Fueling the Future
Fueling the future means evolving our work to meet the needs of a new generation of volunteers and activists. It means setting a new mission and vision to meet the needs of young people hungry for systemic social change. It means centering their voices, perspectives, and actions as the heartbeat of our work.
Creating socially conscious leaders committed to achieving real and sustainable impact has always been top-of-mind for us. Having lived through a global pandemic and unprecedented economic and political unrest, young people today are eager for systemic change. To respond to these new challenges and the ways they want to engage with social causes, we underwent a robust strategic planning process. By centering the voices of DoSomething members, we’ve charted a new course that evolves our work beyond just volunteerism and call-to-action campaigns to drive toward deeper programs that equip young people to tackle the root causes of issues and achieve lasting, systemic change.
This new direction better positions DoSomething to help young people find their civic spark, center them in our work, and create a hub for activism that is inclusive, reflective, and oriented toward systemic solutions. Over the last two years, we’ve witnessed their optimism, drive, and dedication. We’ll continue to elevate youth voices and champion our members as they build and create a more just and equitable future.
Our new direction pays homage to our past and positions our organization to center and drive the interests of young people – centering their voices and perspectives now and in the future.
OUR STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
1. Foster a diverse and inclusive collective of young people who use their power to effect change together
2. Change the economic and political conditions that block young people from using their power to change the world
3. Cultivate a culture of belonging and purpose within our organization and our collective of members
4. Build a sustainable organization positioned for long-term impact
OUR PROGRESS
A few of the key initiatives we are working on to advance our strategic plan:
Codenamed Project Rise, we built a new DoSomething.org to provide a fresher and more dynamic platform. It includes features to allow members to set their action intentions and takes them on a guided journey to deepen their impact over time. The new platform responds to feedback from members looking for a greater sense of belonging and identity and the ability to level up their engagement.
By gathering stories from young people across the U.S. about how they want to see their communities change, we are creating a National Youth Agenda. This agenda is sending a powerful message to candidates during this election year about what young people want to see them Do Something about.
We brought together leaders across the DoSomething collective alongside staff for a full–day Public Narrative training. Led by The Leading Change Network and designed by legendary organizer and Harvard professor Marshall Ganz, the training supported participants in developing their Story of “Self,” “Us,” and “Now,” weaving together a cohesive narrative connecting one's personal story to a collective call-to-action.
We launched the first cohort of our Civic Fellows program in 2023, supporting two rising leaders in New York City with mentorship and resources to scale initiatives they started to Do Something about issues they identified in their community.
For three decades, DoSomething has empowered young people to take action and make a difference. To celebrate the milestone of our 30th birthday, we honored the next generation of changemakers at The Futures Ball on November 16, 2023.
Thousands of young people nationwide applied for The Generation Future Award, and from 10 finalists, members voted for 3 of their peers who also share their vision for the future.
Our inaugural EMBER Collective cohort features a diverse group of 19 young people across 13 states who are leading mental health initiatives, ranging from books tackling eco-anxiety to open mic nights addressing collective grief!
During their 6-month journey, members are developing leadership and technical skills, growing their network, and improving the mental well-being of their community.
Make a difference in your community and add your vision to the future of our democracy