Impacto Juventud

Generacion Cambio

Impacto Juventud is a non-profit
organization that promotes citizen
participation and youth politics
from a decolonial, feminist
and anti-racist perspective.

Our Mission

Born amidst the social, economic, and political crises in Puerto Rico, Impacto Juventud provides youth a platform to enhance their empowerment, sense of belonging, and political efficacy. The organization provides programming on a number of challenging social issues, such as children’s rights, gender based violence, voting rights, natural disaster response, mental health, and environmental justice. Impacto Juventud seeks to activate and engage the next generation of change makers, whether that’s through tutoring, social media campaigns, political action, community events, or virtual workshops.

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OUR PROJECTS

IMPACTO JUVENTUD

Impacto Juventud programming aims to engage young people, from 15 to 25 years old, in the movement for social change in Puerto Rico. With a focus on mental health as a key ingredient for building and sustaining community-based movements, IJ regularly facilitates conversations on topics that advance health justice.

Aula sin Paredes

Aula sin Paredes is an educational tutoring project that aims to fill the resource gaps experienced by children living in rural and underserved communities in Puerto Rico. Aula builds on the interests of the kids, actively creating spaces of empowerment, growth, and healing.

Chiqui Impacto

Chiqui Impacto is a project dedicated to providing tools to parents, teachers, and other caregivers who promote the wellbeing of children from 0-10 years old. Chiqui provides entertainment and educational activities for children, and early childhood development resources for adults to utilize for the betterment of youth wellbeing in Puerto Rico.

How We Generate Impact

Social Media Programs

Three to five minute programs provide information about a social problem of interest to youth using evidence-based information. They present ways by which young people can affect change in their communities and nationally to reduce these problems. Sign language is used to provide access to the hard-of-hearing population. Programs are published twice a month on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

School Interventions

We visit middle and high schools with the goal of discussing ways youth can increase community involvement and political participation. The technique “theater of the oppressed” created by Brazilian Augusto Boal, is used to educate youth about civic and political engagement.

Podcasts

A monthly podcast, called Generación Cambio (Change Generation). is directed by youth, who interview experts on topics like addictions, suicide prevention, climate change, to provide in-depth analysis and promote civic and political engagement. Podcasts are published on Spotify and Google Podcast

Research Projects

We are conducting two research projects to explore youth civic and political engagement.

Participation in public policies

Youth have been able to participate in policy initiatives related to child and youth poverty, mental health, gender violence prevention and disaster preparedness.

ACTIVISM

Youth have been able to participate in policy initiatives related to child and youth poverty, mental health, gender violence prevention and disaster preparedness.

FACEBOOK LIVES

Designed to briefly interview experts, providing audiences the opportunity to ask questions and engage with our invitees.

UNIVERSITY FORUMS

A dozen thematic panels were organized at the university to discuss social issues that affect youth. We also provide talks to students to promote civic engagement.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

Includes book drives for children, visits to children’s shelters and disadvantaged communities to read and sing with the children. Book readings are based on a child’s rights approach, particularly promoting the right to be heard and to participate.