Call for Proposals
2023 Global YEO Summit
Presenting at the Global Youth Economic Opportunities (YEO) Summit provides individuals and organizations with an opportunity to gain visibility, highlight expertise, expand networks, and deepen learning through exchange and collaboration. This overview provides important details on the process a proposal applicant ought to consider. Before submitting a proposal, please carefully read the information below:
November 1: Call for Proposals opens.
December 30: Call for Proposals closes.
January 2 – February 3: Global Advisory Committee reviews and selects proposals. You may receive clarification questions during this review process. We appreciate your prompt response.
February 17: Selected people/organizations/proposals are notified
March 6: 2023 Summit Program is posted online and promoted globally.
March 21: Deadline for presenters to register for the 2023 Summit.
April: Participate in a session prep call with co-presenters and a Summit staff member.
May 1: Submit final edits to session title and description.
May 16-18: 2023 Global YEO Summit.
For 15 years, Making Cents International has convened the annual Global YEO Summit. The Summit is the flagship convening of the YEO 2030 initiative, anchored in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8. The Global YEO Summit brings together more than 500 global stakeholders from 75+ countries each year to learn, share best practices, and forge partnerships in the YEO space. The Summit helps to inform the YEO 2030 initiative’s year-round activities and offers an annual benchmark for evidence and best practices. Our community uses the Summit to launch new initiatives and forecast changes in the youth economic opportunities landscape.
The COVID-19 pandemic compelled YEO 2030 activities, including the Summit itself, to move online, enabling Making Cents to increase youth participation and reach a more global audience. YEO 2030’s inaugural 2021-2022 campaign also included a series of youth dialogues, webinars, and a regional convening with youth facilitators tasked to help a global audience of expert practitioners (mostly under the age of 35) identify priority YEO topics “big enough to matter and small enough to get done” within a 12- to 18-month timeframe. Youth Champions, together with their Action Teams, currently lead activities on each of these topics that will ground the 2023 Global YEO Summit agenda.
For the first time since 2019, the Summit will take place in person, on May 16 -18, 2023 in Washington, D.C. (Silver Spring Civic Center). To include a wider YEO audience, the Summit will also feature a post-event virtual component for those unable to travel. Leading companies, donors, implementers, policymakers, educators, researchers, and youth leaders attend the Summit each year. YEO 2030 aims to bring these global YEO stakeholders together to better understand the current landscape; learn; partner; and share critical information, tools, and resources for supporting youth economic opportunities in a post-pandemic world. It will also elevate youth-led and local youth-serving organizations that will participate and shape the Summit agenda, building on the topics YEO Youth Champions and their Action Teams are advancing.
Summit Theme: YEO Reimagined: Powering Youth-Led Action Towards 2030
The year 2023 will mark 4 years of a global pandemic that has accelerated existing inequalities and deepened many of our world’s development challenges, slowing progress toward meeting the SDGs by 2030. Unemployment and under-employment, the climate crisis, and challenges to our democratic systems disproportionately affect young people’s social and economic mobility and well-being. Meaningful youth participation in the economy is increasingly challenging due to a myriad of factors that include the lack of education, training, and entrepreneurial skills required to thrive in today’s job market. Despite these challenges, young people continue to demonstrate their resilience, determination, and innovation in creating economic opportunities to realize their livelihood needs. Youth leaders, youth economic opportunity practitioners, and funders are adapting their priorities to this changing landscape and considering how to build resilient systems to better address youth's economic participation challenges. Recognizing this reality, the 2023 Global YEO Summit's theme is YEO Reimagined: Powering Youth-Led Action toward 2030. This theme is focused on how the global YEO 2030 community can reimagine and build sustainable youth economic opportunities with and for young people in the decade of action. Our learning agenda for the Summit will delve deeper into critical emerging topics, including the growing demand for green skills, digital skills, and intergenerational programming; mental health; resilience; inclusion; mentorship for entrepreneurs; and private-sector engagement, among others.
With the YEO 2030 initiative anchored in SDG 8, this year’s agenda will also explore how our collaborative efforts, with and for young people, can contribute to accelerating the achievement of SDG 8 by 2030.
Learning Agenda and Technical Tracks
The 2023 Summit's theme is supported by a strategic learning agenda designed to capture and build upon learning outcomes year-to-year. The learning agenda is organized around three inter-connected technical tracks. These are:
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Ready for the Global Workforce: How do we prepare youth for the transition to the workforce and the demands of today’s rapidly transforming global economy?
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Livelihoods through Self-Employment: What kinds of skills, programs, and policies can prepare and support young people for self-employment or entrepreneurship in the growing gig, informal, and creative economies?
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Global Context Matters: How will the future of youth economic opportunities be informed and shaped by an enabling environment that takes into consideration systemic factors such as climate change, mental health, resilience, youth inclusion, ecosystem collaboration, and related policies?
Cross-Cutting Topics
Cross-cutting topics to be addressed across technical tracks at the Summit are climate change/green economy, mental health, resilience, digital economy, and youth inclusion.
Breakout session proposals are reviewed by Making Cents International and our Global Advisory Committee, which comprises youth and economic development experts from a range of partner organizations.
Proposals are reviewed and scored based on the following criteria:
Relevance to Summit Theme and Cross-Cutting Topics
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Does the session connect to the 2023 Summit's theme, YEO Reimagined: Powering Youth-Led Action toward 2030?
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Does the session incorporate attention to meaningful and inclusive youth engagement (e.g., the integration of youth into the program cycle through advising and decision-making, youth-led research, program design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and learning)?
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Does the session address any of the Summit’s cross-cutting topics: climate change/green economy, mental health, resilience, digital economy, and youth inclusion?
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Does the session/topic focus on providing participants with tools/resources to enable them to advance action in that topic area or apply that resource/tool?
Session Content
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Does the session deliver new, evidence-based information relevant to entry-, mid-, and senior-level development professionals?
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Does the session impart tools or information that can strengthen existing practice and advance the conversation on a given topic or area?
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Is the session content open-source and transferable? Will participants walk away with tangible guidance for how to apply this knowledge to their programming, policymaking, or partnerships?
Will the content challenge the audience? Will it prompt discussion? Use this template as a guide to prepare your submission.
Session Format
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Is the proposed session format participatory, interactive, and engaging? Sessions that incorporate high levels of participation and non-traditional formats—debates, interviews, group problem-solving, and open seat—are scored favorably. We strongly suggest avoiding traditional lecture-style and panel presentations.
Does the session offer a deep dive into content rather than a general overview?
Quality and Diversity of Presenters
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Are presenters well-suited to present on their selected topic?
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Do presenters offer:
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A range of stakeholder viewpoints (e.g., implementers, funders, researchers, youth, etc.)
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More than one organization, each bringing different perspectives to the conversation (e.g., INGO, LNGO, corporate, government, etc.)
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Geographical diversity (global representation from different regions)
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Gender balance
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Low- and middle-income country perspective
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A proportion of panelists who are youth and can provide first-hand perspectives from their experiences with the project (as participants or partners).
Traditional breakout sessions at the Summit are 45, 60, or 90 minutes long. In addition, the 2023 Summit agenda will include a limited number of extended-length training sessions. Presenters of these sessions will be offered 2 hours to facilitate training designed to develop the capacity of Summit's audience members in a specific skill or tool.
You can opt in to be considered for a training session spot in the proposal submission form.
The training should be relevant and engaging for entry-, mid-, or senior-level professionals with an advanced understanding of youth development concepts. Past Summit training sessions have explored human-centered design, positive youth development, storytelling for youth engagement, and more.
To be considered, training session proposals must meet the following requirements:
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Able to accommodate at least 50 participants
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Can be implemented in the Summit's venue—presenters must supply necessary tools outside of regular presentation materials (i.e., laptop, projector, flip chart, markers)
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All tools introduced are open source and available for participants to use on their own at no or low cost
Training should be hands-on and give participants ample time to engage with and apply the tool or skill of focus.
Breakout sessions must be engaging and participatory. To support this, submitters are asked to select from one of the session types below OR propose a new and engaging format:
Group Problem Solving
Real-time group problem solving and discussion around a specific problem a program faces (e.g., going to scale, sustainability, barriers to implementation and/or reach). Presenters will have 20 to 30 minutes to describe 1) the problem and 2) solutions that have been tried to address the problem. The audience will be invited to generate real-time recommendations for a way forward. These sessions are designed to enable collaborative, creative group problem-solving. The outcomes of the session may be shared with participants.
Oxford-Style Debate
An Oxford style debate session requires all audience members to select a particular section of the room to sit in before the debate begins based on whether they agree or disagree with the starting statement and/or hypothesis. Audience members are encouraged to demonstrate their agreement or disagreement as the debate progresses by moving from their seat in one section to another. Audience movement will give important feedback both to the speakers and other audience members. This session will have two “kick-off speakers.” They get the debate going, set the parameters of main argumentation, and contest each other’s ideas.
There should be a time for the audience to participate and ask questions. Audience speakers are to make arguments, agree or disagree with points, raise new concerns, explain why they sit on a particular side, and so on. At the end of the sessions there is an announcement of house results based on where the audience is seated.
This session type requires an experienced facilitator to moderate the debate and ensure the conversation progresses.
TEDx Style Session
Each session should have no more than three presenters, and each TED Talk should last between 5 and10 minutes. This requires the speaker to get focused on the underlying message they want to convey and deliver that message in a compelling manner.
A moderator should briefly introduce an over-arching theme that will tie in with the stories of all speakers. The presentation is followed by an interactive discussion, where audience members are given the opportunity to comment and ask questions. This will ensure a connection between the ideas being presented and learning and applying them.
Also remember these general principles: speak of failures and successes, communicate your vision, do not sell from the stage, and do not read your speech.
Roundtable Session
During this type of session, presenters will have the opportunity to highlight a tool or new piece of research to a small group of participants. Presenters are encouraged to showcase their tool/research for 5 to 10 minutes before facilitating a 35- to 40-minute roundtable discussion on creative ways to implement each tool and/or research finding. Participants are especially looking for open-source material.
Open Seat
This session begins with two to three panelists on stage and one empty seat. The empty seat is for an audience member who has a strong point of view to add to the conversation. One by one, attendees can come up, sit in the open seat, and add their perspective to the discussion. Afterwards, they return to their seat in the audience and let someone else take their place in the open seat. This allows for a greater diversity of perspectives and for the audience to be more invested in the conversation. This format requires an experienced moderator.
20 Questions
This format is a great way to engage an audience in assessing the obstacles of a specific topic. First, the topic is presented and should include the main objectives, components, and a review of the intervention’s results. This should take no more than 10 minutes. The audience begins with a 20- to 25-minute window to ask a variety of questions (20 max) on the topic to form a better picture of what worked and what did not. For example: “Why was XYZ not successful/effective?” and “What did you do to try to ensure the sustainability and growth of the project?”
The audience is then asked to split into groups of four to five persons to discuss what they would have done differently. After 15 minutes each group reports out to the other, and someone at the front records all answers. Presenters then wrap up the session by reviewing their thoughts on each of the audience's ideas.
Work in Progress
A forum for presenter(s) to move forward on a central question, draft paper, or project by receiving constructive suggestions from attendees. They should start the session by identifying what they expect the result to be, then let the guided conversation and discussion get them to this result. This session type requires an experienced facilitator to ensure the conversation moves forward productively.
Cost of Participation
The Summit is organized on a not-for-profit basis. Presenters are asked to “co-invest” in this event and pay the required registration fee. This amount represents half of the actual cost of participating. Summit organizers raise funds throughout the year to subsidize the cost to participants.
2023 Registration Fees:
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Early Registration (before March 1, 2023): $795
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Regular Registration (March 1- April 28, 2023): $895
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Late Registration (After April 28, 2023): $995
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Young Professional Registration (for participants 35 years and younger only): $695
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Low- and Middle-Income Country Registration (for participants traveling to the Summit from Africa, Latin America, and South Asia and Southeast Asia only): $595
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Group Registration for organizations who send in delegations of at least six or more staff; they will receive a 10 percent discount on their registration fees.
If your session is selected, all speakers agree to register and pay the required Early Registration fee by March 1, 2023.
Additional Items to Note:
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Breakout sessions will be scheduled on May 17 and 18, 2022.
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Each speaker’s bio and headshot must be included in your submission for your proposal to be considered complete.
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The guidelines provided in this form do not guarantee a proposal will be accepted, but following them ensures your proposal will be considered.
Summit organizers do not provide
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Hotel or travel expenses for speakers
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Free or discounted registration
By submitting a proposal for the 2023 Global YEO Summit, you agree to the terms of these Presenter Policies. Making Cents reserves the right to withdraw its selection of any proposal that does not comply with these policies:
Summit Registration: All presenters are required to register by March 21, 2023. The early registration rate for the 2023 Summit, which expires March 1, is $795. Please note that there is a discounted rate for young professionals and developing-country participants.
Summit attendees and speakers are required to pay a registration fee. Global YEO Summit organizers raise sponsorship dollars throughout the year to subsidize the actual cost of participation by nearly 50 percent. Doing so enables us to keep registration fees low and encourage participation of a wide range of participants from around the world. The GYEO Summit operates on a demand-driven, cost-recovery, and sustainable basis, thanks to the hundreds of organizations and individuals who contribute financial and in-kind resources to the event each year. This approach of “co-investment” has allowed the Summit to be continually operated and make a significant contribution to building the field of youth economic inclusion. It allows individuals to benchmark progress, share and gain new knowledge, and have an annual meeting point to form new and deepen existing partnerships.
Unconfirmed Presenters: Session presenters who have not been confirmed and registered, and have not paid their registration fee by April 3, 2023, risk exclusion from the Summit's program, and their session may be replaced by another.
Main Contact Person: One person must be designated as the main point of contact for each session. The main contact will be sent to all communications regarding the selected proposal and session. They will also be responsible for ensuring compliance with these policies, and that all other co-presenters are aware of, and comply with these policies, including deadlines.
Session Duration and Scheduling: Making Cents will determine the final scheduling of all sessions. By confirming your proposal’s final selection, you agree to be available for all times designed for breakout sessions during the Summit.
Moderators: Summit organizers may assign a moderator for your session. Moderators are encouraged to ask tough questions and pull out the most important learning for the audience.
Workshop Content: If you are the main contact person, you assume full responsibility for ensuring the design of the workshop, the coordination of all session presenters (if applicable), and the session delivery. You must also ensure that the session methodology reflects what you specified in your proposal submission, with refinements to the content the Global YEO Summit organizers.
Summit Orientation and Session Guidance: Confirmed presenters are required to participate in at least one call prior to the Summit to discuss the accepted workshop. To allow time for this, an outline of the session (including any video or draft PPT presentations, handouts, etc.) must be finalized and submitted electronically to Vicky Aridi at vicky@makingcents.com by April 17, 2023.
Visual Representations and Handouts: Presenters are responsible for bringing their presentation materials and copies of any handouts needed for their session. The Summit organizers will not be able to photocopy documents for presenters before or during the event. Final soft copies of presentations and handouts will be uploaded to the Summit's website after the event.
A/V, Room Setup, and Other Session Material: Each session room will be equipped with microphones, a screen, laptop, and projector. Internet access is also available. Presenters will be responsible for bringing all the other audio-visual equipment they require. If you have any room set-up needs, please email them to Vicky Aridi at vicky@makingcents.com by May 2, 2023. If you do not inform Making Cents of your preference before that time, we cannot guarantee your preferred room set-up.
At the Summit: Upon arrival at the Summit, presenters must check in at the Summit Registration desk. If you are not staying for the entire event, we ask that you, please, arrive at least 60 minutes before the start of the program. Workshop presenters must also (1) prepare their session’s room during the break that precedes their session or earlier if possible, and (2) distribute and collect their workshop material. Any items left in the room will be removed by staff at the end of the day. Please take all materials you wish to keep with you when you leave your session. Summit organizers will not be held responsible for items missing from your workshop room.