All around the world this month our focus has been on youth.
We put on 13 events spanning three continents, celebrating the impact of 30,000 volunteers. We saw alumni interviewed on national TV about the importance of safe spaces, got Google to host digital marketing sessions for young people, and staged loud and bright parades.
And in the UK we ran an event in Birmingham bringing alumni from up and down the country together to celebrate. See our favourite parts of the day.
1. It was all run by volunteers
Volunteers like Faiza Amin. She was part of a small steering group of seven young people from across the country who took the event right from its beginnings to the finished product. They absolutely smashed it.
2. The ICS model going global
That's Felicity, Director of ICS. During her opening speech, she talked about how the ICS model has been picked up by others.
"ICS is now the largest-ever youth programme supported by the UK Government. We've been talking to governments around the world about the programme, and other volunteering programmes across the EU have been talking to us about our approach to diversity and inclusion."
3. Giving young people the skills to campaign well
We partnered with organisations like Oxfam, Unicef and WaterAid to deliver sessions on everything from Brexit to perceptions of UK Aid; working with young people to supporting refugees.
4. We helped people make new friends
Our sessions throughout the day brought people together to spark new conversations and make new friendships. Just like ICS, in fact. We even included on their badges the countries people had volunteered and their motivations for attending the event as conversation starters.
5. A giant Instagram frame
Because why not. (Shameless plug: go see our Instagram Story)
6. Keep on sharing the opportunities
We know we're not the only ones out there with a big vision. So we brought charities like VSO, the ONE campaign and UpRising together to help promote the great work they're doing.
7. We heard from amazing volunteers
Like volunteer Rory Howard, 21. He got up onto the podium to speak about his passion for tackling climate change following his placement in Mondulkiri, Cambodia.
8. And from a passionate spoken word poet
TEDx and Channel 4 lyricist Emmanuel Speaks closed the event with some of his work around anti-FGM and got people thinking about what next.
9. Postcards to a future volunteer
Before everyone left, we had one final request of them - to pass on their advice to a future ICS volunteer. It could be the one thing they'd regretted not doing (or doing!), a top tip for making the most of their time, or even their contact details.
10. Thanks to everyone who came!
Wherever you were and whatever you were doing this Youth Day, don't stop the great work in championing the issues and challenges young people across the world face in 2018.
