Empowering Tribal Youth as Changemakers

Youth Leadership Program (YLP) 2.0 is a 12-month community-based youth empowerment initiative of Swami Vivekananda Medical Mission (SVMM), implemented across the tribal regions of Attappady, Palakkad, and Adimaly, Idukki, Kerala. The programme works with tribal youth from communities including Irula, Muduga, Kurumba, Mannan, Muthuvan and other tribal communities, with the vision of nurturing confident, skilled and socially responsible young leaders who can contribute meaningfully to the development of their communities.

Building on the experience of YLP 1.0, YLP 2.0 creates structured platforms for youth leadership, skill development, mentorship, sports and community participation. The programme strengthens registered youth clubs as spaces for learning, peer support and collective action, while providing training in communication, teamwork, decision-making, problem-solving, conflict resolution, community development and youth-club management. Need-based skill development opportunities in areas such as digital literacy, photography and video editing, office management, accounting, programming, agriculture, livestock, electrical and plumbing skills, Tally, mobile and laptop servicing, soft skills and other vocational areas enable young people to build practical skills aligned with their interests, aspirations and local opportunities.

The programme encourages youth to transform learning into action by identifying local needs and leading community initiatives in areas including environment, health, culture, government schemes and anti-drug awareness. Sports meets, youth fairs, professional mentorship and volunteer-led learning sessions further provide opportunities for young people to develop confidence, teamwork and leadership.

YLP 2.0 has supported the establishment and operation of 15 formally registered youth clubs with 375 members, representing 100% tribal participation and 22% women’s participation. The programme has trained 30 youth leaders as community anchors and enabled 220 youth to complete need-based skill training through 22 club-level sessions. Youth clubs have led 75 community initiatives, while two regional football meets reached 400 youth and two youth fairs engaged 200 youth. In addition, six EY GDS volunteer-led sessions reached 240 youth, creating further opportunities for learning and exposure.

Overall, the programme has achieved a direct youth reach of 850, while community-led activities have reached an estimated 16,630 community members, resulting in a total estimated reach of 17,480 lives impacted. Through its youth-led approach, YLP 2.0 seeks to build a generation of tribal youth who are confident to lead, skilled to contribute and committed to their communities, strengthening both young people and the communities they call home.