Deadline: February 16, 2026
The NewNow is a One Young World programme supported by Virgin Unite, empowering the boldest emerging young leaders to redefine change through systems-thinking and collective action. We are a collective of rising leaders with exceptional track records of delivering real and lasting impact, committed to building unstoppable momentum towards a fair, sustainable future. Over half the world’s population is under 30 with the power to make change happen, and through our collective strength, shared learning, and with insights and mentorship from leaders before us, we can rewrite the future of our generation and the generations to come. We amplify and support the voices of trusted young leaders taking bold strides toward global transformation, challenge the status quo through collective action and strategic collaboration, share knowledge, insights, and approaches to foster systems-thinking among young leaders and their enterprises initiatives, and take on big global challenges through an intersectional, systems-thinking lens for deep and long-term transformation.
Applications are now live for the 2026 cohort of NewNow Leaders. We are looking for ten of the most trailblazing, impactful leaders from the Global South who have a demonstrable understanding and commitment to creating systemic change, and applicants must apply through the application portal. Candidates must be aged 18–30, be nationals of countries in the Global South, have demonstrated successful leadership through real and impactful initiatives, show strong understanding of key local and/or global issues especially those that require systems-thinking approaches, have a proven track-record of implementing systems-thinking principles to generate innovative, long-term and sustainable impact, showcase evidence of impact in addressing complex challenges through systems thinking, and demonstrate a willingness to work collaboratively with The NewNow cohort and help promote successful examples of systems change through their own networks and media opportunities.
The NewNow leaders will be offered a scholarship place at the One Young World Summit Cape Town 2026 and lifelong membership of the One Young World Ambassador Community, features on One Young World and Virgin Unite channels elevating their profiles among the global community for young leaders and beyond, opportunities to amplify their work through media and speaking opportunities, access to the One Young World Global Leadership Programme and Action Accelerator, membership of The NewNow Community with exclusive capacity building workshops designed to enhance confidence, skills, and influence as systems leaders, and opportunities to collaborate with fellow NewNow leaders on joint projects and advocacy. The application deadline is 16 February 2026.
Every pattern of behaviour, business-practice, or societal custom happens within a complex ecosystem, and the biggest challenges we face as humanity—from inequality to the climate emergency—are rooted in deeply embedded systems and structures. Taking on these challenges means that these systems, and those who uphold them, must adapt and evolve from within, and for this change to be long-term and sustainable, leaders must adopt a systems-thinking approach, which means understanding how to lead change at every level of the system. Systems-thinking also requires taking a wider view, because the world’s challenges are interlinked and it is almost impossible to meaningfully solve one problem without tackling several others, such as addressing education, food insecurity, and youth unemployment alongside youth mental health and healthcare transformation. Systems-thinking requires grass-roots organisations, business-leaders, educators, tech innovators, and politicians to bridge divides and take action towards building a fair and sustainable future for all.
