International Youth Federation

What International Youth Federation does

The International Youth Federation (IYF) is an international non-profit organization governed by Swiss civil law, headquartered in London at International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct. It operates as a membership-based federation of national youth organizations across more than 50 countries, organized under five regional administrations covering Africa, Asia & Pacific, Middle East, Europe, and the Americas & Caribbean. IYF positions itself as a member of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and pursues youth empowerment through three programmatic pillars: Capacity Building, Civic Engagement, and Innovation, aimed at advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

IYF's product surface centers on the IYF Digital Platforms (website at iyfweb.org and the IYF Application) plus a set of programmatic offerings: Capacity Building Programs, a Mental Health Platform providing online/mobile psychological resources and consultations, Women's Empowerment Programs, Sport for Development, Innovation Programs, and an NGO Accreditation System under the Global Youth Empowerment Strategy. Country-level sub-products include the Young Leaders Development Programme in Sudan, the Young Development Leaders Program in Kuwait, and the #LeadersDialogue series. Technical differentiation is minimal: the platforms are described as standard content and consultation services with no disclosed AI/ML, APIs, SDKs, or proprietary model stack.

IYF's business model is a non-profit federation funded through membership and accreditation fees paid by member youth organizations, partnerships and grants from governments and international organizations (UN agencies, IOM, UNDP), and donations and contributions. GTM is community-led through national member organizations and regional administrations, and event-driven through workshops, leadership dialogues, and participation in UN forums. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Customer segments include youth globally (primary), women and girls (primary), national youth organizations (accreditation buyers), and government bodies (program partners). The organization is led by President Julia Blocher (appointed 2018) and Secretary-General Saeed Zaki, with regional directors across the five regions.

Name

International Youth Federation

Legal name

International Youth Federation

Website

https://iyfweb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The International Youth Federation is a Swiss-law-governed, London-headquartered non-profit federation of national youth organizations across 50+ countries, delivering capacity building, civic engagement, mental health, and innovation programs funded by membership fees, grants, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (611), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD), Education Systems & Skills Technical Assistance (BPADAEAI)

Keywords

• Youth empowerment programs
• Capacity building training
• NGO accreditation services
• Mental health platforms
• Leadership development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership and Accreditation Fees: IYF provides NGO accreditation services to youth organizations and generates revenue through membership fees from national youth organizations in member countries.
2. Partnerships and Grants: IYF operates as a non-profit organization funded through partnerships with governments, international organizations like the UN, and development agencies.
3. Donations and Contributions: IYF accepts donations and contributions to support youth empowerment programs and sustainable development initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The International Youth Federation delivers youth empowerment services through capacity building, civic engagement, and innovation programs for young people worldwide. It operates digital platforms (iyfweb.org website and IYF App), a youth-focused online mental health clinic, structured programs in women's empowerment and sport for development, and an NGO accreditation system that grants international recognition to youth organizations across 50+ member countries.

Product overview

The International Youth Federation operates a unified digital platform (IYF Digital Platforms) comprising its website and mobile application that serves as the central hub for youth engagement. The organization offers multiple programmatic products including a Mental Health Platform providing online/mobile mental health services, Capacity Building Programs, Women's Empowerment Programs, Sport for Development initiatives, and Innovation Programs featuring labs and hackathons. Additionally, the NGO Accreditation System provides quality assurance for youth organizations internationally. These products work together under the federation's core focus areas of capacity building, civic participation, and innovation to achieve sustainable development goals through youth empowerment worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• IYF Digital Platforms (Website and Mobile Application) The IYF Website (iyfweb.org) and IYF Application provide the central digital hub for IYF's youth engagement services, delivering content, programs, and software tools for youth participation worldwide.
• Online/Mobile Mental Health Clinic for Youth A global online/mobile mental health clinic designed specifically for youth, providing accessible psychological support, resources, assessments, professional consultations, and awareness campaigns to improve youth mental health conditions.
• Capacity Building Programs Initiatives focused on equipping youth with skills, knowledge, and resources for leadership and innovation through comprehensive training programs, mentorship, and resource provision.
• Women's Empowerment Programs Programs aimed at promoting gender equality and empowering women through policies, training, mentorship, economic support, and advocacy for women's rights.
• Sport for Development Sports-based interventions addressing social issues such as education, health, gender equality, social inclusion, and peace-building through youth empowerment and community development.
• Innovation Programs Social innovation initiatives leveraging youth creativity to address global challenges through innovation labs, hackathons, incubator programs, and collaborative platforms.
• NGO Accreditation System A quality assurance and accreditation process for youth organizations under the Global Youth Empowerment Strategy (GYES), providing international recognition and facilitating communication between organizations and the international community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 young leaders graduated from first cohort of Young Development Leaders program in Kuwait
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Al-Faisal Cultural Center (Sudan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2019IYF Sudan and Al-Faisal Cultural Center signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on youth development initiatives aligned with Sustainable Development Goals. The center was granted 'Registered Partner' status for two years. Both institutions work together on youth empowerment programs, innovation, and civic participation to achieve sustainable development goals in Sudan.
• UN Volunteers Programme (Sudan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 December 2018IYF Sudan collaborated with UN Volunteers Programme in Sudan to celebrate International Volunteers Day. The partnership includes joint activities for youth volunteering, community building, and the launch of the State of the World's Volunteering Report 2018.
• United NationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIYF is a member of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The organization participates in UN forums, engages with UN agencies on youth issues, and works toward achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
• General Authority for Youth (Kuwait)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIYF Kuwait works in partnership with the General Authority for Youth to implement youth empowerment programs including the Young Development Leaders program. The collaboration includes training workshops and capacity building activities for Kuwaiti youth.
• Youth News Network (Kuwait)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partnership with Youth News Network for media coverage and promotion of youth development activities in Kuwait.
• Hashetqat Newspaper (Kuwait)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerStrategic partnership with Hashetqat electronic newspaper for media coverage and awareness campaigns for youth programs in Kuwait.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIYF Sudan collaborated with UNDP Sudan to celebrate International Anti-Corruption Day. The partnership focuses on youth empowerment as a tool against corruption and for sustainable development.
• International Organization for Migration (IOM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIYF President Julia Blocher attended and co-chaired sessions at the International Dialogue on Migration organized by IOM, focusing on youth as key partners in migration governance.
• Young Volunteers for Environment ZambiaminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIYF Zambia Representative Mwape Lillian Chibuye collaborated with YVE Zambia as organizing team to promote sustainable energy in schools and communities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Restless Development: International non-profit focused on youth leadership and civic participation in Africa and Asia, with country offices and youth advisory models. Directly comparable to IYF in international youth programming, training cohorts, and government/UN partnership approach.
• AIESEC: Global youth-led network operating in 100+ countries focused on leadership development and cross-cultural exchange. Directly comparable to IYF as an international youth federation with regional chapters, capacity-building programs, and global mobility/leadership mandate.
• Junior Achievement Worldwide: Global nonprofit delivering youth education in work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy across 100+ countries. Closely comparable to IYF's capacity-building, civic participation and innovation pillars serving youth via member organizations.
• World Organization of the Scout Movement: Global, Swiss-headquartered federation of national Scout organizations in 170+ countries dedicated to youth empowerment, leadership and civic engagement. Comparable to IYF as a youth-development federation operating across global regions under Swiss jurisdiction with member accreditation.
• YMCA (World YWCA / World YMCA): Global federation of national YMCAs delivering youth empowerment, leadership, sport and well-being programs in 120+ countries. Directly comparable to IYF in international youth federation structure, sport-for-development, and women's/girls empowerment offerings.

Emerging players

• TakingITGlobal: Digital-first NGO connecting young global citizens through online programs, advocacy and innovation. Compares to IYF's digital platforms (IYF website/app) and innovation pillar, but smaller-scale and more technology-native in delivery.

Broad incumbents

• UNESCO Youth and Sport / UNESCO Associated Schools: UN agency with a dedicated Youth and Sport portfolio building global youth civic engagement, training and policy capacity. Comparable as a UN-affiliated, internationally funded body with overlapping youth capacity-building mission and broader scope.
• UNICEF Generation Unlimited: UNICEF-led global multi-stakeholder partnership for youth aged 10–24 focused on education, skills training, and engagement. Comparable as a UN-affiliated, globally governed youth empowerment initiative with similar SDG-aligned mission and government/UN co-funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iyfworld
• Facebookfacebook.com/iyfworld
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-youth-federation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Youth Federation