https://www.unv.org/index.php/Success-stories/generation-action-skills-s...
On 15 July, World Youth Skills Day celebrates the power of young people to shape a more just, sustainable future through skills, innovation, and action. As global challenges grow more complex, from climate change to inequality, youth are stepping up not just as advocates but as problem-solvers and peacebuilders.
Technology is accelerating this shift. From digital literacy and coding to the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), young people are gaining the tools to drive change. Over 70 percent of secondary students now use AI in their academic work, with many relying on tools like ChatGPT to learn, create, and lead. As AI continues to evolve, volunteers are using it to analyze data faster and boost the impact of their social initiatives.
The digital age is playing a role in transforming volunteerism as well. Today, making an impact to development doesn’t always require crossing borders, many volunteers are making a difference online.
United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Online Volunteering gives new, accessible ways for people everywhere to contribute with no barriers of time and place. Last year alone, the service saw a sharp rise of over 60 percent in volunteer numbers.
This year’s theme, “Youth Empowerment through AI and Digital Skills,” resonates deeply with UNV’s mission to encourage inclusive, future-ready communities. From coding and digital literacy to grassroots peacebuilding, UN Volunteers are not only learning but leading.
In Kazakhstan, Diana Assenova supports refugee education with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), while in Türkiye, Mehmet Onat Sarıtaş designs climate action-related programmes with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). And in Côte d’Ivoire, Ali Barry—a former refugee himself—now helps students return to school and supports women entrepreneurs through UNICEF’s Youth on the Move. At the Unified Volunteering Platform conference in Morocco, young talent used AI to streamline business projects, proving that great code starts with great communication.
While digital skills are vital, so too are those in health, sustainability, and peacebuilding—fields where youth continue to lead with courage and compassion.
This World Youth Skills Day, we celebrate not just the skills youth are learning, but the future they’re building.
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This article was made possible with the support of Online Volunteer, Danielle Radin.
