In recent times, the world has seen the youth establish a space at the forefront of addressing global issues—championing peace, equity, and justice amidst the onslaught of climate change, environmental degradation, and challenges exacerbated by disaster and inequality. XChange is a call for youth organizations to answer to the demands of the world: What are the current structures, systems, and ways of living that erode the progress towards development and nation-building? And more importantly: How can the youth attain the capacities to change them?
Having collaborated with over 175 youth and youth-oriented organizations nationwide, XChange enters its 9th year inviting youth leaders across the Philippines to answer the call for change. This March 16 to 17, XChange 2024 hopes to welcome a diverse set of advocates and changemakers to the Ateneo de Manila University campus, and provide a space for organizations to collaborate with one another and learn from development professionals and leaders.
With plenary sessions featuring esteemed keynote speakers, organizational workshops based on thoughtfully crafted and research-based modules, and opportunities to network with fellow youth leaders—each component of the program will work hand in hand to facilitate the learning of organization development and leadership tools that aim to capacitate organizations to reach the ends of their visions for change. Although ‘development’ and ‘nation-building’ may seem like leaps ahead, XChange 2024 believes in the ability of youth organizations to contribute in their own way.
Actualizing Individual Advocacies. Diversifying Collective Action. The theme for XChange 2024 imagines youth organizations as vehicles for social change, delving deeper into how issues the youth care about intersect to create the bedrock that sustains collective action. As vehicles, youth organizations have the potential to become the means, the agents, and the carriers of a change that answers to the demands of the world.
Those who are willing to embark on a challenge of co-creating meaningful change are invited to apply to XChange 2024 happening this March 16 – 17, 2024. Interested applicants may access the program primer and participant application kit at https://ateneocode.org/XC24ParticipantAppKit. Applications are open from January 5 – February 10, 2024.
Ateneo CODE aims to provide equitable opportunities for all organizations across the Philippines to participate in XChange 2024. Applicants may access the subsidy application primer and apply for a subsidy at https://ateneocode.org/XC24SubsidyAppKit. Subsidy applications are open from January 8 – February 10, 2024.
To stay tuned with what more is in store for XChange 2024, applicants are encouraged to follow the XChange Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ateneocodexchange.