About the opportunity
Changemakers for Youth is an initiative by ChangemakerXchange, supported by Drosos Foundation, designed to support 80 young social entrepreneurs over three years. The programme brings together changemakers from Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Switzerland, and Tunisia who address pressing social, economic, educational, and environmental challenges while empowering young people. Participants benefit from custom capacity building, immersive five-day in-person summits, peer networks, seed funding for cross-border collaborations, and lifelong membership in the global ChangemakerXchange community.
Funding and benefits
- Access to an online capacity building programme featuring virtual formats led by experts and experienced leaders
- An immersive five-day in-person summit held in a nature-based location in the region
- Seed funding opportunities to support cross-border co-creation or co-learning initiatives
- Ecosystem building, networking, and connections to partners, experts, supporters, and funders
- Lifelong membership in the global ChangemakerXchange community with ongoing access to resources and events
- Travel stipends available upon application to fully or partially cover flights, train or bus travel, visa fees, mandatory travel insurance, and necessary layover accommodation
Who can apply?
- Must currently live and/or create impact in Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Switzerland, or Tunisia
- Applicants based in Germany and their organisations may be based anywhere in the country, but their project must create tangible impact specifically in Eastern Germany
- Must be between 18 and 35 years old
- Must hold a leadership or decision-making role in an active social or environmental venture or organisation addressing youth development (founders, leaders, and directors; general employees or non-leadership volunteers are ineligible)
- Initiative must strengthen the agency and skills of young people, empower youth, be youth-led, or have youth as the key target group
- Must possess sufficient English proficiency to participate fully, as the programme and summit are conducted in English
Required documents
- Completed online application form submitted before the deadline
- Supporting visa documents such as an invitation letter and hotel confirmation (provided upon request if shortlisted)
When to apply
- Applications open: 13 October 2026
- Application deadline: 9 November 2026
- Online interviews: 20 November to 19 December 2026
- Final decisions announced: 13 January 2027
How to apply
- Review eligibility requirements and programme timeline to ensure full availability
- Complete and submit the online application form before the deadline via the official Typeform link
- Attend an online interview if shortlisted
- Complete confirmation forms and request travel support if needed upon selection
Additional information
- The programme is supported by Drosos Foundation.
- Participants must commit to attending all sessions and days of the in-person summit; partial attendance is not permitted.
- Local transportation to departure points, as well as meals and accommodation outside official summit dates, are the participant's responsibility.
- Visa applications are the personal responsibility of the participant, though supporting documents like invitation letters can be provided.
Our Take on This Opportunity
This section reflects Open Opportunities’ own analysis of the opportunity from an applicant’s perspective.
You may be a strong fit if…
- You are a young social entrepreneur or leader aged 18 to 35 holding a decision-making role in an active venture focused on youth empowerment.
- Your work is based in Egypt, Germany (with impact in Eastern Germany), Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Switzerland, or Tunisia.
- You are eager to scale your impact internationally through cross-border collaboration and peer-to-peer learning.
- You are available to commit fully to an online capacity building curriculum and an intensive five-day in-person regional summit.
What should you think carefully about?
- Full attendance at the in-person summit is mandatory, meaning you must be able to clear your schedule for the entire duration.
- While travel stipends are available for those who need them, general travel logistics and visa arrangements must be managed independently.
- The programme language is English, requiring a comfortable working proficiency to engage with facilitators and peers.
- Local transportation costs outside the official summit dates and venue are not covered by the organizers.
How could this fit your current goals and plans?
This programme is an exceptional fit if your current professional goals involve scaling a social venture, building cross-border partnerships across the MENA region or Europe, and deepening your leadership capacity in youth-focused development. Rather than offering a traditional academic degree or monetary grant alone, it provides a holistic mix of peer mentorship, seed funding, and lifelong international community access designed to elevate your ongoing entrepreneurial work.
Our take
Social entrepreneurs and youth leaders meeting the geographic and age criteria who are ready to commit to active international collaboration should seriously apply. Those unable to travel or commit fully to the mandatory in-person summit will find the programme less suitable.
Ready to apply?
Review the opportunity on the official website before applying.
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