself – this is how change is achieved.
To ensure the policy documents are actualised, including the SA YCAP and the Youth Gender Action and Response Plan, it is important to create opportunities and provide support for youth to implement various project ideas. To this end, youth need to go through a process of identifying project ideas, developing sound project implementation plans, and receiving the necessary seed funding and support to implement these ideas.
The Air Aware: Breathe Joburg pilot project, implemented by the Youth Programme at SAIIA under the Breathe Cities initiative, aims to enhance youth participation in air quality advocacy and governance in Johannesburg.
Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges in South Africa. Building on Breathe Cities’ theory of change, this initiative seeks to strengthen civil society’s collective demand for equitable air quality action and greater public accountability. Through Air Aware, young people are positioned as key contributors to achieving this goal.
The project aims to raise awareness about air pollution and its health impacts among young people aged 13–25, while encouraging their meaningful involvement in developing solutions for improved air quality. It combines capacity building and communication tools and methods with policy engagement to create a sustained movement for clean air.
Key activities include:
Through these efforts, Air Aware aims to raise awareness of the health impacts of air pollution, amplify youth voices in air quality policy processes and contribute to a cleaner, healthier and more equitable city.
