changemakers_for_the_planet

Changemakers
for the Planet

A Global Initiative

Through ‘Changemakers for the Planet’ we support, connect, and amplify the work and voices of hundreds of young changemakers, activists and innovators from all regions of the world who address the planetary crisis.

What We Do

We search, identify, and recruit young changemakers, activists and leaders, who tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, air, sea and land pollution.
We search, identify, and recruit young changemakers, activists and leaders, who tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, air, sea and land pollution.

The Initiative Tackles All Dimensions of the Planetary Crisis

climateaction_planetary_crisis1_biodiversity
Biodiversity
Unlike climate change, the slow-burning but equally devastating nature crisis has been invisible to large parts of the population. The world faces an accelerating loss of biodiversity, approximately 1 million animal and plant species are at risk of extinction, many of which could be completely wiped out within the next few years. Humanity must solve the climate and nature crises together or solve neither.
climateaction_planetary_crisis2_pollution
Pollution
Air, land and sea pollution around the world have reached unprecedented levels. Beyond the devastating impact on nature, it is now also one of the main causes of premature death in the world. Nine out of ten people worldwide breathe air that contains levels of pollutants that exceed WHO guidelines. We need scalable solutions to address pollution more than ever.
climateaction_planetary_crisis3_climate
Climate
Climate change is the defining crisis of our time. Rapidly rising temperatures are fuelling environmental degradation, natural disasters, weather extremes, food and water insecurity, conflict, and terrorism. “We are in the fight of our lives, and we are losing” Antonio Guterres told delegates at the COP27 summit. We need bold, urgent and radical collective action.
Picture2_CM4P LatAm 2023
The Changemakers for the Planet programme provides young leaders with bespoke support for their changemaking journey, in-person summits, funding for collaborative efforts and life-long access to ChangemakerXchange’s vibrant global network of changemakers & activists.

What You Can Expect as a Participant

Capacity Building
The program starts with an online kick-off call, followed by a needs assessment to help us make recommendations of support to participants based on their individual needs. The cohort will also have the opportunity to attend online group sessions based on their collective needs.
In-Person Summits
An immersive 5-day, in-person summit awaits all participants. Held in a breathtaking nature-based location in their respective region, this unique gathering is designed to forge deep connections, foster well-being, and sew the seeds for meaningful collaborations.
Collaboration Funding
The cohort is invited to explore collaborations between their initiatives, causes or areas of interest, and they can unlock funding to support these collaboration projects.
Community
Those who participate in the in-person summit have the opportunity to become lifelong members of the global ChangemakerXchange community. This means access to curated changemaking resources and regular opportunities to connect, learn, and co-create.

Feedback from Recent Summits

CMX-201

“Together, we are stronger, and if it is not for summits like this, it is easy to forget the power we have and the impact we can create together, collectively.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in MENA 2023
CXC EmpathyXchange 2021 © Hieronymus Caspar Rönneper 03

“I had a great time and it was very comforting, exciting and energising for me to attend this summit. I felt like I belonged, and felt valued in the group.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Europe 2023
Collaboration CXC South Africa 2018 © Ashoka Africa

“I am leaving the summit with a renewed energy and determination to contribute meaningfully to the challenges we discussed.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Sub-Saharan Africa 2023
Post It CM4TP LatAm 2023_Agustina Olmedo y Federico Sevilla

“For the first time, I had the opportunity to be in a place that really cared about me as a person, as an individual, so that I could make a difference and act for the planet.”

—  Feedback from a participant at Changemakers for the Planet in Latin America 2023

Our Community

At the heart of ChangemakerXchange is a vibrant close-knit community of 1000 changemakers from 130 countries working on a vast range of issues. Here are just a handful of climate changemakers who have taken part in this programme!
Farah Kamel Headshot 1
Farah Kamel, Dayma
Offering hands-on activities to inspire eco-consciousness, build a community of citizen scientists, and promote biomimicry  
Egypt
Tim Steppich
Tim Steppich, ClimatEU
Democratising access to the climate-tech sector by connecting climate companies with investors and talent
Germany
Charles Oyamo
Charles Oyamo, Rethread Africa
Turning agro-waste into sustainable textile alternatives to plastic-based synthetics
Kenya
Xiomara Acevedo
Xiomara Acevedo Navarro, Fundacion Barranquilla+20
Promoting climate action, biodiversity protection, gender equality, and water management through education and empowerment
Colombia

Programme Overview

The applications for the program in Europe and MENA in 2024 are now closed.

Changemakers for the Planet in Europe 2024

  • Online / Sweden
  • Deadline Passed
  • Supported by Apple
13353060-c0a9-4674-b5ed-5f05b9093cac
  • This programme is for Changemakers aged 18-35 based or having an impact in Europe and Israel with solutions to tackle the planetary crisis.
  • Participants are invited to join the ChangemakerXchange in-person Summit in Sweden from April 8 to 12, 2024.
  • For all eligibility criteria, please refer to our FAQs below.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom

Changemakers for the Planet in MENA 2024

  • Online / Egypt
  • Deadline Passed
  • Supported by Apple
CM4P Morocco 2023 © Said Kassed_09
  • This programme is for Changemakers aged 18-35 based or having an impact in the Middle East and North Africa with solutions to tackle the planetary crisis.
  • Participants are invited to join the ChangemakerXchange in-person Summit in Egypt from April 22 to 26, 2024.
  • For all eligibility criteria, please refer to our FAQs below.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES
Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, Yemen

More opportunities for changemakers based / with impact in other regions will be announced soon. Sign up to our waitlist now and stay tuned!

FAQ

Who is the Changemakers for the Planet programme for?

For the “Changemakers for the Planet” programme, we are looking for young changemakers who tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, air, sea and land pollution. We welcome applications from changemakers from a variety of backgrounds working to address the planetary crisis, including social entrepreneurs and innovators, social change agents and activists, and civil society leaders. We intentionally recruit a diverse variety of changemakers because the climate crisis requires an intersectional and coordinated approach between numerous stakeholders that are both tackling the root causes, and those who are responding to the changes which will affect society in a variety of ways.

Who are the partners for the Changemakers for the Planet programme?

Changemakers for the planet is an initiative by ChangemakerXchange, an international non-profit organisation with a mission to provide inclusive, supportive and collaborative spaces for changemakers, social innovators and activists from across the world.

The initiative is supported by various global partners, including:

SAP | for programmes in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America in 2023, as well as in the Middle East and North Africa in 2022.
Apple
| for programmes in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa in 2023 and 2024
Fondazione Cariplo & Robert Bosch Stiftung | for programmes in Europe in 2022

To learn more about our partnerships, including how to join the effort, please reach out to Nick McGirl at

Are there any knock-out criteria for joining the programme?

Country:

  • (for programme in Europe 2024) You must come from or currently living / having impact in Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
  • (for programme in MENA 2024) You must come from or currently living / having impact in Afghanistan, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Western Sahara, Yemen.

Age: For this programme you must be aged 18–35. Due to permission reasons, we focus on over 18s. (Please note that changemakers of all ages are welcome to join other activities like Train the Trainer programmes or activities or the Possibilists.)

Role: You are the founder/co-founder, leader/co-leader, manager/co-manager (or hold an influential position with decision-making power, e.g. intrapreneur) of a social/environmental venture/organisation which is up and running and addresses the planetary crisis.

Income generation: The organisation should currently be generating income, or have the potential to do so in the future.

Complete application: The application form must be fully completed – with no open questions or very obviously insufficient answers remaining. Only applications submitted before the deadline can be accepted.

Do I need to be the original founder or co-founder?

No, we also welcome applications from changemakers, who might have joined a program, venture or initiative at a later stage. However, it is important that you are in a clearly defined leadership position. We unfortunately cannot accept applications from other employees or volunteers.

Does my organisation / project have to fulfil certain criteria?

When assessing the work of changemakers who apply to become a part of ChangemakerXchange we usually take the following aspects into account:

  • Stage: The organisation should be beyond the idea stage and currently active.
  • Impact: The organisation should solve an issue within the sphere of the planetary crisis (biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change) and have some tangible impact.
  • Innovation: The organisation should show some elements of innovation for the specific context.

For the Changemakers for the Planet program in Europe and MENA, there is an additional criterion as follows:

  • Income generation: The organisation should currently be generating income, or have the potential to do so in the future.

What personal criteria are important to ChangemakerXchange?

  • Values: Applicants for a ChangemakerXchange summit should demonstrate an alignment with the CXC values.
  • Character: Applicants should show an entrepreneurial and creative mindset.
  • Motivation: Applicants should show motivation to co-create and collaborate.
  • Diversity: Diversity is also a critical criteria for us. The planetary crisis disproportionately affects society’s most at-risk individuals and regions. As such, we are putting a strong emphasis on curating cohorts that are diverse in terms of demographics and types of initiatives. Applicants from marginalised contexts and those with intersectional initiatives are a great fit for this programme and encouraged to apply!

Who covers the costs of my participation in the summit and programme?

Participants are asked to cover their own transportation costs to Sweden (for the Europe summit) and to Egypt (for the MENA Summit). ChangemakerXchange will cover ALL OTHER COSTS associated with the summit and programme, such as: accommodation, catering, local transportation, room hire, equipment & material, COVID-19 rapid tests, FFP2 masks, facilitation & hosting compensation, programme manager compensation, carbon emissions offsetting derived from the local hosting, post-summit capacity-building programme and post-summit community engagement activities.

What happens if I cannot afford the trip to the summit?

We always strive to make our summits accessible and inclusive so if your circumstances do not allow you to afford the trip to the summit, please state so in the application and confirmation form. We will evaluate the possibility of offering you a partial or full stipend to ensure you can join the summit.

Is there an interview as part of the selection process?

Given the high number of applications we receive and the limited staff capacity, only candidates who are being considered for the final shortlist will be invited to a short informal interview to ensure their suitability in the programme and their fit with the community. This informal interview will take place online and will be conducted by a member of the ChangemakerXchange core team or community member.

When and how will I hear back if I was selected?

The call for applications for Changemakers for the Planet programmes in Europe and MENA will be open from 17 October – 12 November 2023. Expect to hear back from us 3-4 weeks after the end of the deadline via e-mail (Around 15th of December).

Also, please note that you should have received a thank-you message when submitting your applications successfully and a short notification email from with a summary of your responses (please check your junk folder). If you did not see either, please contact us at .

Can I receive feedback on my application?

Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual feedback on each application. But we do send a thorough email to all applicants outlining the full application and selection process, as well as sharing useful resources for changemakers, which has always been appreciated by applicants in the past.

Can my co-founder join instead of me?

ChangemakerXchange invests first and foremost in the person, aka you. In the event that you cannot attend the summit anymore, we unfortunately cannot accept your co-founder as there are other candidates who went through the whole application process and have been waitlisted.

Can I join only part of the summit?

Unfortunately, no. The ChangemakerXchange summit is an intense and intentionally designed journey that makes sense if undertaken from start to end. This means we can only accept applicants who can commit to the full duration of the summit. Also, we will only allow participants who have joined all sessions on all days into the ChangemakerXchange community.

What is your approach to Disability Inclusion?

We strive to be as inclusive as possible as an organisation and for all our activities, including the in-person summits. This includes physical disabilities (i.e. needing a wheelchair, being deaf or blind), as well as cognitive disabilities (e.g. being neurodiverse). If you have any specific questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to .

Also, if needed, we will prepare a personalised “onboarding toolkit” ahead of the summit to answer any questions you might have RE disability inclusion.

What is your COVID-19 policy?

We take the COVID-19 pandemic extremely seriously. The health of our team, participants and partners is the highest priority for us! Since we cannot yet predict the exact situation at the time of the in-person summits in September 2023 we won’t be sharing recommendations and notes on restrictions just yet, but in case you are accepted as a participant please expect to receive an extensive COVID-19 briefing several weeks ahead of the summit.

Will you support with Visa applications?

Whilst we do everything (!) we can to support your visa application by providing you with an invitation letter and hotel confirmation, please know that we cannot call the embassies / consulates to push for your visa. You will be responsible for your visa application process.

What happens right after the summit?

Attending a ChangemakerXchange summit is the first step into the program, connecting you with our global community of 1000 changemakers from around the world. After the summit, you will be invited to reflect on whether you would like to join our vibrant global network of 1000+ changemakers from 130+ countries.

Also, as part of the specific programme you join, there is a modest budget to provide Funding to go towards systemic collaborative efforts among participants. And last, but not least we’d make personalised recommendations for support and connections, based on your needs.

What is the value of joining ChangemakerXchange?

We believe the words of our community do the best job of highlighting the value of joining ChangemakerXchange. Here’s just some of the feedback we’ve received from members throughout the years:

“I wanted to change the world for the better since I was 14. But everyone around me would tell me ‘be normal, go to college, get a job, don’t try to do more than you can’. After CXC, I realised that I don’t want to have a ‘normal’ life. I want an extraordinary life. I want to fully realise my mission to paint the world in bright colours of peace, unity, and love. And ChangemakerXchange catalysed the process of realising my mission. Thank you!”

“CXC is an incredible platform to change the mindset and perspective on many things (to the best of course). I can definitely say that I’ve been transformed, and I now have a much better understanding about what it takes to be a social entrepreneur, scaling impact and opening yourself to others.”

“CXC gave me a feeling of belonging. I have been part of many conferences and different communities, but CXC still feels like home because of the genuine values, the genuine goals and long-lasting friendships.”

 

As a member, what are opportunities to get engaged in the community?

Attending a ChangemakerXchange summit is the first step to joining a global community of ~1000 changemakers from all over the world. Once you are part of the community, there are several engagement opportunities you can benefit from, including: 

  • Joining our private Facebook and Linked groups where you can engage with the rest of our community members from all over the world.
  • Joining the Bosch Alumni Network to access various opportunities such as job vacancies, workshops, seminars, travel grants, etc.
  • Joining additional community engagement activities to expand your network, connect with other members, and collaborate to amplify your impact.
  • Joining our Global Facilitation Pool to facilitate CXC-like experiences for other changemakers around the world.
  • Becoming a Community Host to bring the CXC summit experience to your country.
  • Becoming a Community Advisor to give feedback to the CXC core team on all-things strategy.
  • Getting access to a range of offerings and platforms offered by our partners, including everything from learning exchange grants to pro-bono coaching and law support.
  • Attending the Global Co-Creation Summit to shape the future of the community.

The beauty of ChangemakerXchange is that it is a very dynamic and constantly evolving community, continuously shaped by the needs and feedback of its members. 

 

Walking the walk

While our approach to climate action is rooted in systems-level change, it is complemented by the belief that individual action and embodying our own principles and values is crucial.

ChangemakerXchange Office in Berlin
We have developed a Sustainability Manifesto that guides our sustainability efforts and ensures all our activities minimise their negative impact on the environment. For example, this includes the use of 100% renewable energy for our servers and our office, a “vegan only” office policy, and sustainable stationery.
ChangemakerXchange Summit
All our staff have the option to devote 10% of their time to climate action initiatives, including joining protests and supporting local grassroots initiatives.
CXC EmpathyXchange 2019 © Piotr Loj
We offset the carbon emissions of ALL our historic, current, and future activities, but also acknowledge the limits of traditional offsetting and, particularly due to the fact that ChangemakerXchange is incorporated in Germany we have reframed our offsets as ‘Climate reparations’ and through this, we make direct donations to youth-led climate action in the Global South.
Check out our list of climate action resources for changemakers where you can find everything from ‘navigating climate grief’ to tools to assess how well your company or country is performing on climate measures to digital storytelling toolkits for climate activists.