THE YOUTH CAFE STRATEGIC PLAN 2021 - 2023

The Youth Café seeks to build a world on the collective principles of solidarity, justice, equity, universality, inclusion, human rights, diversity, and the integrity of the planet. We strive for a resilient world where young people and all right holders in all their diversities are equals in decision making.

We stand for the idea that places, where power and influence are most concentrated, must recognize and operationalize the importance of the actions and views of young people in promoting and protecting the rights of all and the wellbeing of the planet for present and future generations.

To do this, we galvanize young people around Africa to engage in international work to build a political landscape to realize its collective purpose. We work to ensure diversity and inclusion of all young, taking into account (among other things) region, geography, gender identity, sex, socioeconomic status, faith, religion, culture, ethnicity, creed, (dis)ability, sexuality, marginalized grouping, legal status, and any other status.

The Youth Café is a not-for-profit pan-African youth organization founded in Kenya in 2012 and officially registered in 2014. Since our founding, our strategy has always been to look at today's youth bulge as an opportunity for development and economic growth. This is why we are seen as the lead organization in implementing trailblazing and multidisciplinary projects including: Peace and Security; Preventing Violent Extremism; Governance and Political Inclusion (Remittances and Accountability); Culture, Arts, and Sports; Education and Skills; Business, Job Creation and Entrepreneurship; Universal Health Coverage; Environmental Preservation and Climate Change.

We aim to model, inform, and advance youth-led approaches to sustainable development, environmental stewardship, social equity, democratic governance, and economic viability by utilizing innovative research, media, policy, advocacy, as well as cross-cultural and intergenerational partnerships.

To date, we have reached 1.6 million young people across Africa. The topic on youth is growing in importance in African policies and is a key focus of The Youth Café and its partners. We believe that investing in youth is a precondition for accelerated inclusive growth and sustainable development. In accordance with our aspirations to involve young people actively in processes affecting their livelihoods and future prospects, we ensure a strengthened and meaningful inclusion of youth.

Today, The Youth Café is mapping continental needs and preparing to achieve an even greater impact. We are asking:

> > How can we > promote youth-led accountability, prosperity and social justice, engage institutions in conversations that eventually shape policies, and reduce spread of intergenerational inequality?

> > How can we > better leverage innovation, our international network of partners, and our own expertise in ochestriting complex partnerships that deliver results and span government, the private sector,civil society, and youth networks?

> > How to reach > marginalised groups of youth and close the digital divide? How can we bridge societal divides and prioritize the gender agenda?

> > How must we position The Youth Café to > capitalize on its own hard-won expertise in youth-led development and thrive in an ecosystem that grows increasingly complex?

This strategy will guide The Youth Café as we address these questions and work to advance youth-led approaches towards achieving sustainable development, social equity, innovative solutions, community resilience and transformative change. Our plan is ambitious but also appropriate to the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to make a difference.

Executing this strategy will require extensive partnerships and new resources. It will require us to sermon our strengths and continue to learn and adapt in order to support the young people we are dedicated to serve and live up to the youth-led principles we embrace.