World Assembly of Youth

What World Assembly of Youth does

The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) is a Malaysia-headquartered, non-profit international coordinating body for national youth councils and youth organisations, founded in 1949. WAY operates as a network convener and policy interlocutor spanning 122 of 198 countries, organising member councils around 21 defined youth issue areas that include education, employment, environment, human rights, democracy, health, and climate change. The organisation does not sell goods or services in the commercial sense; it coordinates, convenes, and builds capacity for its member organisations, supplemented by donor-funded programme delivery.

WAY's core offerings are programmatic rather than productised. Flagship deliverables include the World Youth Institute (WYI) for capacity building, the E-University Lifelong Learning Platform operated in partnership with MyMobileUniversity, the Global Youth Policies Interactive Map covering 198 countries, the Youth Issues Platform, and recurring convening events such as the General Assembly, International Youth Forums, Regional Youth Parliaments, and the annual Global Youth Peace Fest. Technology components are standard: a Wix-hosted website, email and social channels for distribution, Biteable for video, and the MyMobileUniversity platform for e-learning. No proprietary AI/ML, data infrastructure, or commercial software product is disclosed.

The business model is non-profit and membership-funded. Primary revenue comes from membership fees paid by national youth councils and youth organisations, supplemented by project grants and donor funding (Sweden is named for the Regional Youth Parliament on Climate Action) and programmatic partnerships with UN agencies (UNDP, UN Women, UNICEF, UNEP, Climate Parliament). Go-to-market is event-driven and community-led: engagement is anchored on global convenings (General Assemblies, Peace Fests, Regional Youth Parliaments) and UN platform participation (HLPF, ECOSOC Youth Forum, UNGA). Customer segments are member national youth councils, partner UN agencies, and institutional donors; no member-level revenue concentration is disclosed.

Name

World Assembly of Youth

Legal name

World Assembly of Youth

Website

https://way.org.my

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) is a Malaysia-headquartered non-profit, founded in 1949, that coordinates a global network of national youth councils and youth organisations across 122 of 198 countries, delivering capacity building, policy advocacy, and convening events on 21 youth issues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Access & Quality (International Development) (BPAGABAE), In-Country Placement, Homestay & On-Ground Coordination Services (EDAIAGAM), Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs (HLAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• International youth coordination
• Youth advocacy networks
• Youth policy research
• Youth capacity building

Headquarters

HQ city

Melaka

HQ country

Malaysia

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: WAY generates revenue through membership fees from national youth councils and national youth organisations. The organization operates a membership application process for organizations seeking to join.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) is the international coordinating body of national youth councils and national youth organisations. It delivers programs, research, advocacy, and capacity-building initiatives across 21 youth issue areas including education, employment, environment, human rights, democracy, health, gender equality, and leadership training. Its offerings include the World Youth Institute (WYI), an E-University lifelong learning platform in partnership with MyMobileUniversity, a global Volunteer Programme, a Global Youth Policies Interactive Map, and educational video content.

Product overview

The World Assembly of Youth (WAY) operates as a coordinated suite of programs and platforms rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the World Youth Institute (WYI) for empowerment and capacity building, the E-University Lifelong Learning Platform (partnered with MyMobileUniversity) for accessible education, the Volunteer Programme linking over 1200 global volunteers, the Global Youth Policies Interactive Map for policy tracking across 198 countries, and the Youth Issues Platform addressing 21 youth-related research topics. Additional offerings include the General Assembly as the primary deliberative body, the annual Global Youth Peace Fest event, and educational video content covering youth issues. These programs work together to advance WAY's mission of coordinating national youth councils and promoting youth welfare globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• World Youth Institute (WYI) A leading institution for empowerment and capacity building through education, training, and development programmes that provides an intellectual and practical platform for youth from all over the world, fostering global connections and enhancing relationships between youth worldwide.
• E-University (Lifelong Learning Platform) A Lifelong Learning Platform established in partnership with MyMobileUniversity that provides free and accessible learning materials for young people worldwide.
• Volunteer Programme A platform established in 2006 that links youth who seek to develop as a dedicated group willing to assist WAY in its programmes and activities around the world, currently with over 1200 volunteers from all over the world.
• Global Youth Policies Interactive Map An interactive map providing a visual overview of the status of national youth policy frameworks across the world, showing which of 198 countries have established national youth policies.
• Youth Issues Platform A research and information platform addressing twenty-one youth-related topics including education, employment, HIV/AIDS, armed conflicts, democracy, human rights, environment, ICT, gender equality, and leadership training.
• Educational Videos Informative, educative, and illustrative video materials on global youth issues and WAY's perspective in addressing them, covering topics including Gender Equality, HIV/AIDS, Armed Conflicts, Democracy, Education, Health, Human Rights, Environment, ICT, and Leadership Training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1200+ volunteers from all over the world participating in WAY programmes
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025WAY engages youth at the UN High Level Political Forum, the central platform for assessing progress on the 2030 Agenda. WAY provides accreditation support and facilitates youth participation in HLPF processes.
• United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025WAY participates in ECOSOC Youth Forum and is pursuing ECOSOC consultative status. The forum is a key platform for youth contribution to UN policy and action discussions.
• Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform (YECAP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024YECAP is a key strategic partner for WAY's climate action initiatives. Together with UNDP, Climate Parliament, UN Women, UNICEF, and The Earth, WAY co-organizes the Regional Youth Parliament on Climate Action (RYPCA) which empowers young people in Asia-Pacific to engage in climate governance.
• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024UNDP partners with WAY on youth climate action through YECAP and RYPCA. WAY participates in UNDP-coordinated platforms for youth engagement in sustainable development processes and climate governance.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024UN Women collaborates with WAY on gender equality and women's empowerment initiatives. Partnership includes joint implementation of the EmPower Programme and participation in RYPCA dialogue.
• UNICEFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024UNICEF East Asia-Pacific and UNICEF Regional Office for South Asia partner with WAY on youth development initiatives, particularly through RYPCA and other youth empowerment programmes.
• Climate ParliamentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 September 2024Climate Parliament works with WAY on the Regional Youth Parliament on Climate Action (RYPCA) to engage youth in climate governance and policy advocacy.
• MyMobileUniversitycoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2011WAY established a Lifelong Learning Platform called E-University in partnership with MyMobileUniversity. This platform provides free and accessible learning materials for young people worldwide through way.edu4u.today.
• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNEP collaborates with WAY through the YECAP joint implementation on climate action and environmental sustainability programmes.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• World YMCA: World YMCA is a global federated youth-focused organisation coordinating national YMCAs across 120+ countries. Like WAY, it operates as an international coordinating body running youth leadership, advocacy, and capacity-building programmes worldwide.
• AIESEC: AIESEC is a youth-led global organisation operating in 100+ countries with a focus on youth leadership development, international volunteering, and cross-cultural exchanges. It overlaps with WAY's international volunteer programme and youth empowerment mandate.
• World YWCA: World YWCA is a global federation of national YWCAs focused on young women's empowerment, leadership, and human rights. Its membership-based coordination model, advocacy on issues like gender equality and HIV/AIDS, and UN engagement closely mirror WAY's structure.
• Restless Development: Restless Development is an international youth-led development agency operating across Africa and Asia, focused on youth participation, advocacy, and leadership. Comparable to WAY in its mission-driven, volunteer-powered youth development model.
• Junior Achievement Worldwide: Junior Achievement is one of the world's largest youth-serving NGOs, delivering education on work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy across 100+ countries. Overlaps with WAY's education, employment, and leadership training programmes.

Emerging players

• Ashoka: Ashoka is a global organisation that supports youth social entrepreneurs and changemakers across 90+ countries. Overlaps with WAY on youth leadership and empowerment, though Ashoka focuses specifically on social entrepreneurship rather than broader advocacy.
• DoSomething.org: DoSomething.org is a US-based but globally active youth social impact platform engaging millions of young people in volunteer campaigns and civic action. Comparable to WAY in mobilising youth through volunteer and advocacy programmes, though with a digital-first approach.

Broad incumbents

• UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund): UNFPA is the UN agency focused on youth and adolescent reproductive health, gender equality, and population issues. Its youth programmes intersect with WAY's mandate on health, gender, and human rights for young people.
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC): IFRC is a global humanitarian network of 191 national societies with significant youth volunteer and leadership programmes. Comparable to WAY in coordinating national member organisations on a global scale with UN engagement.
• UNICEF: UNICEF is a UN agency with a global mandate for child and youth welfare, education, and rights. WAY already partners with UNICEF, and the agency's youth programmes cover overlapping thematic areas including education, health, and climate action.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/way_hq
• Facebookfacebook.com/way.headquarters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-assembly-of-youth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about World Assembly of Youth