As part of the Connect for Global Change (CGC) initiative, we are implementing "Handprint" project in 2026 in collaboration with Nuorten Akatemia (Youth Academy in Finland). The project aims to strengthen upper secondary students’ skills to act as active citizens and influence global issues. The broader international CGC initiative seeks to empower especially young people and underrepresented groups to build a more inclusive, equal, and sustainable world.

According to research, young people’s sense of security and belief in the future are rapidly declining. The 2023 Youth Barometer showed that 58% of young people experienced significant insecurity related to climate change, 57% were concerned about youth marginalization, and 40% were worried about increasing inequality and racist violence. The 2024 barometer also revealed a concerning shift: optimism about the future had dropped from 79–86% to just 61%.

In this project, a two-part school visit programme will be co-created with young people, addressing climate change, gender equality, and inequality both in Finland and globally. In addition to Finnish youth, the content is being developed together with young people from Kenya, Sámi youth, and Roma youth. In Kenya, the project involves young advocates from the Makueni region who were trained in 2025.

The school visit programme developed in the project will be available for booking in autumn 2026.

The project is co-funded by the European Union. Nuorten Akatemia and Mifuko Trust are solely responsible for its content, which does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.