About
Us
Message from the Founder
Emre Caglar│Founder and Executive Director of Youth For Future
When we first started Youth For Future, it began with a simple belief: every young person deserves the opportunity to discover their potential, build confidence, and contribute meaningfully to society.
In Japan, many young people lack opportunities to explore their identities, connect with others, and engage with society. Meanwhile, students who aspire to make a difference often lack the guidance and support needed to turn their ideas into meaningful action. Youth For Future was created to bridge this gap.
Through our Global Identity Program (GIP), we support children in care homes and local communities through service learning, cultural exchange, and project-based experiences. Rather than simply receiving support, children are empowered to become active contributors to society, developing confidence, empathy, responsibility, and a sense of purpose.
Through our RISE Initiative, we partner with international schools and educational institutions to empower young changemakers. Our camps, workshops, and leadership programs provide students with the mentorship, structure, and opportunities to identify social issues, develop initiatives, and take meaningful action in their communities.
At Youth For Future, we believe young people are not just future leaders, but changemakers today. When given the trust, support, and opportunities to act, every young person has the potential to create positive change.
Emre Caglar
Founder & Executive Director
NPO Youth For Future
Our History
2021 - Founding Year as a High School Project
Youth For Future (YFF) was founded in 2021 as a youth-led organization, with the primary objective of raising awareness and taking action on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
2023 - Focus on Education in Developing Regions
As leadership recognized attempting to address all 17 SDGs proved too broad, YFF transitioned in late 2023 into a nonprofit organization to improve the quality of education in developing countries, through donating stationery supply to students in Kenya.
2024 - Enrichment Programs for Children's Homes in Japan
With financial struggle to sustainably provide such resources, we therefore made the strategic decision to focus on children in Japan, leveraging our passionate and capable team. Recognizing that children living in care homes (orphanages) are a largely underrepresented group in Japan, we committed to becoming both a voice and a source of strength for them.
2025 - Official registration as a NPO法人
Youth For Future was officially registered as a Non-Profit Organization (NPO法人) under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
2026 - Launch of RISE Programs
Recognizing the lack of student-driven social impact initiatives in Japan, YFF launched a series of young changemaker and leadership camps and workshops for international schools and educational institutions.
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Board of Directors
YFF is led by its Founder and Board of Directors: Emre Caglar, Sena Yamamoto, Arika Okubo, and Jungen Ono, together with Taiki Goto serving as Auditor. They hold overarching responsibility for the organization's mission to the children and students YFF serves, and oversee, prioritize, and set the strategic agenda across the organization's programs.
Emre Caglar
Executive Director
Arika Okubo
Director
Jungen Ono
Director
Sena Yamamoto
Director
Taiki Goto
Auditor
Departments and Teams
Global Identity Program
The Global Identity Program aims to connect children in care homes to society through providing them the opportunity to give back through volunteering.
Curriculum Development Team
Dylan Rawanduzi - Project Manager
Ayse Bayram - Project Coordinator
Megumi Wurz - Project Coordinator
Sumire Yoshioka - Project Coordinator
Julie Meij - Project Coordinator
Event Management Team
Miyu Sugiyama - Project Manager
Ema Kakimoto - Project Coordinator
Seoyeon Kim - Project Coordinator
Spring and Summer Camp Team
Sarah Mastunaga - Project Manager
Minseo Lee - Project Coordinator
Taiki Goto - Project Coordinator
Ayaka Sasaki - Project Coordinator
Human Resources
Rianna Nanjappa - Project Manager
Tina Zheng - Project Coordinator
RISE
We work towards providing opportunities for youth to build capacity into the next-gen of changemakers and leaders in Japan through experiential camps, leadership workshops, and accelerator programs.
RISE Changemakers Program Team
Yuma Kuijntjes - Program Manager
Emre Caglar - Program Manager
Ran Saeki - HR Manager
Amelia Kinooka - Communciations
Tarik Karakus - Resource Manager
Leadership Training
Yuma Kuijntjes - Program Manager
Miyuu Sugiyama - Program Coordinator
Amelia Kinooka - Program Coordinator
Human Resource and Communications
A team that acts as a shared resource, supporting both GIP and RISE initiatives.
Social Media
Maya Morikuni - Project Manager
Maria Watanabe - Project Coordinator
Sonia Nanjappa - Project Coordinator
Shiho Iwasaki - Project Coordinator
Partnerships
Arika Okubo - Project Manager