The Leadership for Change (LFC) Scholars Workshop, held in Yogyakarta on October 14–15, 2025, brought together 14 scholarship recipients and 12 representatives from 14 civil society organizations. The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) in addressing global issues through organizational profiling, core program mapping, and promoting collaboration and shared learning within the Leadership for Change network.

The first day began with opening remarks from the YSI team. Participants explored five global issues and the challenges faced by CSOs through a data-driven presentation and analysis by Andreas Subiyono. The next session featured Damar Juniarto from PIKAT, who discussed the role of CSOs in the digital transformation era. He highlighted both the opportunities and risks that digitalization poses to civil movements. The discussion was lively, with participants reflecting on how grassroots movements and NGOs can complement one another.

In the afternoon, a talk show with speakers I Gusti Agung Made Wardana and Titi Soentoro deepened participants’ understanding of the intersections between climate change, global inequality, and women’s empowerment. Participants actively asked questions and shared field experiences. The first day concluded with a group reflection and an informal evening gathering to strengthen inter-organizational connections.

The second day focused on assessment results and collaboration planning. Participants were divided into groups to review their self-assessment outcomes, identify organizational strengths and needs, and develop follow-up action plans. During the focus group discussions, each organization presented its analysis and explored potential cross-issue collaborations.

Discussions on the second day featured rich exchanges of experience among organizations, such as Solidaritas Perempuan FLOBAMORATAS sharing strategies on intersectional feminism, JAMTANI emphasizing farmer advocacy in the context of climate change, YADUPA integrating cultural preservation with environmental advocacy in Papua, and TREND Asia promoting a just energy transition.

The workshop concluded with an agreement on several follow-up actions, including institutional capacity strengthening, the formation of an inter-CSO collaboration forum, and integrating five global issues into organizational programs. Each organization committed to acting on its assessment results, sharing resources, and developing joint campaigns. YSI will facilitate regular online monitoring, while LFC scholars will connect their academic learning to strengthen their home institutions and the wider Leadership for Change network.