Summer Global Youth Forum 2022

The Summer Global Youth Forum is an experiential learning platform bringing youth at the forefront of efforts aimed at supporting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key Features • A core faculty of UN international development practitioners and youth ambassadors, young entrepreneurs, experts from the private sector, international and civil society organizations, each working to advance the SDGs; • Elective course tracks — Environmental Sustainability Track, Social Sustainability Track, Economic Sustainability Track, International Law and Global Trade Track — which participants select based on subject-matter interest; • Leadership and Career Labs fostering career design and the development of soft skills; • A group project proposal enabling participants to apply the skills and knowledge acquired over the course of the Forum directly; • Webinars and up to two coaching sessions dedicated to shaping and refining group project proposals; • Experiential learning activities in an environment conducive to idea sharing, peer learning and networking. OBJECTIVES The Summer Global Youth Forum guided participants through the core concepts and practical methods to: • Leverage existing SDG synergies for the design of an international SDG-impact career and the ideation of sustainable development projects; • Develop soft skills to visualise, design and pursue an international career (in the public, private sector, or as an entrepreneur) grounded in helping achieve the SDGs; • Embed SDG achievement in a group project proposal that can be implemented at the regional, national, or local level. CONTENT Week 1: Participants explored the 2030 Agenda and the roles youth can play in helping achieve its SDGs. They joined plenary sessions with international development practitioners and youth ambassadors from the UN system and beyond. Based on elective course selection, participants narrowed their area of interest down to: – Economic Sustainability – Social Sustainability – Environmental Sustainability – International Law & Global Trade Week 2: Leadership and Career Labs Participants joined classes conducted by global leadership and career coaches to develop or hone essential soft skills to navigate an international SDG impact career. Topics covered included (among others): – Designing an SDG-impact career – Intrapreneurship and Design Thinking – Leveraging Soft Skills in a Multicultural Workplace – Towards Gender Inclusion at Work: Perspectives for Youth Week 3: Participants worked in groups for the completion of an SDG-impact Group Project Proposal and delivered a Group Presentation on the last day of the Forum.