From Challenges to Solutions: The Youth Living Labs Mentorship Journey

From April to May 2026, the Youth Living Labs mentorship process brought together young people from different countries to work on challenges related to areas such as agriculture, technology, and climate.

Around five teams took part in the mentorship process within Jovesolides, with mentors supporting them throughout their journey towards the final pitching stage. The mentoring process was designed to help participants move from understanding a challenge to developing and presenting an applicable solution.

The methodology was based on the four stages of the Design Thinking process: Discover, Define, Develop, and Deliver, delivered through four mentoring sessions.

The process began with the Discover stage. Teams conducted research using different sources to better understand their challenges, identify their root causes, and explore why addressing them was important. Mentors supported the teams in exploring and defining their challenges while following their progress and evaluating their work.

The process then moved towards Define and Develop, where teams explored how their identified challenges could be transformed into applicable solutions. They worked on developing and refining their ideas while receiving guidance and feedback throughout the process.

As the ideas became more developed, the teams moved towards prototyping their projects. This stage provided an opportunity to turn their ideas into more concrete solutions and prepare them for presentation.

Preparing for the Pitching Stage

The final part of the mentorship process focused on preparing the teams for the pitching stage. Alongside developing their projects, the teams worked on how to communicate their ideas effectively.

Mentors supported them in developing their presentation skills, understanding the main points considered during the evaluation, and improving their delivery through rehearsal and feedback.

In June, all participating teams presented their projects and the challenges they had worked on in a successful and collaborative pitching process. Their presentations demonstrated their understanding of their target audiences and the potential impact of their proposed ideas.

The mentorship journey highlighted the importance of providing young people with a structured process to explore real-world challenges, develop practical solutions, and communicate their ideas effectively. Through research, collaboration, prototyping, and continuous feedback, the Youth Living Labs mentorship process supported participants in turning challenges into actionable ideas.