GET TO KNOW US

The Mission & Vision

Building bridges, one exchange at a time.

We believe that young people have the power to make a difference on a global scale. That’s why we want to inspire and motivate students to get involved and speak up about the issues that matter to them. We also want to influence decision makers to embrace diversity, because we know that when people from different backgrounds come together, it leads to creativity and
success for everyone. By working together, we can create a brighter future for everyone.

  • Empowering young people to make a global impact.
  • Encouraging youth to get involved and speak up about important issues.
  • Advocating for diversity and its role in driving creativity and success.
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Years of Experience.

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Successfully completed projects.

The values

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Trust

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Curiosity

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Inclusion and commitment

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Long lasting friendships

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Meet The Team

Our main focus is on promoting social inclusion, and through each
project, we aim to help the participants develop soft skills, improve their mental health, and progress towards education and employment opportunities. Our goal is to support and empower individuals to reach their full potential.

Managing Director

Halmat Faraidon

Halmat co-founded CYN in 2012 after dedicating years of work with youth in the most vulnerable areas of Copenhagen. He holds a BsC in International Hospitality Management, one in Business Administration, as well as a MA in Public Administration. Working with the strategic mission of CYN, networking with partners and key organizations across countries, developing relevant and inspiring content for projects as well as facilitating them are what Halmat is committed to. His areas of compassion for projects, cover social and intercultural topics, along with an interest for mental and physical health.

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Special Adviser regarding organizational development

Marc Wacker

Marc’s journey in CYN began in 2012 as co-founder and project manager. He holds a MA in Intercultural Communication from Roskilde University. His specialties are strategic -and project management. Marc is specifically passionate about climate, animal abuse and gender equality.

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Legal & Financial Controller

Rachid Nabate

In 2019 Rachid was onboarded to coordinate legal and compliance projects. He recently graduated in law from the University of Southern Denmark. Areas of interest are sports, human rights and mental health.

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Trainer & Advisor

Mette Seier Helms

Mette joined CYN in 2016 and her role has been to counsel and train in group processes. She is graduate with a MA in English & Religion from University of Copenhagen. Her areas of expertise are counseling, facilitating group processes, communications, leadership development, conflict management. Moreover, she is a trained group analyst and organizational psychology consultant.

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Digital Coordinator

Damian Laskowski

Damien’s knowledge and experiences cover a wide range of areas from nature, animals and graphic designs.

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Project Coordinator, holds a BSc in Medical Engineering

Marco León Badillo

Marco assumed the role as project coordinator in 2022. He has lived and worked in five countries, which inspired him to bring cultural awareness to everyone. He has know-how in organizing and facilitating workshops and intercultural exchanges in three different languages. He has worked as a volunteer in three countries with young people between 13-24 with topics ranging from education and organization to sustainability and technology.

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The History

Copenhagen Youth Network was founded in 2012 in Frederiksberg, Denmark by two best friends. 

Even before we started CYN, since we were teenagers, we cultivated a vision of somehow – on a small or big scale – empowering the next generation to shape a diverse and prosperous future. At that time we were that generation, and we formed our friendship and CYN with that exact sentiment. 

Because as friends and future founders we had benefitted from being able to challenge and support each other despite ethnic and religious differences and because of a strong will to make a positive impact on each other and on our surroundings.  

We wanted to somehow influence others with that same spirit and feeling of intercultural connectedness. So in 2012 we decided to establish an NGO with that specific goal in mind. 

Humble beginnings meant that we initially teamed up with the Municipality of Copenhagen to create football festivals for inner city kids ages 5 to 15. Back then we also had a third partner who today is a specialist in intercultural relations working for Danish Red Cross in the Middle East. 

Slowly but surely we gained invaluable experience in intercultural project management, and we gladly played a minuscule part in nudging potentially marginalized kids in a right direction. Not only via playing and teaching sports but especially via informal interaction, discipline and knowledge sharing. 

But in 2015, after years of working solely with kids and youths and facilitating intercultural inclusion projects in Denmark, we decided to restructure our organization to fit an international setup. Still, we were students and part time workers. 

By chance, we took part in an Erasmus+ sponsored mobility project in Turkish Kurdistan and that amazing experience inspired us to create our own intercultural exchanges for young adults.  

So, in March 2016, we hosted our very first international mobility project for young adults from around the world via Erasmus+, and we have not looked back since.  

In the process, we’ve gotten bright and ambitious people onboard in the form of project coordinators, trainers and facilitators, and we’ve grown as an organisation in both physical and mental form. We have always been a multi ethnic organisation, and we cultivate the energy that is created from the natural friction between us to facilitate exciting, inclusive international projects. 

To connect the dots and form a full circle, you could say that we have been creating frameworks for constructive intercultural interaction from day 1. At least, that has always been our interest and focus. Just with different target segments through the years. 

With Copenhagen Youth Network you get intense social learning experiences that you will not find anywhere else. We facilitate mobility projects, training courses and educational programs. 

With us you get a chance to strengthen your international network, form long lasting friendships and learn from people from all over the world. 

Make our journey part of yours. Join a Copenhagen Youth Network project. 

You’re more than welcome. 

Heresh Faraidon 
Co-founder