Unique Perspectives (UP) for Change (January 2023 - present)

Imagine a classroom where every child’s unique learning style is embraced, rather than overlooked- this vision is at the heart of Unique Perspectives (UP) for Change, an initiative run by the International Youth Foundation (IYF) with support from Oak Foundation. UP for Change aims to create more equitable educational outcomes for young people with learning differences in the United States. Youth with learning differences, or neurodivergent youth, whether diagnosed or undiagnosed with conditions such as Dyslexia, ADHD, Dyscalculia, language impairments, and writing challenges, often encounter additional barriers to success in traditional educational settings and beyond. They frequently find themselves marginalized, lacking appropriate support to access the same opportunities as their peers.  Compounding this issue is the fact that when schools and organizations attempt to address these challenges, the voices of those most affected—neurodivergent young people—are often excluded from the decision-making process.  

UP for Change is committed to bridging this gap by involving young people in a participatory grantmaking process to fund organizations and activities that promote more equitable education for students with learning differences, particularly those who experience further marginalization due to racism and poverty.  

To accomplish this goal, IYF created the UP for Change Leadership Program. This innovative program was designed to equip youth with the knowledge and skills to effectively lead four key stages of a grantmaking cycle to issue and manage 600,000 dollars in grants. These activities range from co-creating a request for proposals, reviewing applications, and selecting grant recipients, to conducting formative assessments and convening key stakeholders for a learning event to share and build knowledge about what works best for diverse learners.