Youth Forum

The Youth Forum is a dynamic platform dedicated to empowering young people to participate meaningfully in the Earth observation (EO) and space sectors. It creates opportunities for youth to lead, learn, collaborate, and innovate across a wide range of fields, including Earth observation, space science, engineering, data applications, policy, and technology development.

The forum recognises that young people are not only future leaders, but also important contributors to current solutions. Through the Forum, youth are encouraged to engage with national, regional, and global initiatives, while building the knowledge, skills, and networks needed to shape the future of EO and space in South Africa and across the continent.

The forum promotes knowledge exchange, practical exposure, and hands-on learning, with a strong focus on how open spatial and space-derived data can be used to address real societal challenges. By connecting youth to experts, institutions, and opportunities, the forum supports the development of a capable, inclusive, and forward-looking generation of professionals and innovators.

The Youth Forum is:

• A voluntary and inclusive platform for young people interested in Earth observation, space science, engineering, technology, data, and applications
• A national youth platform that connects young people across the EO and space value chain
• A forum that supports youth participation in research, innovation, policy engagement, knowledge sharing, and community impact
• A space for building cross-sector collaboration among students, young professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and emerging leaders
• A mechanism for strengthening youth voices in national, regional, and global EO and space initiatives
• A platform that promotes the use of open spatial data, Earth intelligence, and space-derived solutions for sustainable development and societal resilience

The NEOSS Youth Forum aims to:

• Encourage active youth participation in NEOSS Communities of Practice (CoPs) and related regional and global knowledge-sharing platforms.
• Strengthen youth involvement in leadership, governance, and decision-making processes within the EO and space sectors.
• Promote opportunities for young people to engage with researchers, industry, policymakers, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the EO and space ecosystem.
• Support equitable and responsible access to open spatial, Earth observation, and space-derived data to advance development priorities in South Africa and across Africa.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange across the EO and space value chain.
• Encourage youth participation in capacity-development initiatives, training programmes, and collaborative projects.
• Promote youth-driven innovation and participation in initiatives that apply EO and space technologies to societal and environmental challenges.

• Youth awareness and outreach initiatives to promote interest in Earth observation and space science among students and young professionals
• Participation in NEOSS Communities of Practice (CoPs) to contribute to thematic discussions, knowledge exchange, and sector coordination
• Engagement in national and international EO and space forums, conferences, and dialogue platforms
• Participation in regional youth networks, including AfriGEO youth initiatives, to strengthen collaboration across Africa
• Contribution to knowledge sharing platforms, including the SA-GEO Knowledge Hub and other community resources
• Networking opportunities connecting youth with research institutions, industry, policymakers, and innovation ecosystems
• Support for youth participation in initiatives related to open spatial data, Earth intelligence, and space applications for development

• Youth Day outreach event
• Participation in NEOSS Communities of Practice
• Participation in the GEO Global Forum
• Participation in the AfriGEO Youth Community of Practice