About Us

Who is the IYPF?

The IYPF is an Australian organisation, founded by 5 Australian young professionals, with an international membership and an international vision and mission. The IYPF celebrated its 5th birthday in October 2006 and has almost 1000 members and associate members in almost a hundred countries.

Our vision is a global community of Young Professionals creating a better world for current and future generations through local and global action.

Our mission is informing, inspiring and equipping young professionals as sustainability practitioners and social change agents.

Young Professionals are people in developing and developed countries with a professional attitude and a capacity through their skills, knowledge and emerging careers, to effect positive global change.

The IYPF is run by volunteers with funding for activities coming from membership fees, grants for specific initiatives, investment from individuals, and profits on events.

Read more about us at our website, our TIG profile, and join our group on Facebook.

We build and resource a global network of young professionals who are creating a better world for current and future generations through local and global action. We do this through 5 key activities:

1. Facilitating conversations and information sharing between young professionals that informs and inspires them to take action on important local and global issues through online communities, newsletters, blogs, publications, and presentations
2. Running projects that facilitate youth and young professional led social change, e.g. the Blueprint Project to nurture youth entrepreneurship; the otherWISE project to develop young sustainability leaders
3. Assisting young professionals to start and run successful community projects and local events
4. Convening regular international summits of young professionals
5. Growing and managing a Member Activities Fund to support young professional led projects, events and organisations and assist young professionals in their development as community leaders (starting in 2007)

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Why Do We Organise Summits?

Aim One - To inspire and equip young professionals to lead and contribute to a better world for current and future generations

• Delegates obtain a greater awareness of the need for, and benefits of, young professional engagement Delegates are equipped to return to their communities and run skills development and capacity building workshops for other young professionals
• Each delegate leaves the Summit having gained or polished a vital skill for their career and gained insight as to how they can contribute to a better world
• Each delegate is better versed on the important issues highlighted by the themes of the Summit, aware of the diverse opinions of other delegates from around the world, and knowledgeable about how they and others can become more involved in projects and activities in these areas

Aim Two - The creation and enhancement of young professional networks across the world

• There is ongoing collaboration between organisations represented at the IYPS
• Networks of young professionals from geographic regions are formed
• Delegates engage in existing and new projects in collaboration with others from the Summit

Aim Three - Provide an avenue for the engagement of Young Professionals in the IYPF.

• The Summits generate a greater awareness in delegates, speakers and
• IYPF staff members of the work done by the IYPF and its partner organisations
• The Summits generate new IYPF Full and Associate members and a greater network of interested young professionals
• There is an increased recognition of the IYPF within each of the delegates' communities and organisations
• Delegates review and celebrate the significant achievements of IYPF between the Summits