New Global Talent Search For ‘Gretas Of The Future’ Launched

Calling all young people with a desire to change the world: a new youth-talent programme is looking for you.

The initiative, named Rise, is recruiting talented 15 to 17-year-olds from across the globe who are committed to helping others and tackling the world’s most pressing issues.

It is inspired by a long list of young people making a positive impact, including chess prodigy Tani Adewumi and activists Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai.

The initiative is being led by Oxford University’s The Rhodes Trust and is in partnership with Schmidt Futures, founded by philanthropists Wendy and Eric Schmidt.

The programme’s Head of Strategy, Cassie Crockett, told BBC News:

From young people today we see an immense amount of care and concern for the world around them and what’s more exciting is we see that manifest as concrete action.

Rise seeks to build a ‘global community of rising leaders’ working to serve others. They will receive a ‘lifetime of personalised support, including scholarships, mentorship, and access to funding to develop their ideas.

In a press release yesterday, November 16, Wendy Schmidt said:

Today’s young people will face a rapidly changing world of challenges on a scale unprecedented in human history. We hope to engage tomorrow’s leaders across the globe, providing education and unique opportunities for them to identify problems, solutions, and ways they can work together, for a lifetime, in the service of humanity.

Eric Schmidt said the aim is to harness the power of technology to find talented young people ‘who would otherwise go undiscovered and unsupported’ and ‘give them the resources to use their talents for good throughout their lives’.

Many young people, despite being exceptional, often face a multitude of barriers that stop them from helping others, Eric Braverman, the CEO of Schmidt Futures said.

He added:

We have challenges relating to climate, to the benefits of economic development, to healthcare, as we can all see, all around the world, and we think to get the best solutions for the planet, you have to bet on exceptional people, you have to bet on human ingenuity and you have to do it early, and globally, and over and over again for a long time.

Applications are now open until January 29, 2021. Rather than evaluating candidates based on grades or test scores, the application process seeks out those that can demonstrate perseverance, empathy, and integrity.

The first cohort of recruits will be announced in July 2021.

If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]