Youth Leadership for Gender Equality Blog: Empowering the next generation of change-makers in the Philippines

Author: Sabrina (Sam) Tamayo

At 30 years old, I find myself standing at a unique crossroads in the development space. While I still proudly identify as a young leader, I have also become one of the "older ones" in many youth-led circles.

That said, I have had a front-row seat to the evolution of youth engagement for over a decade — from a time when young people were often invited to participate, to a generation that is boldly demanding a voice, a vote, and a meaningful role in shaping the future.

This journey has taught me one fundamental truth: achieving genuine development requires far more than good intentions. It requires young people who are equipped with the right skills, enabled with real opportunities, and trusted as partners in decision-making.

The more communities I worked with, the more convinced I became that youth leadership is not about preparing leaders for tomorrow. It is about recognizing, investing in, and unleashing the leaders who already exist today.

First, young people are brimming with ideas, passion and conviction. They want their voices to be heard and their perspectives to matter. Yet too many lack access to the tools, mentorship and resources needed to transform their ideas into meaningful action. The desire to create change is there; what is often missing is the bridge between aspiration and impact.

Second, young people are not disengaged from society. They are actively searching for ways to contribute to it. Whether through volunteering, community organizing or social entrepreneurship, they are eager to champion causes that matter. They want to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time, from gender inequality and poverty to climate change and social inclusion.

Third, today's generation refuses to settle for symbolic representation. They are no longer content with simply occupying a seat at the table. They want a voice in shaping the agenda, influencing decisions, and designing solutions. They are challenging institutions to move beyond tokenism and embrace authentic partnership.

These realizations inspired me to dedicate my efforts to empowering the next generation of change-makers, not by creating more opportunities for participation alone, but by creating opportunities where young people can lead, innovate and drive change in their own right.

My advocacy has transformed and has become centered on one mission: helping young people develop the confidence, skills, and platforms they need to become catalysts for change.

One example was when I was tapped to deliver a masterclass for more than 50 youth leaders from South-East Asia at a training hosted at the leading university in Thailand. It became an avenue for dialogue, allowing participants to exchange ideas, learn from one another, and strengthen their capacity to create impact in their communities.

At the same time, my role as executive director of Project SMILE has allowed me to put these principles into practice. Rather than leading every initiative myself, I have intentionally focused on creating hubs for young people to take ownership of our projects and programmes for different groups.

Beyond community-level initiatives, I have also advocated for meaningful youth participation in governance. As a member of the advisory board of the Young People’s Participation in Urban Governance Project, I contribute to an international collaboration exploring how young people shape and experience city life in Surakarta, Denpasar, Bar Elias, and El Mina.

Across diverse contexts — from Indonesia to Lebanon — the message remains remarkably consistent: If cities are to become truly inclusive, equitable and sustainable, young people must be involved not only in implementing change, but also in imagining and designing it.

The future we aspire to create will not be built by a handful of extraordinary individuals working in isolation because real change has never depended on superheroes.

It depends on ordinary people choosing to work together toward an extraordinary vision of a better world.

That is why I call on institutions to move beyond symbolic youth engagement and create genuine opportunities for young people to influence decisions. I call on fellow young leaders to continue raising their voices, taking initiative, and embracing their responsibility as stewards of the future. And I call on today's leaders to invest in young people not as future stakeholders but as present-day partners.

Collective action is the only path forward for people, prosperity and the planet.

The next generation is ready. The only question is whether we are ready to trust them, embolden them, and walk alongside them as they lead us toward a more just and sustainable future.