Welcome to the Youth Initiative Program
The International Youth Initiative Program (YIP) is a 10 month residential societal entrepreneurship training for 18-28 years olds based in Sweden. It offers a holistic educational program that expands global understanding and personal awareness. YIP aims to strengthen young people’s capacity to take personal and collective initiative in the face of current global realities.
20-40 participants learn, create and organize alongside experts, facilitators and innovators. YIP’s curriculum provides a platform for young people to expand their understanding, develop their fullest potential and find their authentic tasks in society and the world.
The term “societal entrepreneur” as used by YIP describes people and initiatives that base their actions in service of society and understand the world as one interconnected living organism. This paradigm points to the interconnectedness of global systems and new ways of working toward a more equitable world. Through allowing young people to explore this paradigm and with it face and develop themselves and society, YIP seeks to support these young people to become leaders of a new, more sustainable and integrated lifestyle and future.
YIP 16
August 27th 2023 to June 20th 2024
YIP 17
August 26th 2024 to June 19th 2025.
Applications for YIP17 are closed.
YIP on Instagram
Newsletter
What is YIP?
Location
Sweden as a homebase
The program is based in Järna, Sweden, beautifully situated 55 km south of Stockholm by the Järna Fjord on the Baltic Sea.
With its numerous initiatives, businesses and organisations, it forms an amazing and inspiring landscape of people’s visions being put into practice. Each of these places, be it the biodynamic farms, the curative homes, the alternative bank, the mill, the clinic, the cultural center etc. have an exemplary character in and of themselves. We are very lucky many of these projects and initiatives are situated in a radius of about 10km from our Swedish campus.
Find out more about the locations
Internship Locations
YIP is in close collaboration with a number of Initiatives around the globe which will serve as hosts for the internships. Internship destinations include Nepal (Holy Green Agro Farm), Egypt (Hebat el Nile), India (Navdanya Biodiversity Farm), Lithuania (Movement Vilnius), and Zimbabwe (Kufunda Village).
Find out more about internships
this years Curriculum
| Date/Time | Event | |
|---|---|---|
|
04 Nov - 08 Nov Week 45 |
Portrait PaintingSelf-portrait painting; a practice in portrait painting using acrylics. Armed with a photo of themselves to engage with for the entire week participants learn how to navigate self portrait painting using acrylics on canvas. The course includes a lot of personal painting time within the larger group as well as group teaching session to encourage and practice giving clear and constructive feedback, receiving feedback, following instructions and cultivating courage. Participants are taught creative ways of meeting the challenges of art in practice and learn how to support others in this process. This is an open course! For more information and to book a place, please contact: [email protected] |
Open Course |
|
11 Nov - 15 Nov Week 46 |
Personal Initiative Days and Transition to OutpostDuring this week participants will explore the role and necessity for initiative in their lives and the world and will participate in a number of exercises to discover a personal initiative that they carry at the moment and throughout the year. Participants are encouraged to give space to their own intrinsic motivation to enable them to discover a theme or topic that is truly of interest to them. This is encouraged through methods such as generative interview, the question game and artistic enquiry. They will explore where initiative and motivation come from, how to work with freedom and responsibility, and dive into the qualities and practices of societal entrepreneurship and initiation. There will also be time given to reflect and review the experiences and learnings thus far, and to prepare for departure to the outpost. |
Course |
|
18 Nov - 29 Nov Week 47 |
Introduction to CESCIFor the first two weeks of outpost, participants will be introduced to CESCI and their work in the locality. We will land in the context, orient and gain an insight into the work that is being done by this organisation. We will learn about Gandhian philosophy in action with the will for social change to the betterment for the marginalized. We will learn from CESCIs work in awareness building, social rights and land justice. Learn more at: https://www.cesciindia.in/who-we-are/ |
Community |
|
02 Dec - 06 Dec Week 49 |
StorytellingWhat makes a story work? Can words shift the world? What is the relationship between wisdom traditions and stories from the past and your life today? |
Course |
|
09 Dec - 13 Dec Week 50 |
Holistic EducationThis week we will be joined by Valetin Wember who will offer an introduction to the principles underlying Waldorf education and how those can be understood and applied in many different contexts. Participants will also look at the three-folded and four-folded approach to the human being as developed by Rudolf Steiner. Basic thoughts can be found in “Theosophy” and in “Study of man” both written by Rudolf Steiner. The course will include an exploration of the physical, soul and spiritual development of the human being, as well as the physical, etheric, astral and I development. Participants will learn about the temperaments and planetary qualities as they relate to human character and will engage in lively discussion about the possible existence of a spiritual world beyond the world of the senses. |
Course |
Are you?
Between 18 and 28 years old?
Fluent in English?
Looking forward to connect with like minded change-makers?
Looking for an education that empowers you?
Willing to develop your cognitive, social-emotional and creative intelligence?
Willing to create positive shifts in yourself, others and the world?
Aware of todays challenges and willing to create a better future?
My year in Sweden was the most influential time of my life. For me YIP was my first experience coming into contact with my truest expression as a human being. The consistent work within community living gave me the courage to start experimenting with how I wanted to be in relation to myself, and the world. Today I am a facilitator and a project manager, and there is not a single day that I do not draw from the invaluable tool kit that this program made available to me. I am doing my life’s work because of the incredible support that the YIP Organization and Program provided me. There will never be enough ways to say “thank you”.
- Kailea Frederick (YIP6)
Going to YIP was a turning point in my life. It was the catalyst for a transition from my old story, moving consciously towards a new way of understanding myself, my personal history and its place in the whole. The combination of course content, community living and abundance of opportunities helped to create this catalyst, whilst meeting many who will be mentors and friends for life. Imagine living for 10 months with an abundance of ideas and possibilities, intellectually stimulating conversation, soulful encounters, and nourishment for the body with organic local food and fresh water. YIP offers an opportunity, it's then up to you to shape it into your own experience.
- Jim Howard (YIP9)
My journey with YIP has been a stepping stone into the realisation that the only life I can truly live, is my own. And the only one who can do it, is me. I have dreams, they are waiting for me to bring them to life.
- Inte Koster (YIP7)
ORGANIZING TEAM
YIP is organised by an international group of people, supported by a global network of individuals and organisations. The program coordinators and volunteers form the organising team. They are responsible for facilitating the morning courses and afternoon activities of the program by inviting specialist and experienced change makers to inspire participants with their array of tools, knowledge, skills and experience. The team also mentors and coaches participants, facilitates group projects, internships, local volunteer opportunities, and individual participant initiatives.
Sign up to the YIP newsletter
Contact
We will try to answer your message as soon as possible. We aim to answer within 48 hours during weekdays. For urgent matters please call our office phone +46 73 097 36 37, Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 17:00 Stockholm time. Our lunch break is from 12:00 until 14:00.
If you have a question about applying to YIP, check out our Frequently Asked Questions page first.