The HundrED Youth Ambassador Programme in partnership with International Baccalaureate and Festival of Hope is a global movement of young people united by their passion for creating positive, meaningful impact. Yet, the community is what supports you in the chance of creating something impactful.
I was in the midst of finishing my college applications when the next prompt read: “Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define the community however you like.”
My first thought was the HundrED community.
“Let’s do a round of introductions!” The Zoom tile glowed around Ecem, a Youth Committee (YC) member whose warmth seemed to radiate through the thousands of miles between us. I sat in silence, my cursor hovering over the “Mute” button. I had been raised on the mantra “don’t trust strangers online,” viewing digital spaces as transactional and cold. But she broke the ice: “Your project - it’s a niche yet transformative one that could impact your community. You got this.”
Inclusivity is highly welcome here. Small, genuine conversations shape our community. Words of encouragement mean everything. Conversations reaching flow state, perspectives fostered, the way everyone showed up with sincerity and excitement when having a YC meeting in the middle of the night, the supportive and energy brought has always motivated this community.
As a YC member, equality in participation, support for changemaking and fostering a growth mindset for youth ambassadors are one of our main goals, but ensuring that in an online supportive community in the ever-changing world of technology, is difficult. The profound need for human connection is to create and establish meaningful connection.
In the ever-changing world of digital technology, there is no doubt that humans are losing their connection between their peers, often opting for digital connection rather than face-to-face connection. However, studies have proved that humans crave social interaction, and being able to voice your thoughts and perspectives have been crucial for personal development and growth. Thus, the profound need for human connection is more elusive than ever, the greatest goldmines of the power of connecting is how to create and establish meaningful connection.
This comes in abundant through the Homeroom groups, a initiative that prompted YCs launching 1:1 mentoring for 15 youth ambassadors; Youth-led sessions, where YCs and occasionally youth ambassadors to discuss on their topics of choice, ranging from emotional health to digital toolkits, these sessions that were most passionate about was translate the action into a voice.
A voice of changemaking something inspiring yet allowed others to feel the same type of passion and inspiration that you had everyday, was a testament to my personal growth.
Yet, the growth point came during a midnight YC meeting. While my family slept, I was in a “flow state” with peers from five different continents. We weren’t just discussing youth ambassadors and their participation; we were debating how to ensure equal participation in a world where technology often deepens the digital divide. I realized that my "superpower" wasn’t just reflected in my research, but my ability to foster sincere inclusion. I moved from a passive listener to a proactive “bridge builder,” checking in on quieter members and ensuring that “niche” ideas were given the floor.
The power of connecting is the opportunity to learn from values and perspectives diagonally different from the concepts that we have always considered as the norm. “Do not trust strangers online” was something I have broken, engaging conversations with peers from all over the globe, to build relationships with others, demonstrate leadership, communication and global open-mindness. To think about what language and culture we represented but we were united as a whole community - it hits me hard that everyone is truly diverse, passionate and ambitious youths.
This community means showing up for others. The unwavering support, guidance and love from all over the globe, the shared passion for changemaking to bring change and value to youth ambassadors, is what a “community“ should feel like. A positive and welcoming environment, within the team and to the cohort of youth ambassadors, will lead meaningful change in the globe, in terms of virtual friendships, shattering stereotypes, and intercultural dialogue in practice.
These experiences have taught me to challenge communication, valuing diversity and engagement and to learn more from others around me.
Without a doubt, one of the greatest goldmines of the power of connecting is the opportunity to learn both from values and perspectives diagonally different from the conceptions we have always considered as standard. Our culture (including our experiences, education, perspectives) often leads us to grow up with a very fixed, predetermined, and conditioned worldview, preventing us from seeing beyond it.
Nonetheless, through the Youth Ambassador Program, we understood that there are as many ways to see the world as there are people in it.
This community challenged my definition of “home.” It taught me that proximity isn’t a prerequisite for intimacy. I learned to value perspectives diametrically different from the concepts that we have always considered as the norm, transforming my skepticism into a radical open-mindedness. To think about what language and culture we represented but we were united as a whole community - it hits me hard that everyone is truly diverse, passionate and ambitious youths.
Connecting with lots of people, no matter your language, country, borders… And it’s these types of connections that last a lot in our lives.
This community means showing up for others and creating impactful change.
About the author: Tsam Wa Tou is an active member of the Youth Ambassador community. She was part of the Youth Committee throughout 2025, a role where she helped developing the Programme and mentoring fellow Youth Ambassadors.