Nurture, connect, fund, celebrate
The Fund follows Restless Development's four-pillar theory of change. It is a sustained journey of leadership development, from idea to impact, so young people grow as systems thinkers, community organisers and storytellers.
Mentoring, leadership development and reflective learning spaces for young changemakers.
Peer learning networks, community partnerships and links to local decision-makers.
Catalytic grants for youth-led solutions on water, climate and civic challenges.
Sharing youth-led stories, recognising leadership and amplifying young voices.
Through tailored mentoring, capacity building and reflective learning spaces, young leaders strengthen their ability to analyse problems, design solutions for their context and navigate power structures with confidence. They engage with water insecurity, climate vulnerability or civic exclusion as connected systems shaped by structural inequity.
As they lead action on the ground, they are connected to storytelling platforms, shared learning spaces and dialogue with local decision-makers. Each step lets them practise leadership that is empathetic, aspirational and grounded in lived realities.
Designed with young people, not for them
Every step, from fund design and outreach to selection, learning and monitoring, is co-created with young leaders and grounded in their communities' realities.
- Co-created with youthYoung people co-design every stage, from planning and outreach to selection and learning.
- Youth-led steering groupA diverse group of young leaders, recruited openly, guides strategy, sets grant criteria and decides on funding.
- Shared governanceYoung people hold real decision-making power and shape how the Fund evolves, with room to innovate and take risks.
- Open to all youth groupsSimplified, multilingual applications and video proposals welcome registered and informal groups alike.
Anchored in communities
Community-rooted organisations act as mentors and support anchors, connecting young leaders with locally embedded partners. This keeps inclusion intersectional, intergenerational and place-based, reaching young people at the margins because of gender, geography, caste, ethnicity or disability.
Wraparound support, through mentoring, learning labs and peer exchange, removes entry barriers and builds a culture of mutual accountability. The Fund is not only funding ideas; it is investing in inclusive systems change powered by young people.