THE BIGGER PICTURE
At Citizens for Change, we are committed to a future where young people lead systemic change.
By investing in their voices, amplifying their lived experiences, and creating innovative tools and methodologies, we aim to reshape global narratives and ensure every community thrives.
WHY DO WE DO IT?
We believe that solving the world’s most complex challenges requires the energy, wisdom, and agency of young people. We foster a world where young people shape safer, more inclusive, and sustainable communities by amplifying their voices, demonstrating measurable outcomes, and challenging systemic barriers. Guided by our core values of equity, collaboration, and boldness, we partner with others to challenge power dynamics, amplify youth voices, and support meaningful change.
Who Are We?
Citizens for Change is a design and research agency that harnesses the energy and wisdom of young people to solve the world’s wicked problems. Through innovative solutions and evidence-driven methods, we empower young people to drive measurable, inclusive, and systemic change.
#1: Centering Young People as Agents of Change
What Sets Us Apart
We empower young people to lead systemic change by amplifying their voices, valuing their lived experiences, and co-creating solutions that address global challenges.
Our Youth Advisory Board ensures that young people have a seat at the table in shaping strategies, fostering equity and inclusivity.
Why It Matters
This youth-centered approach positions us as a pioneer in amplifying agency and creating impactful, equitable partnerships that resonate with funders, practitioners, and communities.
#2: Delivering Evidence-Based, Measurable Impact
What Sets Us Apart
Our proprietary methodology, Youth Impact, provides organisations with the tools to measure and demonstrate the tangible value of youth engagement.
Through innovative frameworks like Social Return on Investment (SROI), we help organisations quantify the social value generated by youth-focused initiatives, delivering actionable insights and unlocking funding opportunities.
Why It Matters
In a sector where impact measurement is often superficial, we help organisations move beyond activity metrics to showcase real systemic change, enhancing their credibility and funding potential.
#3: Inclusive Knowledge Exchange
What Sets Us Apart
Our Majority-to-Minority learning model prioritises insights and innovations from the Majority World, flipping traditional knowledge transfer dynamics.
By fostering Majority-to-Minority knowledge exchange, we co-create contextually relevant solutions that address global challenges through diverse perspectives.
Why It Matters
This approach not only amplifies voices often excluded from global conversations but also creates solutions that are scalable, adaptable, and deeply rooted in cultural and geographic realities.
By bridging divides, we build global collaborations that enhance learning, innovation, and systemic impact.
PLANS FOR GROWTH
By 2026, Citizens for Change will focus on strengthening our foundation and preparing for scalable impact.
OUR GOALS INCLUDE
Expanding Our Team: Recruit and develop a diverse team of research associates, with a priority on those based in Africa, to enhance our Majority-to-Minority knowledge exchange model.
Advancing Ethical AI Research: Undertake R&D to explore the ethical and design implications of using AI to scale our child-led movement for safe schools.
Nurture Our Youth Advisory Committee: To ensure young people are meaningfully engaged in shaping our strategy and programmes.
KEY ENABLERS FOR SUCCESS
Building partnerships with African universities and research institutions.
Collaborating with Researchers and Designers to deeply understand the risks and opportunities that are posed by AI.
Establishing clear governance structures and mentorship pathways to support the Youth Advisory Committee.
By 2030, Citizens for Change will focus on scaling our solutions and deepening our impact globally.
OUR GOALS INCLUDE
Launching Youth Solutions Across East Africa And The UK: Roll out Youth Solutions, a digital-relational platform that transforms young people with lived experience of institutional care into mental health leaders.
Expanding Majority-To-Minority Learning: Broaden and deepen our portfolio of work in the UK, leveraging insights from the Majority World to drive systemic change and global collaboration.
KEY ENABLERS FOR SUCCESS:
Forging partnerships with UK schools and local education authorities.
Scaling cross-regional learning initiatives to foster inclusive, evidence-based solutions.
Use rigorous social value measurement tools like Social Return on Investment (SROI) to showcase the transformative potential of youth-focused programmes.
Demonstrate and Quantify Impact
Engage young people in co-creating solutions that foster innovation and amplify impact, reaching broader audiences
and stakeholders.
UNLOCK NEW OPPORTUNITIES
THROUGH CO-CREATION
Foster trust and stakeholder buy-in through co-creation, leading to sustainable, inclusive solutions for global challenges.
ENHANCE CREDIBILITY
AND DRIVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE
Build resilient communities by centering the lived experiences of young people and leveraging innovative, evidence-based approaches to address systemic inequities.
FOSTER INCLUSIVE,
EMPOWERED COMMUNITIES
WHY CHOOSE US?
At Citizens for Change, we combine innovative solutions with evidence-based methods to help you:
measurable social and financial returns.
tailored approaches for youth engagement and inclusion.
sustainable programmes that amplify the lived experiences of young people.
WHAT DO WE DO?
We empower young people in Africa and the UK to drive meaningful change by building evidence, creating solutions that foster safer and more inclusive communities, and equipping practitioners to challenge the barriers to youth agency.
Discover how we're empowering young people to shape safer, more inclusive communities.
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THE CHALLENGE
Young people make up half of the global population, yet their potential remains largely unrealised (UNICEF, 2023).
This has far-reaching consequences:
THE OPPORTUNITY COST
Organisations focused on youth empowerment face significant challenges that limit their potential to drive systemic change, such as:
Global Funding Gaps
To achieve the 2030 SDGs, over $4 trillion is needed to close the global financing gap (UNDP, 2023). In the UK, spending on youth services fell by 64% between 2012 and 2022 (House Of Commons, 2024).
Limited Impact Evidence
Many organisations struggle to go beyond surface-level metrics, such as counting activities or outputs, to demonstrate meaningful outcomes and systemic change.
Rising Stakeholder Expectations
Funders and stakeholders increasingly demand rigorous evidence of social value and impact to justify investments and funding decisions.
Failing to address these gaps risks leaving organisations uncompetitive and limits their ability to attract funding, engage stakeholders, and deliver lasting change.
PROJECTED GAINS
By working with Citizens for Change, our clients
can unlock significant opportunities.