Supporting future changemakers
At H&M, we firmly believe that everyone can make a difference, and together, we can create an even more significant impact. Thus, we created Role Models — an initiative made to enable and elevate kids working on making the world a better place. Recognising kids as a true force of change, Role Models aims to empower kids to tell their stories, inspire others, and use our influence and resources to help kids turn their positive ambitions into reality.
With Role Models, we champion all our changemakers out there, and support them in their endeavours to grow a community of change.
A digital experience for changemakers
Although kids have proven to make change happen, we can all need a helping hand to make our visions come to life. Children’s rights advocacy organisation KidsRights launched the State of Youth program in 2019 to empower and unite kids between 13-24 years old. The program is built to help kids engage in local issues by spreading information, increasing awareness, and building advocacy and action around pressing issues that directly affect them. The idea is to create impact and give kids the tools to drive change themselves.
With support from H&M, KidsRights has launched a new online experience called State of Youth Kids to engage and educate younger kids and help them get involved in important topics. Through fun games and engaging content, the new platform will enable kids between 6–12 years old to learn about children’s rights, equality, sustainability, and more. Users will practice skills through online and offline challenges, connect with other changemakers worldwide, and collect new badges with every completed activity.
Try out the digital experience at www.stateofyouthkids.org
Meet KidsRights
The international non-governmental organization KidsRights was founded in 2003. Through advocacy, research, and action, their mission is to create a world where kids' rights are guaranteed. Today, they continue to draw attention to children’s rights issues worldwide – and a whole lot more. They work to ensure that kids are heard and empower them as changemakers by supporting their positive initiatives and actions. KidsRights conduct and publish research to measure how children’s rights are respected and how committed countries are to improve those rights. In 2005, they founded the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize, which annually awards a child who has significantly contributed to advocating children’s rights and improving the situation of vulnerable children.
Joining forces
H&M and KidsRights share the belief that children are changemakers, and this partnership is based on our joint vision to connect and enable kids to drive change. As a next step on H&M’s Role Model journey, we have teamed up with KidsRights to extend their existing offer and create a digital learning experience for younger kids – State of Youth Kids.
Rethinking future role models
The H&M Role Models project started in 2021 with a film launch celebrating kids as changemakers and provoking us to re-evaluate who we see as role models. This anthem film, directed by award-winning Bryan Buckley, showed that you’re never too young to be a role model. We follow several inspiring changemakers on their mission to make this world a better place.
Celebrating our next heroes
We asked kids around the world what makes them good role models and received more than 35.000 inspirational stories from kids everywhere. Some of these stories were shared and spread through various channels, championing our role models' amazing work and inspiring others to do the same.
Growing our support
H&M is proud to be one of the 2023 International Children’s Peace Prize partners. The young winners create a positive impact and inspire millions of people around the globe. For us at H&M, this is another opportunity to spread knowledge about the award and inspire kids and adults alike by using our global reach and influence.
The International Children’s Peace Prize
The International Children’s Peace Prize was initiated by KidsRights’ founder Marc Dullaert and launched in November 2005 during the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates. The world’s most prestigious youth prize is awarded annually to a kid who courageously fights for children’s rights.