Spanning from January to June 2026, this year’s programme will feature modules, live webinars with expert speakers, and cohort based interactive activities including in-programme mentorship.
Within the cohort-based activities, you will be assigned to a working group of 5 - 10 participants with a mentor who will help you navigate through the content at your own pace as well as help you apply your learnings of the programme in your journey of social impact.
In the mentorship programme -
- Your mentor will host two group calls with you and your working group during the programme
- Your mentor will offer one hour per week (shared across all mentees) to be booked with them for one-to-one guidance.
The programme will conclude with a Practice Pitch Competition that will give you an opportunity to showcase your work and pitching skills before a panel of expert judges. The winners of the Practice Pitch Competition will receive access to the 2026 One Young World Summit in Cape Town.
You will also receive accreditation upon programme completion! To complete the programme you will need to -
- Attend at least one of the two live-hosted modules.
- Complete all recorded modules and quizzes (reading material is optional)
- Attend at least one mentor session (group or one-to-one)
Course Schedule and Information
Create your “How-To” Plan | 22 January
Explore how to translate a social impact idea into a clear, actionable strategy. Our speaker will suggest key steps in the action-planning process—moving from defining a problem to outlining goals, mapping stakeholders, identifying resources, and determining measurable outcomes. By the end, you will have a clearer understanding of how to build a robust strategy for action, enabling you to move confidently from idea to execution in you social impact journey.
Vision and Mission Setting (Live) | 12 February
The vision statement embodies an organisation’s long-term goal, while the mission statement defines its purpose. In this module, you will explore the key differences between vision and mission statements, their relevance, and the steps involved in developing them. During the session, you will begin developing your own mission statement, developing a clearer understanding of your intended impact and the methods you can use to achieve it.
Build Support for Your Solution | 26 February
a. Building Support in your Company
Explore techniques and approaches to share your solution with relevant stakeholders within your company, and rally support internally. The speaker will give a brief overview of the process of building a case for your idea of social impact, from outlining the idea, identifying the right audience, and presenting the benefits and scope of the initiative.
b. Building an Effective Team
Finding, hiring, and managing the right people is fundamental to the success and culture of an organisation. In this module, you will explore ways to identify the right people to achieve your goals, support sustainable growth, and cultivate a healthy working culture. You will reflect on developing a management style that supports talent dev
Understanding Systems-Based Thinking | 26 March
In this module supported by Virgin Unite and the NewNow programme, you will be introduced to the core principles and concepts of systems-based thinking, and how it can underpin your social impact. You will learn to approach the challenge holistically, consider interconnected factors, and recognise patterns to develop innovative approaches to today’s social impact challenges. It will approach the topic practically, exploring how it can be applied in organisational functions such as decision-making, business policy, and problem-solving processes.
Build Your Brand | 26 March
This module will cover ways to build a strong brand identity and explore practical methods to research, manage and develop your branding strategy. You will also learn how to create consistent brand messaging that reflects your organisation’s values, improves business value and drives long-term customer loyalty.
The Art of Storytelling (Live) | April 16
Explore modern advertising techniques through the art of storytelling. You will learn ways to create a compelling narrative that presents your story and the inspiration behind your social impact initiative helping you connect with your audience and leave a lasting impression. During the session, you will reflect on the key messages you want to send to your target audience and how these can be effectively incorporated into your storytelling efforts.
Fundraising for Social Change | April 30
In this module, you will learn how to build a funding strategy, including analysing the current sector landscape, exploring different funding streams, and identifying emerging instruments such as social media and digital marketing.
You will also examine organisational practices that embed fundraising as a core function and learn how to align and develop your teams to effectively support fundraising.
Understand Your Impact | April 30
Impact evaluation provides you with practical tools to support your idea with evidence and to identify what is working well and what can be improved. This module will give you a comprehensive overview of impact evaluation in the social sector, including its definition, benefits, and best practices. It will outline practices that will help you assess the long-term impact of your idea for social change and to measure the outcomes of policies, projects, and interventions.
Practice Pitch Competition | May 14
This module explores ways to present your idea and deliver compelling pitches, offering an overview of the various aspects of pitching. You will learn how to identify different pitch types and formats, assess and respond to audience needs, and master an effective delivery style.By the end of this module, you will have the tools to structure your pitch that make your solution instantly attractive and create a lasting impact.
This material will also be your key resource to help you prepare for your pitch in the practice pitch competition.