Social Impact Challenge
The Social Impact Challenge, introduced in 2019, is designed to challenge YYAS alumni to come up with project ideas specific to the needs of their communities. These projects can tackle any problem, be short or long term, and can be done individually or as a group. The goal is for alumni to take the skills they learn back to their home countries to begin making change through meaningful activities and community engagement.
Starting in 2023-2024, the YYAS team paused the Social Impact Challenge to provide more support the development of student projects in partnership with the Schmidt Futures’ Rise Initiative, which offered selected YYAS alumni (Rise Global Winners) significant benefits, such as an all expense global youth conference, networking, college counseling, and funding/scholarship opportunities.
Additionally, starting in 2024, the YYAS team has collaborated annually with Pioneer Academics to offer full scholarships for a college-credit program on designing for social change for teams of alumni who design the best projects in the YYAS “Designing for Impact” challenge.