Young people represent both the greatest opportunity and one of the most urgent development priorities of our time. Across regions facing unemployment, social division, weak civic participation, and limited leadership pathways, the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) equips youth with the skills, values, and practical experience needed to become responsible leaders and active contributors to their communities.
GPF’s flagship youth leadership programs provide structured pathways for leadership development, volunteer service, peacebuilding, and global engagement. Together, these initiatives help young people translate potential into action while creating measurable benefits for communities.
Global Peace Leadership Corps: Developing Values-Based Leaders
GPCorps South Hub Inauguration attendees
The Global Peace Leadership Corps (GPCorps) is GPF’s primary youth leadership platform. The program equips young people with leadership competencies grounded in integrity, personal responsibility, service, and innovation.
Participants receive leadership training, mentorship, and opportunities to design and implement community-based projects addressing local challenges. Programs have been implemented across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, engaging students, young professionals, and emerging community leaders in areas such as peacebuilding, environmental stewardship, entrepreneurship, education, and civic engagement.
By combining leadership development with practical application, GPCorps helps youth build the confidence and skills needed to lead initiatives that create positive community impact.
Global Peace Volunteers: Mobilizing Youth for Community Service
Global Peace Volunteers held service projects right before the Global Peace Festival 2010 Southeast Asia.
The Global Peace Volunteers (GPV) program engages youth and community members in service projects that address local needs while strengthening social cohesion.
Volunteers participate in activities including educational support, environmental conservation, community improvement projects, mentorship programs, and disaster response initiatives. These experiences provide practical opportunities for young people to develop teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills while contributing to community development.
The program also promotes collaboration across ethnic, religious, and social differences, helping build trust and shared responsibility among diverse groups.
International Young Leaders Assembly: Building Global Leadership Networks
Participants at the International Young Leaders Assembly forum on Capitol Hill.
The International Young Leaders Assembly (IYLA) brings together emerging leaders from around the world to strengthen leadership capacity and foster international collaboration.
Participants engage in training, dialogue, and networking focused on sustainable development, peacebuilding, entrepreneurship, and civic leadership. Through interactions with policymakers, educators, development practitioners, and fellow youth leaders, participants gain exposure to global challenges and practical approaches for addressing them.
The program also creates lasting international networks that enable young leaders to share knowledge, collaborate across borders, and scale the impact of their work.
Global Peacebuilders Practicum: Experiential Learning for Peacebuilding
The Global Peacebuilders Practicum provides university students and young professionals with hands-on experience in leadership and peacebuilding.
Two participants of the seven-month peacebuilding practicum with certificates of completion.
Through field visits, community engagement, workshops, and collaborative projects, participants examine how communities address social challenges and strengthen cohesion. The practicum bridges theory and practice, helping participants develop a deeper understanding of effective leadership, community development, and peacebuilding strategies.
Many participants go on to apply these lessons in careers and initiatives focused on education, development, public service, and social impact.
Expanding Opportunities for Youth Leadership
GPF’s flagship youth programs address a common challenge facing many young people: limited access to leadership development opportunities and practical experience. By combining training, mentorship, volunteer service, and real-world application, these initiatives help participants build the skills needed to contribute to their communities and societies.
For donors and partners, investing in youth leadership is an investment in long-term social resilience. The young people engaged through GPF programs are not only beneficiaries; they are emerging leaders, volunteers, entrepreneurs, educators, and peacebuilders who are helping address community challenges today while preparing to lead tomorrow.
Learn how GPF’s youth leadership initiatives are equipping young people to become responsible leaders and changemakers, and support efforts to expand opportunities for the next generation worldwide.
