Join YUGA

Do you care about global issues? Do you want to connect with other young people throughout the US and the world to work to end poverty and injustice and to make the world a better, more balanced place for us all?

Then you are looking for YUGA! Join YUGA and become part of a diverse network of people like you, ages 12-24, from across the US. As a YUGA member, you can help promote global unity, understanding and change through awareness, action, and connection with other young people from around the world.

Who are we?

YUGA — Youth United for Global Action and Awareness is a network of young people around the US taking local action on global issues like poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate change and child exploitation. YUGA members run campaigns in their schools and communities throughout the year to get their peers involved in global issues and engaged as agents of change in our world.

What's going on? Check out our calendar of activities to see what we have planned in the upcoming months. Or read about how youth around the world are making a difference!

YUGA’s Mission: We are a network of youth who aim to promote global change through increased understanding, awareness and action on local and global issues.

How is YUGA affiliated with Plan?

YUGA is an initiative of Plan USA's Youth Engagement and Action Program. The YEA program seeks to build and strengthen a network of young people, youth groups and organizations, and adult allies who raise awareness and take action on issues that affect children and youth around the world.

We believe that young people have the power to make positive change and, by listening to a diverse range of youth voices, we can resolve some of the world's most pressing issues, such as extreme poverty, child exploitation and HIV/AIDS. We know that this effort must be people-centered and that U.S.-based efforts must work in cooperation and solidarity with other youth movements in the United States and globally.

Global issues to act on

What does YUGA care about? What do we believe in? What do we do about it?

Global Poverty
YUGA raises awareness about global poverty and advocates for children everywhere who are denied their basic human rights. YUGA is currently partnering with the ONE campaign to end Global Poverty and urge world leaders to reach the Millennium Development Goals. We believe that the structural causes of poverty and imbalance must be addressed and we ask people to urge their leaders to reduce the debt burden on poor countries, make trade fair, end corruption and increase overseas aid for community based programs to address the effects of poverty.

HIV/AIDS
YUGA develops campaigns in connection to the ONE campaign and Lesson for Life to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and advocate for people affected by AIDS throughout the world, especially children and youth. We encourage people in the US to be more aware of their own vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, and to get tested! We support programs in developing countries that help communities address prevention, treatment and education about the pandemic. We advocate for increased foreign assistance for these kinds of programs.

Child Rights and Exploitation
YUGA raises awareness about child labor, child trafficking and child soldiers. We encourage people to ensure that their food and clothing are not produced by child labor. We believe that much of the world’s conflict is caused by poverty and social injustice. We believe in peaceful solutions to conflict because of the drastic impact of war on people everywhere, especially children and youth. We support programs to address the conditions that lead to child trafficking and that address its impact on children and families.

Climate Change
Through the Climate Change Campaign, YUGA is raising awareness about the fact that our daily lives are affecting the environment negatively. With every passing day it becomes ever more important to take the steps to decrease our impact on the earth and use of resources. However, as the world's population continues to expand and its inhabitants continue to exhaust natural resources and habitats, the situation worsens.

How can you get started?

• Start a YUGA chapter at your school or get your current club, class, or other group involved in a YUGA campaign of your choice. Download our How to Start a YUGA Chapter toolkit. Don’t forget to register your group!
• Learn more about the issues by checking out our toolkits, films, and other resources.
• Sign up for the YUGA monthly newsletter (see top of this page). Or read a back issue on a topic of interest in the enews archive.
• Join a YUGA activity in the New England area. You can find events on the YUGA calendar.
• Watch the YUGA video for more information on YUGA or read about how youth around the world are getting involved.
• Contact us with your ideas or with your questions at yuga@planusa.org.

Educators! Contact us for more information on classroom resources, interactive workshops and presentations, and support to bring global issues into your classroom in creative ways.

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