About the Springboard Programme
The Youth SDG innovation platform for Asia-Pacific
About us
Driving the largest youth movement for empowerment, equality,
social inclusion, and social justice in Asia and the Pacific.
Youth Co:Lab positions young people front and center in order to solve the region’s most pressing challenges. Co-created in 2017 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Citi Foundation, Youth Co:Lab aims to establish a common agenda for countries in the Asia-Pacific region to empower and invest in youth so that they can accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship.
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YOUTH CO:LAB!
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our impact from 2017-2026
Asia-Pacific is home to over 60% of the world’s youth population, approximately 660-750 million individuals aged 15-24. Yet persistent structural barriers, youth unemployment rates of 10-20%, and the fact that roughly one-quarter of regional youth are not in employment, education, or training (NEET) underscore an urgent development imperative.
Youth Co:Lab was founded in 2017 as a flagship initiative co-led by UNDP and the Citi Foundation to address these gaps through leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
This report synthesizes ten years of contribution across the Asia-Pacific region (2017-2026) and informs strategic positioning for 2026 and beyond.
EMPOWERING YOUTH IN ASIA-PACIFIC
Youth are best prepared now, than any other time in the past, to engage with the world and influence sustainable development. They could be the first generation in history that can eradicate poverty, and the last generation that can reverse climate change. All over the world, young people are responding to present day challenges with innovative approaches and fresh ideas, building bridges and creating the world they want. They are leading development for themselves, their communities and their societies.
youth and stakeholders reached
~400K
4K+
youth-led social enterprises launched/
strengthened
48K+
youth entrepreneurs supported
countries and territories covered
30+
700+
ecosystem partnerships mobilized
ESO strengthened
to deliver inclusive services
100+
POSITIONING YOUNG
PEOPLE FRONT & CENTER IN ORDER TO SOLVE THE REGION’S MOST PRESSING CHALLENGES
In addition to directly supporting youth entrepreneurship, Youth Co:Lab works closely with multiple stakeholders across the region, including governments, civil society and the private sector, to strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystem and policy environment to better enable young people to take the lead on new solutions that will help meet the SDGs. To date, Youth Co:Lab has supported young inspiring and existing entrepreneurs in 30 countries and territories across Asia and the Pacific.
OUR APPROACH
TO YOUTH
EMPOWERMENT
Our approach to Youth Empowerment means adopting an integrated approach that strengthens individual and institutional capabilities while building an enabling environment that promotes young people’s agency in shaping tomorrow’s world and achieving the SDGs.
Youth Co:Lab works at three levels:
· Downstream: directly empowering young aspiring or inspiring entrepreneurs;
· Midstream: building the capacity of ecosystem partners to better support youth entrepreneurship;
and
· Upstream: working with governments to strengthen the enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship.