Deadline Date: December 28, 2025
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through its Youth Leadership Programme under the Bureau of Arab States and supported by the Kooheji Foundation, has introduced YLP11 as a six-week in-person learning journey designed to strengthen youth leadership, innovation and social impact in Bahrain while advancing sustainable development.
The focus areas of the opportunity are developing their leadership and social innovations skills, gaining a deeper understanding of the SDGs and how to contribute to their achievement, understanding gender equality’s role in creating effective and inclusive change, exploring the importance of social enterprises in developing a sustainable future of work, enhancing their ability in tackling and presenting complex challenges systemically, attaining a range of networking opportunities among other youth, changemakers and experts, being part of local networks of like-minded peers that support their social impact journey including local youth-serving and international development organizations, co-creating a safe space and support system for youth in Bahrain, having a space where they can explore and collaborate their brimming changemaker ideas, and getting to play a role in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The YLP11 theme, “Better Together: Building Social Enterprises that Bring Communities Together,” aligns with the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly and emphasizes the role of innovation and technology in strengthening social enterprises, promoting meaningful work and building resilient and inclusive communities. The programme encourages participants to explore their individual potential for creating sustainable change while appreciating the collaborative ecosystem of social entrepreneurship.
This year’s edition brings together partners such as the Ministry of Youth and Affairs, Kooheji Foundation, AlMabarrah AlKhalifia Foundation, INJAZ Bahrain, Global Shapers Manama Hub, Youth Pioneer Society, AIESEC Bahrain and YLP alumni. Successful applicants will participate in a structured curriculum spanning inner development, interpersonal skills and professional capabilities, ultimately forming teams to develop solutions addressing community challenges in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
At the final SDGs Challenge event, teams will present their innovative ideas to a judging panel, demonstrating their understanding of the programme theme, their integration of SDG principles and the overall readiness of their concepts for further development.
For more information, visit UNDP.
