Locations
Youth
From Ideas to Impact: YOUTH in Action
At UNDP in Viet Nam, we believe that young people are not only the leaders of tomorrow: they are essential changemakers today. Our work is about helping Vietnamese youth reach their full potential and actively contribute to a more inclusive, just, and sustainable future for all.
We work with and for young people to:
- Build skills and open doors to decent employment, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
- Give youth the tools and opportunities to take action on climate change.
- Create spaces where youth voice matters in decisions and policies.
- Ensure all youth, regardless of their background, can participate fully.
Together with youth, we are building a future that is more innovative, inclusive, resilient, and leaves no one behind.
Economic Empowerment
We want young people to have the skills, confidence, and support to succeed in the green and digital economy.
Through Youth Co:Lab (co-led with Citi Foundation), we have
- Engaged 3,000+ youth
- Trained 700+ young entrepreneurs.
- Incubated 75+ youth-led startups since 2018.
Around 40% of participants are from marginalized communities, and over half are women, making sure opportunities are truly inclusive.
With the Youth Digital Citizen Challenge (YDCC), we help youth create civic tech and digital solutions that benefit communities. Since 2021, we have:
- Reached 700+ youth in 16 provinces.
- Developed 43 prototypes, with 50% led by vulnerable youth.
- Started new work on digital literacy for climate action in the Mekong Delta.
Climate Action
Young people have the energy and creativity to lead Viet Nam’s climate solutions.
Through Youth4Climate initiative - launched in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, now Ministry of Agriculture and Environment - we help youth-led climate groups:
- Gain skills
- Connect with policy processes.
- Turn ideas into action.
The Youth4Climate Policy Working Group (YPWG) empowers young researchers and advocates to influence policies. In 2025, they published two youth-led reports on Just Energy Transition and Climate Change Education.
We are also developing the Roadmap on Youth Engagement in Viet Nam’s NDCs, outlining long-term youth involvement in the country’s climate commitments.
Participation and Inclusion
We make sure young people can actively participate in shaping the decisions that affect their lives, especially those from marginalized groups, including women, ethnic minorities, LGBTIQ+ youth, and persons with disabilities.
Our work includes:
- Safe spaces for youth to share their stories, discuss rights, and promote social justice.
- Civic engagement through initiatives like PAPI – where youth help gather citizen feedback to improve governance
- Capacity building for youth networks so they can lead advocacy and influence change.
Partnerships for Youth Action
Change happens faster when we work together. We partner with ministries, development organizations, universities, youth networks, and civil society to:
- Identify what young people need most.
- Test new solutions.
- Help youth play bigger roles in development.
We are always looking for partners who share our vision for youth in Viet Nam – ready to co-create practical, inclusive solutions that reflect diverse perspectives and real-life needs.
We welcome partners who share this commitment to work with us in a spirit of openness, learning, and shared responsibility to expand what’s possible for youth in Viet Nam.
The future belongs to youth – and it starts now.
