Ashoka has teamed up with Goodwall and other partners to launch the BetterTogether programme to help counter some of the negative effects young people are facing from the coronavirus crisis.

About the BetterTogether Programme

Between 1 August – 16 September, Ashoka will help Goodwall and other partners promote a series of 10 challenges on the Goodwall platform which aim to help students and young professionals gain experience, develop skills, and connect with like-minded peers.

The BetterTogether programme will help young people all around the world build better habits and routines to become more productive and creative as they prepare for the post-COVID-19 workplace. As Ashoka envisions a world where everyone has the opportunity to be a changemaker, these challenges aim to address and awaken the changemaker in every participant by introducing them to an array of small actions they can take.

Programme participants will have the chance to win a wide variety of awards, including certificates, scholarships, internships, event invitations, online development courses, lifestyle subscriptions, cash prizes, and more. Ashoka will provide 50 tickets to a very special event it is hosting later this year.

On top of the challenges and prizes, there will be live AMA speaker sessions several times a week allowing participants to be inspired by and chat with coaches, mentors, and possible future employers. Notable speakers include model and actress Shreya Patel, a voice for female empowerment; Marie-Claire Graf, UN Youth Climate Champion; Fred Henderson, co-founder of Ecosia; Derek Pellard of the NASA Mars programme; Vaitea Cowan, co-founder of greentech company Enapter; and over a dozen others. Members also get the opportunity to connect with over 1.5 million members from 150+ countries around the world.

Students, entrepreneurs, and young professionals anywhere can participate in the BetterTogether programme by downloading the Goodwall app on iOS or Android. Through the month of August and the beginning of September, those wishing to participate in the challenges can do so by posting short videos, pitching their ideas, and showcasing their achievements. 

Visit the link to learn more: https://www.goodwall.io/bettertogether/ashoka/.

Timeline of Programme Events

Here is a simple summary of the BetterTogether calendar of events:

Challenge 1: Set a Goal (1–6 Aug) - This challenge encourages young people to set goals for the second half of 2020 which will help them focus, stay motivated, and hold themselves accountable.

Challenge 2: Achievement (7–9 Aug) - In this challenge, those taking part will be asked to post an achievement they’re proud of and share it with the Goodwall community.

Challenge 3: Resilience (10–13 Aug) - Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg once said: “Like a muscle, you can build resilience. Finding gratitude and appreciation is key to resilience.” In this challenge, participants will be prompted to share something they’re grateful for.

Challenge 4: Do What You Love (14–16 Aug) - Members participating in this challenge are encouraged to share their idea of a dream career and identify what needs to happen to turn it into a reality.

Challenge 5: Female Empowerment (17–20 Aug) - This event is intended purely to empower women and uplift girls. Challenge participants will be prompted to share a post about how a female mentor or role model has helped to shape their lives for the better.

Challenge 6: Equality & Justice (21–27 Aug) - To stand with the #BlackLivesMatter movement in solidarity, this challenge requests that members define what equality means to them and post an action which could help make the world fairer for everyone.

Challenge 7: SDGs (28–30 Aug) - The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a framework to help make a better, more sustainable future for us all. We challenge members here to identify the most important SDG to them and what they’re doing to help.

Challenge 8: Small Act, Big Impact (31 Aug–3 Sep) - Just as wearing a mask can help to flatten the curve, even the smallest acts can have a large impact on others. Participants are prompted to share one small, daily act they could achieve which could have a large impact on society.

Challenge 9: Support an Impactful Organisation (4–6 Sep) - Participants of this challenge are asked to share with the community a meaningful and impactful organisation they support and explain why it deserves support and visibility.

Challenge 10: Pitch Your Project (7–16 Sep) - In the final challenge, we ask participants to pitch a project or idea that could realistically help make our planet a better place for everyone. 

Members can choose to respond to as many of the challenges as they wish, and each challenge has its own unique prize organized by Goodwall. To earn the official certificate of completion, a digital document endorsed by top universities and employers, members will need to participate in at least half of the challenges. At the end of the BetterTogether programme, 1 participant will win the grand prize (to be revealed at a later date).

About Goodwall

Goodwall is the next-generation community and social development network built specifically for the needs of Gen Z and younger millennials. Goodwall aims to help students, entrepreneurs, and young professionals by giving them a platform to pitch ideas, share achievements, showcase their talents, highlight their experience, meet like-minded peers, locate jobs and internships, find scholarships, and seek and provide support.

The Goodwall community is made up of over 1.5 million members from 150+ countries across the globe. With 5+ million job and internship opportunities, more than $1 million in scholarships and awards, thousands of volunteer events, and hundreds of online courses, Goodwall is well-prepared to help navigate students and young professionals through this new decade.