The International Youth Federation Country Team in Sudan is preparing for an important milestone in Sudan as its Young Leadership Development Programme (YLDP) looks ahead to its 10th batch, continuing a programme journey that has supported successive generations of emerging young leaders.

Over the years, YLDP has become one of IYF's principal youth leadership initiatives in Sudan, designed to equip young people with the values, knowledge and practical competencies needed to lead, collaborate and contribute positively to their communities. The programme combines leadership learning with practical engagement, presentations, dialogue and interactive activities intended to help participants strengthen both their confidence and their ability to translate ideas into action.

The programme's ninth cohort was celebrated in March 2026, marking the latest stage in a long-running initiative that IYF describes as a flagship programme for developing leadership competencies among young people in Sudan.

The roots of the programme extend back more than a decade. These successive cohorts have allowed YLDP to evolve through experience. The programme has sought to move beyond conventional classroom-based leadership training by placing emphasis on participation, discussion, problem-solving and exposure to different perspectives. Participants are encouraged to consider leadership not simply as a position or title, but as the capacity to take responsibility, work with others and contribute constructively to society.

Previous cohorts have also demonstrated the importance of connecting leadership development with young people's wider personal and professional aspirations. At the graduation of the fourth batch, programme leadership reported that more than 70 per cent of participants had secured new employment opportunities, illustrating the potential relationship between leadership development, confidence, professional skills and employability.

Over time, the programme has also expanded the ways in which participants can engage with experienced leaders and practitioners. In 2024, IYF introduced the #LeadersTalk series as part of YLDP, creating opportunities for young participants to hear directly from established leaders, learn from their professional journeys and engage with them through discussion and question-and-answer sessions. The initiative was launched as YLDP marked ten years of implementation.

The planned 10th batch therefore represents more than the beginning of another training cycle. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the programme's accumulated experience and consider how its next phase can respond to the aspirations of a new generation of young Sudanese.

As the IYF Country Team strengthens its institutional presence in Sudan and begins developing a broader Country Programme, lessons from YLDP can provide an important foundation for future youth leadership and capacity-development initiatives. The programme offers an existing model through which IYF can examine what has worked, strengthen programme quality and explore new partnerships that can expand opportunities for participants.

The 10th batch is also expected to provide an opportunity to further connect leadership development with wider areas of sustainable development, including innovation, employability, civic participation, entrepreneurship, communication and community-led action.

For IYF, investing in leadership means enabling young people to recognise their own capabilities while giving them the tools, networks and opportunities required to put those capabilities into practice. Programmes such as YLDP are intended to create spaces where emerging leaders can learn from one another, develop practical competencies and build the confidence necessary to participate meaningfully in the development of their communities.

As preparations for the 10th batch move forward, further information on the programme format, participation criteria, application process and implementation dates will be announced by the IYF Country Team in Sudan.

The milestone will mark the beginning of the programme's next chapter while building on more than a decade of investment in young people's leadership potential in Sudan.