On 14–15 November 2025, the ASEAN Foundation conducted onboarding and training sessions for the ASEAN Youth Creators for Impact (ASEAN Y-Impact) programme. With support from the Mission of Canada to ASEAN, the committee successfully trained 11 young creators representing all 11 ASEAN Member States.

To prepare ASEAN Y-Impact creators for effective campaign development, the onboarding sessions focused on building strong digital storytelling skills and understanding the power of youth in the online space. Led by Ms. Marissa Saraswati, Chairperson and Co-Founder of Anotasi, the training equipped participants with the tools to craft meaningful and responsible digital content.

In the session “Youth Power in the Digital Space: Voices that Move ASEAN”, Ms. Marissa underscored that the digital world is not neutral; what appears as “truth” is often shaped by emotion and visibility. This highlights the critical role of Y-Impact creators in promoting awareness and shifting social norms across the region.

During “The Art of Digital Storytelling”, the young creators learned to apply narrative structures to strengthen their campaigns, helping them produce stories that resonate, inspire, and drive meaningful engagement among their audiences.

The ASEAN Y-Impact Programme places strong emphasis on gender equality, disability and social inclusion to ensure that every campaign upholds inclusivity and representation. The ASEAN Y-Impact Creators bring diverse lived experiences, including individuals from underrepresented communities—from gender minority groups to refugees and migrants.

After completing the two-day onboarding and training sessions, the ASEAN Y-Impact Creators are now ready to begin developing and launching their social media campaigns. Their work will raise public awareness on key social equality issues such as women’s empowerment, education rights, mental health, digital inclusion, media literacy, and peacebuilding. These campaigns are expected to spark meaningful interactions and foster greater engagement with wider audiences across digital platforms.