In a world where children and youth are facing increasingly complex challenges – from the climate crisis and displacement to unequal access to rights and violence – youth development in the 21st century means more than simply creating educational opportunities. It is about empowering children and youth to become ‘change leaders’ and play a role in shaping their own futures, their communities, and society.
On International Youth Day, World Vision Foundation of Thailand believes that every child has the potential to drive change when provided with opportunities to learn, develop skills, and find meaningful ways to make their voices heard. This is achieved through youth development programs that foster leadership, critical thinking, public communication, and engagement in public affairs.
From Children in the Community to Global Citizens
One example reflecting the results of youth development is Alex (Chaiwat), a World Vision youth leader and Chiang Mai Province’s Outstanding Youth of 2021, who grew through his participation in youth development activities and went on to take part in regional and international forums.
“All children deserve clean air and should not have to grow up amid a crisis they did not create. We must use our voices today to protect their future,” Alex said at an international forum.
Throughout his development journey, Alex has represented Thai youth at key international events, such as Young Minds Camp 2024 for the East Asia region, the 2024 Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, COP30 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Belém, Brazil, and the ASEAN Foundation Model ASEAN Meeting 2025 in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Participating in these forums demonstrates that when children and youth are continuously empowered, they can effectively represent the voices of their generation on important global issues.
Young Minds CAMP: A space for nurturing young leaders to drive action on global issues.
One of the key examples of the impact of World Vision Foundation of Thailand’s youth development work is its support for youth participation in the Young Minds CAMP (YMC) project. This regional youth leadership development platform is organized continuously by World Vision East Asia to provide a space for children and youth to learn, exchange experiences, and participate in discussions on important issues affecting the lives of children across East Asia.
Over the past three years, Young Minds CAMP has focused on development issues that reflect the challenges facing the world at different points in time.
- Young Minds CAMP 2024: Focuses on developing youth leadership and fostering children’s participation in community and social development.
- Young Minds CAMP 2025: Focuses on the issue of migration to promote understanding of children’s rights, equality, and the challenges faced by children on the move.
- Young Minds CAMP 2026: Child-led Actions, Mobilization and Partnerships focuses on climate change and its impact on children, youth, and communities.
Learning through these diverse issues helps youth connect community-level problems to regional and global challenges, and develops key skills such as analytical thinking, public communication, cross-cultural collaboration, and the ability to drive social change.
Developing youth leaders to advance children’s rights and equality.
Ming (Sasawat) is a member of the Children and Youth Council of World Vision Foundation of Thailand, was named a National Outstanding Youth for 2026 in the field of social and community development, and received a Royal Award at the upper secondary education level in 2025.
Participating in the Young Minds CAMP on the topic of Migration, Sasawat learned about the challenges children and youth face due to migration, including issues of rights and equal opportunities.
“Helping migrant children is not simply providing assistance, but ensuring all children have equal access to their fundamental rights, irrespective of their status or identification documents.”
He also reflected that this learning experience gave him a deeper understanding of the role young people play in building an inclusive society, and enabled them to apply this knowledge practically to their social work.
In addition, Ming was given the opportunity to represent the World Vision Foundation of Thailand and Thailand at the “2025 Regional Children’s Consultation for the 2nd ASEAN Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children (RPA-EVAC)” which was held to collect input and feedback from children and youth for drafting the ASEAN Plan of Action on the Elimination of Violence Against Children. This input will be submitted by the ASEAN Commission on the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) to ASEAN leaders at the 2026 ASEAN Summit.
Youth Voices on the Climate Crisis
Climate change is a major concern for children and young people, as it has a direct impact on their health, safety, education, and quality of life.
Note (Theeraphong), a youth representative from Thailand, voiced concerns about the situation, saying,
“I am concerned about the increasingly severe climate change we are experiencing today. If there are still no significant changes or serious solutions in the future, the situation could worsen, affecting health, the spread of diseases, and potentially leading to more severe rainfall and impacts on communities.”
The event also highlighted the role of youth in raising social awareness.
“Youth may not be able to change the whole world today, but we can start by making our voices heard, raising awareness, and becoming a key force for change in the future.”
Meanwhile, Pat (Nichakorn), another Thai youth representative, shared how children in Thailand are affected by changes in the climate across different seasons, including extreme heat, diseases that come with the rainy season, flooding, and the risks posed by rising sea levels.
I want to be involved in designing policies or guidelines for disaster preparedness and response. Even though I’m still young, I believe children and youth can voice their opinions, share our perspectives, and bring our experiences to adults and relevant stakeholders.
Mobilizing Youth Voices to End Violence Against Children
In addition to environmental and child rights issues, the Foundation also supports youth involvement in promoting a violence-free society for children.
Aum (Sasikarn), a youth leader from Thailand representing World Vision, attended the regional youth conference “Violence Ends with Us” in Antipolo City, Philippines. The conference gathered youth from across Asia and the Pacific to exchange experiences and proposals for ending violence against children in all its forms, and included participation in Young Minds CAMP 2024.
The forum offered children and youth a platform to share their views on safety, child protection, and the role of the next generation in creating a society where every child can grow up safely, with dignity, and have their voices heard.
Aum said, “I want to see a world where every child can grow up without fear of violence, whether at home, at school, or in the community. That world is possible only if we all choose to listen, show respect, and work together to create an environment where children feel safe and trusted enough to ask for help, and where their voices are genuinely valued. This will allow children to grow and develop appropriately for their age, and to be raised with love, not violence.”
Aum’s involvement demonstrates that young people are not simply recipients of protection, but can be drivers of social change and play a vital role in fostering a safe society for all children.
The impact extends beyond the activities themselves to the development of change leaders.
The significant results of World Vision Foundation of Thailand’s mission to develop young lives are not measured by the number of activities or participants, but by the growth of young people who become leaders, represent Thailand on regional and international platforms, and advocate on critical global issues.
Whether driving forward issues like climate change, disaster risk reduction, children’s rights, migration, social equality, or ending violence against children, young people who have participated in World Vision Foundation of Thailand’s development programs truly demonstrate the potential to become leaders and agents of change.
On International Youth Day, the World Vision Foundation of Thailand is committed to continuing its mission to empower children and youth. We believe that when children and youth are given opportunities, are listened to, and have space to participate, they can move from being ‘those affected’ to becoming ‘future shapers’ of society.
“Even as young people, we can speak out, reflect on issues, and contribute to creating a better future for all.”
This is the power of youth, and a tangible result of World Vision Foundation of Thailand’s sustainable investment in the development of children and young people.
