Empowering children to design a better world
Our mission is to unleash the creativity of 1 million children, enabling them to become changemakers for a better future.
During a design-athon workshop, children learn to design, prototype and present their solutions to the SDGs.
We are located in the Netherlands and work through a network of partners in countries on all continents.
Our 5th annual global event in 2019 was hosted in 40 cities around the world.
Due to the Corona pandemic we are changing some ways of working with children around the word.
The next Global Children's Design-athon starts from December 17th 2020 and concludes on Jan 23rd and 24th 2021
Our impact
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CERTIFIED FACILITATORS
CORONA CHALLENGE IN MEXICO
With Mayama, our partner in Mexico, 150 children from very marginalised groups took part in the Corona Challenge. And all by phone. One educador said: 'I learned to trust children more and their creative power' Short video
The Corona Challenge is a great way to engage children in creative thinking and changemaking skills around the pandemic issues. In Dutch, English, Spanish, Swahili and
Turkish in collaboration with global network partners.
YOUNG CHANGEMAKERS AT THE WEF 2020
Anne Sallaerts, Managing Director is just back from the World Economic Forum (WEF) and for the first time, WEF recognized the power of young people as a force for change.Read more on Medium.
WINNERS AMSTERDAM CHALLENGE
Primary students of De Regenboog school in Amsterdam designed a new learning concept for the library of tomorrow and won the Amsterdam Designathon Challenge Their design will be part of OBA NEXT, the new library in Amsterdam Zuidas, to open in 2025.
Yesterday in Rotterdam, with children from the Nelson Mandela school, we presented a report on the insights and ideas of 164 children to tackle poverty in Rotterdam. Download pdf
CHANGEMAKERS UNITED SUPPORT PROGRAM
Designathon Works is selected to the Changemakers United support program by Ashoka and Zalando, a collective effort to support social innovators at the forefront of the Covid-19 crisis.
DESIGNATHON WORKSHOP AT THE COP 25
"Last week we attended the COP25 Chile in Madrid. Slightly separated from the politicians, and policymakers, we stood in the youth section of the green zone, accompanied by excited visitors that chose to attend our workshop on food and climate action..."
Read more in our blog post.
SCIENCE TEACHERS TRAINING IN SHANGHAI
In April, we spent a week in Shanghai, China, conducting workshop with children and a training sessions for 120 science teachers! Just like everywhere else, children there too are concerned about the planet and love creating and making.
GLOBAL VOICES OF THE NEXT GENERATION
Read our report 'Global Voices of the Next Generation' about children's concerns and solutions to food and climate problems. With over more than 100 solutions designed by children aged 7-12. Download pdf
CHANGEMAKER CHALLENGE JUNIOR
We’ve developed lesson material for the Dopper Changemaker Challenge Junior. An international competition where children come up with solutions for single-use plastic pollution. Register here.
DESIGNATHON WORKS GOES MEXICO
Designathon method is now official part of the Mayama education model. Their purpose is to transform the lives of children and their families living in high marginalization and violent conditions.
Designathon Works is one of the 29 Expo Live Global Innovators of the World Expo Dubai 2020. In this video we talk about children’s creativity and enthusiasm to build a better future.
