The YEPP EUROPE & Songs For Rights Team
Jochen Schell (He / Him) – Director
Strategic development, expansion, fundraising, income generation, overall management
My background
Children’s Rights, Social Entrepreneurship, Economics & Communications
My vision
I believe in empathy, altruism, solidarity and loving kindness and that these are the only powers which can save this mad world driven by greed, individualism, injustice and reckless consumerism.
Why I work for YEPP EUROPE
I am passionate about “child- and youth participation” and am excited about developing programs and opportunities for young people to learn, to express themselves and to take part in decisions and developments which concern their lives, those of their peers and their community.
Iva Bubalo (She / Her) – Project Manager
Strategic planning and management, Regenerating Ourselves Regenerating Earth, Food For Good Club, Be Active Be Well
My background
Psychology, Gender Studies, Sustainable Development, Conflict Transformation
My vision
A world in which leadership is based on the principles of wisdom, humility and service to the community and in which people have equal opportunities to fulfil their purpose for the benefit of the human and more-than-human world.
Why I work for YEPP Europe
The values and principles of YEPP EUROPE are aligned with my vision of the world, so the work at YEPP EUROPE has opened the door for me to make my contribution to the empowerment of young people. What primarily brought me to YEPP EUROPE are people working here who have strong and powerful visions of a better world and who are passionate and dedicated to pursuing that vision. I am grateful that YEPP EUROPE provides an environment in which I can grow personally and professionally.
Manuela van den Broeck (She/Her) – Project Manager
Strategic Planning and Management, Songs for Rights, Songs for Action
My background
Project Development, Music and Social Impact, Administrative Management, Event Coordination, International Networking, Youth Empowerment.
My vision
I see a world where music brings people together and creates real social transformation. The role of music is not only to produce beauty and entertainment but also to bring diverse worlds to a common ground. In a world that increasingly deepens polarization, music stands out as a tool too powerful to ignore. We need to develop projects that bring the social dimension of music to the forefront, especially in the youth sector.
Why I work for YEPP Europe
YEPP Europe’s focus on local communities as the main actors for change aligns with my vision of how youth empowerment should be approached. It offers flexible programs that adapt to specific communities while providing clear and systematic guidelines for action. Songs for Rights, in particular, operates within the field of music—my area of expertise and passion. Through Songs for Rights, I am able to connect with like-minded individuals who share the belief that music is a powerful vehicle for change, something I am deeply committed to.
J Rosanna Phillips (She/Her)– Communications and Network Officer
Strategic Communications, Social Media
My background Social Anthropology, Intercultural Education, Intersectional Feminism, Healing Justice, Spiritual Empowerment, Creative Writing & Communications
My vision A world in which the pursuit of justice is a joyous activity, where everyone has equal access to educational resources and tools leading to self empowerment, social transformation and community development, with the voices of young people at the forefront of such change.
Why I work for YEPP Europe To actively elevate the voices and unique perspectives of youth who are normally left out of the conversation and directly support their empowerment. Now it’s more important than ever to foster cross-cultural communication and exchange: to bring down walls and dismantle structures of oppression together, connecting through our differences rather than allowing them to divide us. I believe the work of YEPP Europe provides a valuable contribution to these processes of societal change.
Laura Yaryura (She/her) –Finance, Events, and Administration Officer
Finance, Events, and Administration
My background
Project Control, Financial Analysis, Contract and Business Administration
My vision
A world in which, through empowerment and collaboration, every young person has the opportunity to shape their destiny.
Why I work for YEPP Europe
To provide structured support to individuals engaged in projects with young people across Europe, enabling them to formulate and execute their ideas to address challenges. My goal is to support the creation of solutions that foster strong connections within and between local communities.
Jonas Deitert (He/Him) –Project Manager
Strategic Planning and Management, Climbing the Ladder, MC-YOU
My background Children’s Rights, Sociology, Democracy Education, Photography
My vision
Somewhere between sustainable degrowth vegan anarchism and fully automated luxury communism.
Why I work for YEPP EUROPE
To counter adultism from bottom-up on the community level. I think young people’s living environment is a great place for them to start getting involved and practice real decision-making. A sense of community has been lost through individualisation in many places, but a community is much needed for positive change.
Angelika Krüger (She/Her) – Consultant
Director of the Institute for Community Education (ICE) of the International Academy Berlin (INA) gGmbH; Initiator and Director of the Youth Empowerment Partnership Programme (YEPP) (2001-2011); Co-founder of the YEPP International Resource Centre (YEPP IRC) in 2012 (now YEPP Europe)
akrueger@zedat.fu-berlin.de
Strategic development, advancement of the “YEPP” approach and methodology, fundraising
My background
Educational Scientist, Founder and Executive Director of national and international support agencies, networks and projects in the field of youth and community empowerment, civic engagement and community-based change, Consultant to the European Foundation Centre and to German and international foundations.
My vision
A society in which citizens – above all young people – have equal rights and opportunities regardless of their gender, cultural, ethnic and social backgrounds and contribute to the advancement and benefit of their communities and society at large as responsible agents of change and European/global citizens.
Why I work for YEPP EUROPE
I am passionate about community-based, holistic empowerment approaches to encourage and support young people at risk of social exclusion to become agents of change and responsible active citizens. As the Director of the Youth Empowerment Partnership Programme (2001-2011) and founder of YEPP International Resource Centre – now YEPP EUROPE – I am strongly committed to the “YEPP” approach and methodology and highly motivated to continue contributing to its further advancement, implementation and expansion.
The YEPP EUROPE Advisory Board
Partners & Funders
YEPP EUROPE is financially supported through operational grants by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and Compagnia di San Paolo. YEPP EUROPE and Songs for Rights projects are funded by various grants from the EU (e.g. ERASMUS+) as well as other sources such as public funding and philanthropic foundations.
For more information on funding, partnerships and collaborations, please contact Jochen Schell jochen.schell@yeppeurope.org