YouthMappers

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YouthMappers logo.
YouthMappers logo.

YouthMappers®[1] is an international consortium of university-level student mapping clubs, with local chapters in universities of various countries.

Official website: youthmappers.org, Blog, Projects

Mission and Vision

YouthMappers is more than a network—it’s a global movement powered by students who are using geospatial technologies to solve real-world challenges. Our mission is to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will build resilient communities and create lasting change by mapping the world around them. At the heart of YouthMappers are student-led chapters based at universities across more than 80 countries. These chapters organize, collaborate, and lead projects that generate and use open geospatial data to address pressing development needs: from disaster response and public health to climate resilience and infrastructure planning.

We believe that open data and open collaboration can transform how communities prepare for and respond to challenges. By equipping young people with both technical skills and ethical grounding, YouthMappers ensures that their contributions are informed, inclusive, and impactful. Our mappers work closely with local partners and global organizations, ensuring that the data they create is not only accurate, but useful for those who need it most.

Our mission is driven by a deep respect for people, communities, and the power of shared knowledge. We are committed to open data, ethical practices, and inclusive learning environments. Together, our students, educators, and partners are redefining what it means to make a difference—with courage, compassion, and a shared vision for a more connected and resilient world.

Core Focus

While many minds together created the foundation of YouthMappers, the heart of the students is what leads to the success of this global consortium. We are a movement, a movement of students wanting to leave a mark- with the courage to be change agents and resolve in our response to community needs. The collaboration of faculty, staff, and partner organizations has bolstered an experiential learning environment that leads to action. Students decide how and where they put themselves on the map.

Organization & Structure

Steering Committee

The YouthMappers steering committee and staff team provide the expertise, vision, and support that guide our mission. Together, this leadership offers strategic guidance, technical stewardship, and decision-making—ensuring that our chapters have the tools, training, and inspiration they need to lead impactful, community-focused mapping efforts.

Emeritus Steering Committee Members

  • Carrie Stokes
  • Michael Crino
  • Rory Nealon
  • Adele Birkenes
  • Zola Mayungwa
  • Dara Carney-Nedelman
  • Courtney Clark
  • Stella W. Nakacwa

Alumni Council

The YouthMappers Alumni Council brings together 15 dedicated alumni who have played a pivotal role in shaping the global YouthMappers network over the past decade. As the inaugural council, members will collaborate with the Steering Committee to refine governance structures, guide strategic planning, and help shape the future direction of YouthMappers. Their insight and experience ensure that the network continues to grow in ways that are inclusive, impactful, and aligned with the needs of students and communities worldwide.

YouthMappers Programming

Students and their faculty advisors, in any country, are invited to join YouthMappers, an international university consortium on mapping for resilience. YouthMappers aspires to be the "community within the community" for the academic sector to find resources for participating in open mapping initiatives for humanitarian and development purposes. YouthMappers offers leadership and research fellowship opportunities, focused activities for female mappers, and local capacity building support for students and their faculty advisors to work within their  communities to make a difference, together.

YouthMappers Academy
  • The YouthMappers Academy is an online learning platform designed to equip students, educators, and volunteers with the foundational and advanced skills needed to thrive in the open mapping ecosystem. Whether you're just beginning your journey with OpenStreetMap (OSM) or seeking to deepen your expertise, our curated modules support learning at every level.
Regional Ambassadors
  • Selected for their demonstrated leadership, YouthMappers Volunteer Regional Ambassadors contribute across key areas of our operations this year, including blog editing, project validation and project cycle completion, supporting chapters in launching campaigns, onboarding new members, and helping users get started with OSM Teams. As regional facilitators, they carry the unique opportunity and responsibility to elevate students' voices and contributions to open mapping. Their dedication ensures that our community stays strong, connected, and active around the world.
Leadership Fellowship
  • The YouthMappers Leadership Fellowship supports students who show strong initiative and commitment to open mapping. Fellows receive advanced training, mentorship, and opportunities to grow as leaders within their chapters and communities. Since its launch, the program has helped students strengthen their technical and leadership skills while contributing to projects with real-world impact across the globe.
Research Fellowship
  • The YouthMappers Research Fellowship supports student-faculty teams who use open geospatial data to study how vulnerable communities build and maintain resilience. Through original research tied to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, fellows explore critical global issues with a local focus. Selected teams participate in research methodology training, gain mentorship, and collaborate across borders—bringing scientific insight and open mapping together to drive meaningful impact.
Everywhere She Maps
  • Too often, the critical features and attributes that matter most to women are missing from maps. This absence is not accidental—it stems from the underrepresentation of women in geospatial fields and technology industries. Everywhere She Maps is YouthMappers’ targeted initiative to close this gap by empowering young women to lead, contribute, and thrive in the global mapping community.The program equips women students with technical skills, leadership development, and professional networking opportunities while ensuring that data relevant to women’s lives is created and used for positive change.
YouthMappers at 10: A Decade of Mapping for Impact
  • Over the past decade, YouthMappers has transformed how young people contribute to solving real-world challenges through open mapping. What began as a grassroots network of passionate student mappers has grown into a global movement with 436 chapters across 81 countries. Today, more than 5,000 university student mappers are part of YouthMappers, creating and improving open geographic data that empowers communities, supports humanitarian response, and advances sustainable development.
  • Check out the magazine: https://indd.adobe.com/view/41fedd5d-352d-4a88-8fab-f5a175a1f3ec
Validation Hub
  • The YouthMappers Validation Hub is a group of experienced student mappers whose purpose is to ensure a high standard of data quality in the collaborative mapping platform OpenStreetMap (OSM). Formed in May 2019, the Validation Hub was organized and implemented by faculty and students at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Our primary focus is to validate the work of OSM contributors and guarantee that all YouthMappers projects have the highest quality data. YouthMappers' validation efforts are now supported by our Volunteer Regional Ambassador Validation Team — experienced mappers around the world who lead JOSM and validation trainings, support data quality in their regions, and are available to help. Check out the validation hub page for YouthMappers resources and training guides.

Sponsors & Partnerships

YouthMappers thrives because of the incredible network of partners, collaborators, and supporters who share our vision of a more connected, equitable world. Over the past decade, we have been fortunate to work alongside universities, development organizations, government agencies, and local community groups–each bringing unique expertise, resources, and passion to our projects. From providing technical guidance and mentorship to co-hosting mapathons and webinars, our partners have been instrumental in helping students both transform skills into meaningful impact and develop professionally.

Organizing Universities: Our organizing universities play a crucial role in implementing and governing the consortium. They are responsible for executing consortium activities and contribute significant in-kind resources.

Arizona State University | The George Washington University | West Virginia University | Texas Tech University

Check out the full list of partners and coordinating collaborators on our partners page. If you're interested in collaborating or partnering with us, contact us at info@youthmappers.

If you're interested in supporting our work, please visit:

Legacy Founding Partner

YouthMappers owes a great deal of our growth and success to the support, funding, and guidance of USAID GeoCenter during the first decade of our network. While they are no longer an active sponsor, their vision, expertise, and commitment played a crucial role in shaping YouthMappers into the global movement it is today. We extend a heartfelt thank you to the former USAID GeoCenter team members whose contributions, encouragement, and partnership helped lay the foundation for thousands of students around the world to create meaningful impact through mapping and geospatial technologies. Your legacy continues to inspire the work we do every day.

Chapter Wiki links

Chapter Websites


Contacts

See also

  1. ↑ YouthMappers® is a registered trademark, https://www.youthmappers.org/
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