Supporting youth initiatives to create positive change

MANILA, Philippines -This is the heyday of the youth.  When driven, bold and bright young people are changing mindsets, creating innovations, building fortunes and shaping future events, there should be no doubt that they represent a formidable force that can be harnessed to effect affirmative change. 

Recognizing this potential, Globe Tattoo has launched Cat@lyst, a corporate social responsibility initiative that will support worthy projects initiated by young people throughout the Philippines.  The program’s goal is “to harness creativity, energy and social media to make concrete and feasible solutions to the problems affecting their communities.”

Until May 31, Filipinos aged 18 to 30 are encouraged to submit a one-minute video entry about how they propose to solve problems afflicting their communities. From these, 15 entries will be shortlisted based on innovation (demonstration of creativity and originality); feasibility (project should follow the proposed timeline and proponents should demonstrate the capability to mobilize stakeholder); and impact (provides a long-lasting solution to an existing social problem.)

“We are looking for a realistic solution that has an ICT component and has the potential to be replicated in other communities,” says Dong Ronquillo, Tattoo Nomadic Broadband Business head. “We need young people who have a genuine desire to help.”

The names of five winners will be announced during the Tatt Awards Night on June 28. They will get a P200,000 cash grant for program development, apart from information and communication technology and mentorship support.   

“This is about empowering the youth to become part of social change; to spur innovation that will impact society in a positive way,” says Ronquillo. “The youth comprise 60 to 70 percent of the population so they need to be given the chance to shape and build their future. They need to be included in the dialogue to create change.” 

 Furthermore, Ronquillo explains that an important facet of the initiative is the opportunity for the winners to be mentored by members of the Global Shapers community of the World Economic Forum. Global Shapers consist of 20- to 30-year-old leaders “who are exceptional in their potential, their achievement and their drive to make a contribution to their communities.”

At the Cat@lyst launch last week, we met some members of the Global Shapers Manila Hub, including Save Philippine Seas co-founder Anna Oposa, doctor and researcher on neglected tropical diseases Harvy Liwanag, San Vicente, Palawan, mayor Pie Alvarez and photographer Dennese Victoria. Also present was celebrity Bianca Gonzales, who is both an active member of Global Shapers and a Globe Tattoo ambassador.  Says Bianca, “There are a lot of exceptional people who can act as a catalyst toward social and economic change.  With Globe, we want to harness their capabilities with the help of ICT and social media to come up with realistic solutions to real community problems.”

However, just a gentle reminder for certain youth leaders who may be tempted to make potentially offensive jokes about firing aged employees: Like the poet and humanitarian Samuel Ullman said, “Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life.” Change for the better can be achieved faster if it is a concerted effort by the weak and strong — a joint undertaking by both young and old.

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Interested parties can download application forms from the Globe Cat@lyst website at www.catalyst.com.ph.