AYEN aims to join the ranks of the many youth networks that are helping to address systemic environmental and social issues in Africa. The first step in doing so is building a membership base of talented and dedicated youth environmentalists, supported by a group of experienced mentors. These members will make up the core group of AYEN and will act as the frontline of AYEN initiatives.

This core group will be joined by youth members of varied professional backgrounds, interested in environmentalism, that can engage with AYEN to share knowledge and skills while working together to implement sustainable initiatives. Surrounding these direct AYEN members will be any individuals interested in the AYEN mission who would like to get involved in one capacity or another. These ‘sprout’ members will get access to AYEN’s weekly newsletters, be a part of the forum discussions, get invited to events, and have the opportunity to interact with more experienced people on the network.

The second step is to provide youth environmentalists with pathways to educate themselves, develop skills, engage with policy instruments, and work with projects on the ground to learn the process behind implementing sustainable solutions. This step involves creating partnerships, gathering funding, and creating initiatives that serve AYEN’s mission and its members.

The third step is creating a support network for members to idealise and implement their own sustainable projects wherever they are. This is a multivariate process that involves networking, training, funding, policy engagement, and more. The goal is to empower youth to engage with their communities directly, supplying them with what they need to get started, and then supporting them in their future efforts.