Youth Impact Leaders arrives in Iztapalapa, Mexico
Published on March 10, 2026 by Glasswing
After its implementation in Honduras and Guatemala between 2022 and 2026, Youth Impact Leaders is beginning a new phase in Iztapalapa, Mexico City. This launch marks an important milestone: it will be the first youth-focused program implemented by Glasswing Mexico.
The arrival of Youth Impact Leaders responds to a clear opportunity. In Iztapalapa, young people demonstrate enormous potential and a strong desire to participate in their communities. However, opportunities to fully exercise their leadership and civic engagement remain limited. The program seeks to expand those spaces by strengthening youth leadership, sense of belonging, and community participation.
Over the course of 18 months, YIL will work with 270 young people ages 16 to 24, including students in high school or technical education, as well as youth seeking to strengthen their skills and expand their opportunities for development. The model combines training in civic leadership, active citizenship, and socio-emotional well-being with a central methodology: service-learning, which integrates training with real community action.
Through service in local organizations and community spaces, participants will learn by doing: identifying challenges in their communities and designing youth-led solutions. The goal is not only to support individual development, but also to contribute to broader change by ensuring that more young people actively participate in their communities and that institutions incorporate youth voices into policies and programs.
In the short and medium term, the program aims to strengthen participants’ leadership skills and their capacity to contribute to their communities. In the long term, the vision is to build a sustainable network of young civic leaders in Iztapalapa.
This program is made possible through the support of Promotora Social México (PSM), whose commitment to youth development has helped bring Youth Impact Leaders to Iztapalapa.
“The team is excited to take on this new challenge together with PSM. The first planning and coordination meetings with our partners have been very promising and confirm that the conditions and commitment needed to achieve the proposed goals are in place. We believe in the potential of the youth of Iztapalapa and in their ability to transform their community,” said Valeria Suárez, Director of Glasswing Mexico.
With Youth Impact Leaders, Glasswing Mexico expands its work in Iztapalapa – where we have already implemented education and mental health programs in schools – and reinforces its commitment to youth as drivers of change. When real opportunities for participation exist, young people do not only imagine a different future—they begin to build it.
