AYVP Indonesia 2023 Empowering a New Generation of Social Entrepreneurs and Community Leaders

The ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP) 2023 was successfully held from 31 October - 10 November 2023 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, under the co-hosting by Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and AUN USR&S. With the theme of “Social Entrepreneurship,” the two-week hybrid transformative journey set the stage for 50 ASEAN youths from 8 ASEAN countries to obtain vital skills of the 21st century and foster a social entrepreneurship mindset, paving a way towards a brighter future for ASEAN.

The ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme (AYVP) is a youth leadership platform with the aim of encouraging knowledge-driven volunteerism among ASEAN youths through capacity development and exchange of learning experiences. Each year, 50 young people aged 18 to 30 from ten ASEAN countries come together to make a sustainable difference to communities across the region. Guided by the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Blueprint, AYVP mobilises youths in developing innovative solutions to social, cultural, economic, and environmental challenges in the regional community, while forging a sense of regional identity and cross-cultural understanding. 

Virtual Lecture Session delivered by experts

This year, AYVP 2023 was held as a hybrid programme centred around small businesses on real-life examples of community initiatives & local resources in Yogyakarta. Throughout the programme, 50 youth volunteers from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam engaged in module workshops on social entrepreneurship.  These sessions covered core ideas, business models, and pitching strategies contextualised within the ASEAN framework and community engagement.

Field trip and Cultural exposure at Desa Wisata Nglanggeran

The programme commenced with a 3-day virtual session from 31 October - 2 November 2023, followed by a physical event from 5-10 November 2023, allowing the participants to apply the concept they had explored virtually to real case studies in the vibrant cultural scenes of Yogyakarta. Participants formed and honed their business plans under guidance from experts in the fields. The culmination of the event was unveiled in the presentations by the youth volunteers, featuring their original and innovative business plans shaped by the knowledge gained during the programme.

Field trip and Cultural exposure at Desa Wisata Nglanggeran

Innovative solutions showcased in participants’ presentations included:

• Group 1 "AGRO Connect": A social enterprise connecting local farmers with food service providers, ensuring fair prices.
• Group 2 "Green Mama": A sustainable period product making menstrual hygiene accessible for underserved communities.
• Group 3 "Explore Biak Ecotour: Hidden Beauty of Biak Numfor in Papua": Proposing ecotourism in Biak Numfor, Papua, to enhance local livelihoods.
• Group 4 “Fivetastic Four Solution”: An Education-focused business plan addressing unemployment in rural areas through training and workshops.
• Group 5 "Streets N’ Diversity": Initiatives empowering ASEAN women in rural areas through textile business and skill development.
• Group 6 "Wheretofind.com": A website and mobile application exposing local Yogyakarta MSMEs businesses.
• Group 7 "Hungry Cat Banana Chips": Initiatives to improve rural living conditions and address surplus banana issues.
• Group 8 "Pocket & Co": Innovative drugstore ideas featuring trial-size products.

The event concluded with a gala dinner and cultural performances by the students, marking a dazzling finale for the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme 2023. 

For more details on the ASEAN Youth Volunteer Programme, please visit https://www.ayvpukm.com.my/