Youth Leadership Summit 2024

Phase 1 – Online
June 22 – July 13 (every Saturday)

Phase 2 – In-person
July 22-27
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Executive Summary

SEALNet Youth Leadership Summit 2024 is a hybrid program that brings together young leaders from all over Southeast Asia.

YLS24 will be conducted in two phases: online training and in-person training.

Phase 1 online training will be completed over four Saturdays from June 22 to July 13 and Phase 2 in-person training will be held in Ho Chi Minh City from July 22-27, 2024 (detailed schedule will be confirmed once selected).

The program will be done through a series of workshops and hands-on activities, participants will learn project management skills, and the skills needed to contribute to social changes within their community. This is to equip them to be effective service leaders.

Participants are expected to be present for both phases of the summit.

Objectives of YLS24

Elevate your Servant Leadership Mindset

Empower Southeast Asian youth leaders with servant leadership mindset to take social initiatives for their communities.
Equip Southeast Asian youth leaders with necessary skills and frameworks of servant leadership frameworks and practices.

Translate Aspirations into Action

Catalyze youth-led community development by turning energetic aspirations into tangible projects.
Bridge knowledge gaps by offering leadership and project management resources through training and mentorship.
Raise awareness about existing initiatives and equip Southeast Asian youth with the know-how for effective contributions.
Leverage feedback to enhance effectiveness and address the limited availability of youth incubator programs.

Foster Cross-Cultural Collaboration

Cultivate a vibrant cross-cultural collaboration to strengthen Southeast Asian identity through shared community-driven and servant leadership values.
Provide a platform for sharing ideas and skills aligned with sustainable development goals.

History of YLS

YLS 20: Special Online Modules conducted virtually
YLS 19: “Your Impact in the Making” in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
YLS 17: “Change is You” in Bangkok, Thailand at Thammasat University.
YLS 16: “Sustainable Service Leadership” in Singapore at Anderson Secondary School.
YLS 15: “Empowerment & Friendship” in Hanoi, Vietnam at RMIT University Vietnam.
YLS 13: Held at Singapore at National University of Singapore. YLS13 was SEALNet’s inaugural 10-day youth leadership summit, which brought together passionate youths from across the region for leadership workshops, open discourse on history, culture, politics, economics, and community building. It was also seen as a way to cultivate future project leaders. It was held in Singapore hosted at the National University of Singapore, and many alumni supported the efforts and also helped out on-the-ground. YLS13 resulted in 4 projects the following year: PB14 (first in Brunei), PV14, PM14-Batang Kali, and PM14-Kuala Selangor (both Ms for Malaysia). YLS has always been organized by youth volunteers of SEALNet. Since 2013, there have been 4 instances of YLS.

What is the role of the participants?

The program is designed to empower participants by nurturing their strengths as servant leaders and honing their essential skills for community service, thereby unlocking their full leadership potential.

Through a comprehensive series of workshops, participants will delve into topics such as service leadership, project management, community outreach among others.

Additionally, the program offers a unique opportunity for participants to engage with peers from neighboring Southeast Asian nations, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and providing valuable insights from diverse perspectives.

Why should you join YLS?

Learn new skills and knowledge in community service
Expand your service leadership mindset
Be equipped to conduct your community service project
Expand your knowledge of Southeast Asia and the world
Work with other young leaders from diverse backgrounds
Be inspired and join the SEALNet community!
Meet SEALNet Alumni as we celebrate SEALNet’s 20th Anniversary!

Who can join YLS?

Southeast Asian youth
Preferably aged 18-35 at the time of application
Have experience in project management, volunteering activities, and/or community service programs
Want to grow their leadership skills
Good verbal and written English communication skills
Passionate about Southeast Asia and community development
Have a community project idea and be committed to be a co-leader or a project core team member in SEALNet Summer Project 2025
Willing to fundraise 150 USD for the summit

What is expected of me after YLS24?

Participants of YLS24 are encouraged to carry out their community project idea and organize a SEALNet Summer Project in 2025. Participants may serve as a co-leader or core team member. Participants may also choose to organize a project in their school or community without having to follow the SEALNet model and schedule.

Who will cover the cost?

All on-site expenses will be covered by SEALNet. However, you are expected to cover your own travel to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

In addition, participants are encouraged to fundraise towards the summit. Please note that this fundraising contribution is NOT a participation fee.

In case of extenuating financial circumstances, please do not hesitate to contact us at youthleadershipsummit@nullsealnetonline.org for more details on financial aid.

YLS Application Process

Read this information kit thoroughly.
Fill out the application form at bit.ly/YLS24ApplicationForm. Application includes short essay questions, a short project proposal, and a resume.
Deadline of the application is at 11.59 pm GMT+7, April 20, 2024.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an online interview.
Final participant list will be announced in May.

Applying with a Co-leader

SEALNet embraces the co-leadership structure, where there would be 2 project leaders with equal responsibility for each project.

Applicants may choose to apply with a co-leader who is interested in organizing the same project together. Both may submit the same answer in the project proposal component of the YLS24 application.

However, all other answers must be done individually. Please note that applying as a pair does not guarantee that both applicants will be accepted.

Project Proposal Guidelines

We would like to hear about your ideas on addressing pertinent issues in your community. These questions for the project proposal are found in the application form. To help you organize your thoughts, here are a few guidelines.

Purpose and Focus

What

What is the project theme/topic?
What is the issue being tackled?
What are the project’s objectives/outputs/outcomes?

Who

Who are the targeted local beneficiaries?
Who are the local partners (organizations)?
Who do you plan to contact and work with on the ground?
How and when do you plan to reach out to them?

Methods

How

How do you plan to carry out this project?
How do you plan to involve people?

Why

Why do you want to pursue this project? What is your motivation?
What are the underlying reasons that make the issue compelling and thus, needs to be tackled? You can relate to your personal experiences or observations backed with research evidence (academic, NGO reports/publication, interviews, surveys, etc.)

Resume Tips

We will use your resume to get to know your experience. Please make sure to include only relevant experiences and keep your resume within 1-2 pages. Only add an extra page for every 5 years of experience.

For more information about YLS24, view the info kit here.

For questions, email us at youthleadershipsummit@nullsealnetonline.org