Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab

03/06/2026

SEA Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEACAF), Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab, and Komunida Initiative are pleased to organize a Public Consultation for youth and stakeholders on the upcoming thematic report of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association: 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: 𝗚𝗲𝗻-𝗭 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲

This consultation provides an opportunity for young people, civil society organizations, researchers, practitioners, and community leaders to share their experiences, perspectives, and recommendations on youth participation, civic engagement, freedom of association, and the changing landscape of Gen-Z activism. Insights gathered will help inform the Special Rapporteur's report to be presented before the United Nations General Assembly in October 2026.

July 3, 2026
5:30–7:00 PM (GMT+8)
Via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82970534910?pwd=lhIPwbtNjZrbwELsrOLHeboxbb330N.1

Meeting ID: 829 7053 4910
Passcode: 787059

As civic spaces continue to evolve across the world, it is crucial that young people are heard in conversations that shape global policy and human rights agendas. We encourage youth leaders and stakeholders from diverse sectors and communities to join this important dialogue and contribute to strengthening the future of civic participation.

For more information on the official Call for Input of the UN Special Rapporteur, visit the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights: https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2026/call-input-unga-81st-thematic-report-freedom-peaceful-assembly-and-association

Your voice can help shape global discussions on youth activism and the future of civic space.

Together, let's keep the change!

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01/06/2026

How do young people break into policy spaces, navigate complex systems, and stay committed to creating change?

Join Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab for Navigating Policy Spaces: Pathways for Youth Engagement and Leadership, a webinar under our Kapit-Bisig: Fostering Filipino Youth Resiliency in Policy Spaces initiative.

We are honored to welcome Reycel Hyacenth Nacario Bendaña (Hya), National Coordinator of Move As One Coalition and the People’s Budget Coalition, as our Resource Speaker.

Growing up in poverty, Hya witnessed firsthand how policy failures disproportionately affect those with the least power to challenge them. Today, she works to bring communities from the margins to the center of governance. Through her leadership, coalitions representing more than 180 organizations have successfully advocated for over ₱75 billion in public investments for transportation, health, labor, and social protection, while creating pathways for direct engagement between grassroots communities and decision-makers.

Move As One Coalition was recently recognized as the 2026 Grand Prize Winner of the WRI Ross Prize for Cities for its transformative work in advancing sustainable and people-centered transportation. Hya has also co-founded six civic movements, helped mobilize over ₱75 million for citizen-led initiatives, and will soon pursue graduate studies in policy, governance, and development at Stanford University as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar.

Drawing from her experiences in advocacy, coalition-building, and governance engagement, Hya will share practical insights on how young Filipinos can enter policy spaces, build influence, navigate challenges, and sustain their commitment to public service and social change.

05 June 2026
7:00 PM – 8:30 PM (PHT)
Via Zoom
Register at bit.ly/4ed3P0Z

Whether you're an SK official, youth leader, student, advocate, or aspiring policymaker, this conversation is for you.

This initiative is supported by the European Union Youth Empowerment Fund and the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM), an initiative of the Big Six Youth Organizations – a network of the world’s largest youth organizations powered by millions of volunteers across more than 170 countries.

Supported by:
Global Youth Mobilization
World Scouting
World YMCA
World YWCA
World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award
Council of the European Union
World Health Organization (WHO)
United Nations Foundation

Handa na ang kabataang Pilipino. Tara na't magkapit-bisig. Together, let's keep the change!

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31/05/2026

On this World No To***co Day 2026, Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab stands in solidarity with global efforts to expose and challenge the tactics used to hook a new generation on ni****ne and to***co products.

This year's theme, as announced by the World Health Organization (WHO), “Unmasking the Appeal – Countering Ni****ne and To***co Addiction,” reminds us that the fight against to***co is no longer limited to traditional ci******es. Today, ni****ne addiction is increasingly packaged as a lifestyle, marketed through colorful branding, sweet flavors, and messages that equate consumption with individuality and freedom.

As our Founder, Atty. Gerald John Guillermo, writes in his article “Vapewashed: Who’s Gaslighting the Next Generation into Smoking?”, “However, the industry behind ci******es has resurfaced, rebranding and repackaging its products. Sleek vapes with candy flavors and gadget-like designs are marketed not as harmful, addictive products, but as symbols of freedom, creativity, and self-expression. This is the essence of ‘vapewashing’ — convincing young people that va**ng is harmless, stylish, and liberating, effectively rebranding addiction as identity. The term borrows from ‘greenwashing,’ where corporations use deceptive marketing to appear socially responsible.”

At the Lab, we believe that empowering young people begins with equipping them to critically examine the policies, narratives, and commercial interests that shape their lives. Building a healthier future requires not only awareness of health risks but also vigilance against misinformation and manipulative marketing practices that target youth.

This World No To***co Day, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing evidence-based policies, youth participation, and public education that protect the well-being of present and future generations.

Link to the article: https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/tell-it-to-sunstar-vapewashed-whos-gaslighting-the-next-generation-into-smoking

Together, let's keep the change!

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***coDay2026 ***cocontrol

Photo credits: World Health Organization (WHO)

25/05/2026

[CALL FOR APPLICATIONS]

Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab invites young leaders, students, advocates, and changekeepers to join the 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝘄: 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘂𝗺 & 𝗛𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗗 𝗚𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 on 10 July 2026.

As part of our commitment to empowering youth engagement in policy, governance, and global justice conversations, the Lab is proud to support spaces that connect emerging leaders with critical discussions on human rights, climate action, sustainability, and the future of international law.

Organized by Centre for International Sustainable Development Law - CISDL and McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, this global symposium will explore:
• Human rights and climate governance
• Sustainable business, trade, investment, and finance
• Indigenous rights and legal pluralism
• Intergenerational justice and rights of future generations
• Rights of nature and environmental governance
• Legal and policy innovations advancing the SDGs

The event will also feature the biennial Hon Justice Charles D. Gonthier Memorial Lectures and the celebration of the 2026 HE Judge CG Weeramantry International Justice Awards and Global Fellowship.

Friday, 10 July 2026
Online International Symposium

Certificates will be available for registrants who attend at least 3 out of the 5 symposium sessions.

Register now: bit.ly/CISDLHRsymposium2026

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21/05/2026

On the International Day of Academic Freedom, Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab reaffirms its commitment to defending and advancing academic freedom as a cornerstone of democratic participation, critical inquiry, and youth empowerment. At a time when spaces for open dialogue, evidence-based policymaking, and independent research continue to face growing pressures around the world, we recognize that academic freedom is not only a concern of universities and scholars but a fundamental right that shapes the future of democratic societies.

As a youth-led initiative working to expand civic education, policy engagement, and youth participation in governance, the Lab believes that young people must be free to ask questions, challenge assumptions, produce knowledge, and engage in public discourse without fear of censorship, intimidation, or political interference. Academic freedom enables communities to imagine alternative futures, develop innovative solutions, and participate meaningfully in shaping public life.

We stand in support of the Principles for Implementing the Right to Academic Freedom, which provide a global roadmap for safeguarding academic freedom as a fundamental human right. Developed through consultations among scholars, United Nations bodies, civil society organizations, and governments, and endorsed by UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education Farida Shaheed, these Principles affirm that:

- Academic freedom is the right to develop knowledge and ideas;
- Academic freedom is protected under international human rights law;
- Academic freedom requires institutional autonomy;
- Academic freedom includes both intramural and extramural expression;
- Academic freedom depends on access to information;
- Academic freedom requires freedoms of movement and association;
- Academic freedom is essential across all levels of education;
- Students themselves possess the right to academic freedom; and
- Protecting and promoting academic freedom is a shared responsibility.

The Lab recognizes that academic freedom is inseparable from the broader struggle for civic freedoms, democratic accountability, and inclusive participation. In the Philippine context, where young people continue to navigate disinformation, political polarization, and barriers to meaningful participation in policy spaces, safeguarding academic freedom is essential to nurturing informed, engaged, and critical citizens.

Through our programs, fellowships, policy dialogues, and civic education initiatives, Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab remains committed to creating spaces where young people can learn, research, organize, and speak freely. We believe that protecting academic freedom is essential to building a society where evidence, dialogue, and democratic participation can thrive.

On this International Day of Academic Freedom, we call on educational institutions, governments, civil society organizations, and communities to uphold and protect this fundamental freedom for all learners, educators, researchers, and young people. Academic freedom is not a privilege reserved for a few — it is a shared public good that sustains democracy, innovation, and social progress.

Together, let's keep the change!

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07/05/2026

[CALL FOR APPLICATIONS] 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝, 𝐂𝐄𝐃𝐀𝐖 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬

DemEd Global, programme co-hosted by Lucy Cavendish College & Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge

Apply now for DemEd Global’s Key Essentials Summer Courses 2026:

📘 Key Essentials: The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), SDGs & the Law (29 May – 8 June 2026)

📘 Key Essentials: The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), SDGs & the Law (15 – 24 June 2026)

📘 Key Essentials: Human Rights, SDGs & the Law (pilot course, invitation-only) (29 June – 3 July 2026)

Each course offers:

📍 8–10 hours of flexible, self-paced independent online learning
📍 6 focused, expert-led modules
📍 Live classroom engagements
📍 Access to leading materials & global faculty
📍 Certificate awarded by Lucy Cavendish College and Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge, with global partners
📍 Exclusive access to mentorship, a global community of practice, and sustainability career networking opportunities

✨ Extended Application Deadline: 10 May 2026 (Sun), 23:59 BST

🌟 Current and future law and policy leaders from all backgrounds welcome

After submitting the Expression of Interest (EOI) form, you will receive an email shortly with detailed instructions to submit full application(s).

Check the link: https://degsj.org/educational-offerings/

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16/04/2026

The future needs leaders who can anticipate, adapt, and act. 🌏✨

The Open Call for the Asia-Europe Foundation - ASEF ASEFYLS Capacity Training 2026 is now LIVE! 📣 Through this year’s theme, “Anticipatory Leadership for a Human-Centred Future,” young leaders will gain the tools to navigate uncertainty, strengthen intercultural collaboration, and turn foresight into meaningful action in their communities and GET A CHANCE FOR A FULLY-FUNDED TRAVEL TO TROMSØ, NORWAY!

From learning with global experts to engaging with peers across Asia and Europe, this is your chance to grow as a changemaker and bring those insights back home.

At Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab, we are proud to support this initiative in empowering young leaders to shape inclusive, future-ready societies.

Apply now: https://asef.org/news/open-call-for-participants-for-the-asefyls-capacity-training-asefyls2026/

Deadline: 12 May 2026

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09/04/2026

Your voice matters in shaping youth policy.

The National Youth Commission is developing the Policy, Research, and Legislative Agenda (PRLA) for 2026–2028, and this is a key moment for Filipino youth to surface the issues that matter most today.

At the Keep the Change: Youth Policy Lab, we support this initiative as part of strengthening meaningful youth participation in policymaking. By sharing your insights, you contribute to building evidence-based, responsive policies aligned with the 2023–2028 Philippine Youth Development Plan (PYDP) and its Ten Centers of Youth Participation.

Take the survey:
Child-Youth (15–17 years old): https://forms.gle/Hq2vnR6uLEkk7KLKA

Core Youth and Young Adult (18–30 years old): https://forms.gle/LvEGjgivFDV7EGPU8

Deadline: April 10, 2026

Together, let's keep the change!

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09/04/2026

07/04/2026

Step into the future of youth leadership 🌏

Join the Asia-Europe Foundation - ASEF for a dynamic webinar under the ASEF Young Leaders Summit as they mark a shift from Society 5.0 discussions toward anticipatory leadership for a human-centered future.

This session also launches ASEF’s latest publication, featuring real-world case studies on how technology is being used to address pressing societal challenges—bridging the gap between ideas and action across Asia and Europe.

Hear from alumni and experts in futures thinking and foresight as they reflect on the evolving role of youth in navigating uncertainty, complexity, and shaping inclusive, sustainable futures.

📅 9 April 2026
📌 Register here: https://na2.hubs.ly/H04Fs8b0

Together, let's keep the change!

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