L-R: Ida Thien and Shaun Adam Abdullah, representing Malaysia at the Telenor Youth Forum 2017 in Oslo with (center) Sigve Brekke, President and CEO of Telenor Group
Are you keen to take up the challenge of addressing social issues that can help reduce inequalities? Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd (Digi) is searching for two inspiring youths to represent Malaysia and join young leaders from seven of Telenor’s markets across the world to participate in its sixth Telenor Youth Forum. Now open for applications, the Telenor Youth Forum (TYF) is a year-long global programme designed and hosted by Telenor Group and the Nobel Peace Center (NPC) to seek innovative solutions that are able to drive real change in the world and help reduce inequalities by using digital technology.
Applicants between 20-28 years of age in Malaysia are eligible for TYF 2018, which will take place in Oslo, Norway, from December 8-11, 2018. Applications will be accepted in Malaysia from May 16 to July 27, 2018.
The TYF program requires a one-year commitment and also includes a second all-expenses-paid gathering in Bangkok in May 2019. Telenor Youth Forum delegates work virtually throughout the year (from December 8, 2018) with their assigned teams, averaging around two hours per week. Over the year-long programme, they are required to develop ideas for products, services or campaigns that address urgent social challenges assigned to them at the event’s December kickoff in Oslo.
“Telenor Youth Forum brings together young changemakers from around the world to address common social issues leveraging on digital technology. We hope to create an arena that builds on collective effort among youth to bring relevant solutions and development that benefits communities and improves lives towards reducing inequalities,” said Quah Yean Nie, Digi’s Head of Communications and Sustainability.
Some of the past Telenor Youth Forum participants include Heidy Quah, who founded Refuge for Refugees, an NGO that aims to bring education to refugee children in Malaysia by raising awareness about this cause and encouraging a generation of Malaysian youth to recognise the potential in them to create impact and 28-year-old teacher, Alina Amir who co-founded a social enterprise, Arus Education, providing underprivileged students with digital skills such as coding and programming, helping them to automate their solutions for real life problems.
Last year’s winners; Ida Thien, who is attached with Teach for Malaysia and Shaun Adam Abdullah, a project manager with Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM) represented the nation at the Telenor Youth Forum 2017. Together with their 2017 TYF peers, they are undertaking the challenge of tackling issues on online safety, digital identity, decent working conditions and using big data for social good, and will be pitching to fund for their ideas, and showcase their cause at the the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo.
In the six years since TYF began, the programme’s alumni have gone on to achieve great things and made their mark on the world. Whether being recognised as part of Forbes’ 30 under 30 issues, winning international humanitarian awards, founding their own NGOs, starting up new businesses, creating new educational platforms or joining the digital innovation teams at Telenor Group, former TYF delegates make a lasting impact.
Real-world guidance from expert mentors
Along the way, the delegates also receive guidance and mentorship from Telenor Group subject matter experts. Throughout the TYF programme, the mentors equip the delegates with real-world skills such as service design, prototyping, presenting, exhibiting and pitching, in addition to insights on issues that can only be gained through hands-on experience.
At the end of each TYF, a winning team is selected and funds of 100,000 Norwegian Kroner (RM50,000) are provided through their Telenor mentor as seed funding to make their ideas come to life.
Sound interesting?
If you seek to engage with people from all over the world, believe that digital technology can make a positive impact on development, and you enjoy new perspectives on how to solve big, global problems, you just may be the next Malaysian delegate to Telenor Youth Forum. Find out more about TYF on our website and apply at: www.telenor.com/youthforum/.
