The Youth Cafe is an organization driven by highly skilled, motivated, and passionate individuals who come from diverse backgrounds and believe that real change is possible.
The Youth Cafe’s work is underpinned by a Theory of Change, its Pathway For Action, Sustainability, Results, Learning, and Adaptation, reflected in our partnerships, innovative approaches, and sustainable strategies to empower African youth. This is with the knowledge that human rights are fundamental rights that embody key values in any society, such as fairness, dignity, equality, and respect.
The Youth Cafe believes that partnerships based on cooperation between different actors can lead to individual and structural change through networks, coalitions, and alliances. As a result, we work to legitimise diverse youth organisations to advocate for society-wide change, monitor those in power, and promote dialogue for change. All people are holders of human rights and can describe their problems and propose solutions.
Evidence shows that change is only sustainable when determined, implemented, and owned by the affected communities. Our Theory of Change is complemented by a set of principles, including building a more relevant, sustainable, and effective enabling environment for education and work systems for young people that recognise their rights and will, Involving young people at all levels in decision-making processes that will affect their lives; Partner with young people to build a better, and a more resilient world for all generations; and frame youth programs on a gender-responsive Rights-Based Approach (RBA), implying that young people are considered as ‘rights-holders’.
In addition, our work is underpinned by policies on Environment & climate justice, gender equality and equity and by The Youth Cafe’s Youth Manifesto, which recognises the connection between environmental and climate injustices, gender inequalities, and conflict.
Our solution-orientated model seeks to forge a link between the development we strive to achieve amongst young people from disadvantaged communities and the Investment world. We accomplish this by evaluating our transformation mandate against revenue targets and social impact outcomes. Through this model, we can provide our partners with measurable solutions.
As a youth-led and youth-serving organization, TYC has local and international expertise and networks which maintain ties with local and international partners based in Africa, the United Kingdom,European Union, North America, MENA, Latin America, and the Caribbean.