What can one laptop really change for a young person about to turn 18 and leave the only home they've known?
A lot, it turns out.
Today we're marking over 1,000 laptops delivered to children in institutional homes across Japan. That number represents high school assignments submitted on time, job applications filled out, vocational training accessed, and in some cases, a first step toward university.
None of it happens without the volunteers who configure each device and sit with the kids to teach them how to actually use it. And none of it happens without the corporate partners who make the hardware possible in the first place.
When we started out we knew it would take over 2 billion yen to purchase laptops for all 33,000 students. That did not deter us.
If you'd like to be one of the people in that room, teaching practical digital skills to young people who really need them, we'd love to hear from you.
Reach out at [email protected]
Money used to feel like a source of stress for a lot of the young people we work with. That makes sense when you grow up without a safety net.
Under our Skills for Success pillar, we start early. While youth are still living in institutional homes, we walk them through the basics: budgeting, understanding where money goes, and building a mindset that treats money as a tool rather than a threat.
Then something shifts when they graduate from care and start earning their own income through our program. That's where 'Money Does Buy Happiness... When You Spend It on Others' comes in.
Learning to save responsibly is one thing. But experiencing the dignity of being able to treat a friend, contribute to someone in need, or give back to their community? That changes everything. Money stops being anxiety and starts being connection.
What did your first paycheck teach you about independence or generosity? We'd love to hear it in the comments.
#YouMeWeNPO #SkillsForSuccess #FinancialLiteracy #YouthEmpowerment #MoneyMindset
We are now a licensed delivery partner of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award.
This is a big deal for us, and for the young people we walk alongside every day.
The Award sits at the heart of our Fostering Higher Education program, which supports youth in institutional care all the way from secondary school into their first year of university. It gives that journey real structure through three pillars:
Volunteering: giving back to their communities and discovering what it means to show up for others.
Physical Activity: building discipline, confidence, and resilience through consistent effort.
Adventurous Journey: stepping outside their comfort zone and learning what they are truly capable of.
The kids do the hard work. But none of it happens without mentors who show up, stay consistent, and genuinely care.
If you have a few hours a month and want to make a real difference in a young person's life, we would love to have you with us.
DM us or visit youmewenpo.org to find out how to get involved.
#YouMeWeNPO #DukeOfEdinburgh #SkillsForLife #YouthMentorship #HigherEducation
Big things happen when communities come together for youth.
We're excited to share our collaboration with Nagareyama L.E.A.D. under our Skills for Pros pillar. Through this interactive program, the young people we support learn to spot real-world problems and build entrepreneurial solutions around them.
Nagareyama L.E.A.D. is all about nurturing critical thinking, teamwork, self-discovery, and business confidence so every young person can find their leadership potential. That's exactly the kind of future-ready foundation our youth need as they prepare for life after care.
Thank you, Nagareyama L.E.A.D., for believing in these kids alongside us. Partnerships like this make all the difference.
Want to support our youth empowerment programs? Visit youmewenpo.org or send us a DM.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #SocialImpact #fortheyouth #DigitalInclusion
So many people want to give back, but arenโt sure where to begin.
At YouMeWe, there are so many ways to get involved. Be a mentor or teacher, in person or online. Organise a fundraiser, give a talk, write an article, or take on a run, walk, or cycle challenge.
Whatever you can offer, it can make a difference for young people preparing for life after care.
Email [email protected] to get involved.
#YouMeWeNPO #VolunteerWithUs#YouthEmpowerment #OnlineLearning#CommunitySupport
Silver Week is a great time to give back.
If you have a few hours to spare, come mentor the kids we support. Life skills, communication, how to handle tough conversations โ the kind of things that stick with them long after they leave institutional care.
No special background needed. Just show up and talk with them.
Sign up: [email protected]
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #fortheyouth #SocialImpact
What does it take to help a young person feel heard?
In our interactive workshops, volunteers sit with youth in care and work through questions together. The slide in this photo asks something simple but important: "What would need to happen for that uncomfortable feeling to go away?" Then it offers two paths, being ignored by someone older, or being spoken to with kindness.
It sounds straightforward. But for kids who have grown up in institutional care, having a safe space to name those feelings and talk through peer relationships can be genuinely new.
Our volunteers make these conversations happen every week. They show up, they listen, and they help young people practice the communication skills they'll carry into adult life.
If you're interested in volunteering or supporting this work, send us a message at [email protected]. We'd love to connect.
Every week, our volunteers log on from Japan and connect with youth in care homes in Manila for writing and communication classes.
Watching a young person find the right words to express what they think, what they feel, what they want for their future โ that never gets old.
Writing is one of those skills that quietly opens doors. A clear email, a confident cover letter, a well-organized paragraph โ these things matter when you're 18 and stepping out on your own without a safety net.
Thank you to every mentor who shows up each week across time zones. You're giving these kids more than grammar lessons. You're giving them a voice.
If you'd like to join our online tutoring sessions, send us a DM. We'd love to have you.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #fortheyouth #SocialImpact
Does the internet make us meaner?
In our Digital Citizenship class, we explored how the way we communicate online can affect other people. The conversation gave students space to think about empathy, responsibility, and the choices we make behind a screen.
What helps make the internet a kinder place?
#YouMeWeNPO #DigitalCitizenship#YouthEmpowerment #OnlineSafety#Education
Artificial intelligence is changing how non-profits reach the people they serve โ but what does that actually look like inside a children's home?
In this episode, Michael Perry-Clemons, Founder of YouMeWe NPO, a Tokyo-based organization supporting children and young people in institutional care, explores how AI is creating new ways for non-profits to expand their impact, improve access to learning, and support their communities.
Drawing on his work with children's homes in Japan since 2007 and founding YouMeWe in 2018, Michael breaks down:
โ How AI is already being used across the non-profit and education sectors
โ The unique opportunities AI creates for young people who've faced disrupted schooling or institutional care
โ What it actually takes to introduce new technology into a non-profit responsibly, especially when the people you serve are children
A grounded, practical look at where AI genuinely helps โ and where it can't replace the human relationships at the center of this work.
Learn more about YouMeWe NPO: youmewenpo.org
I've had a lot of conversations on this podcast. This one mattered differently.
I was placed in foster care at 13. My sister and I were separated. I know firsthand what it means to be a kid the system has decided is someone else's problem.
So when Michael Perry-Clemons walked me through what's happening inside Japan's orphanages, the 33,000 kids, the siblings split into different homes, the 90% who drop out of university in their first year, I wasn't just listening as a host. I was listening as someone who lived a version of that story.
Michael founded YouMeWeNPO, an NPO in Shibuya that goes into orphanages and teaches kids to code, earn certifications, build apps, and see a future for themselves. He's been at it since 2007. He calls the kids "champions" while they're in the orphanage and "ambassadors" once they graduate. Because language shapes how you see yourself.
He tells multicultural kids who feel like they don't fully belong anywhere: "You're not half. You're double." This resonated with me personally as I'm also a someone of mixed race .
It's the kind of reframe that sticks with a person and helps them shatter societal expectations so that they can reach their full potential.
This conversation reminded me why I started the Produck Podcast in the first place. It's one of my favorite episodes to date and I highly recommend you give it a listen. If it's within your means, please consider donating your time, money, or expertise to YouMeWeNPO and join Michael on his mission to empower future champions.
Week 2 of our LEAD collaboration reminded us that relationships come first.
When we listen to children and bring their ideas into the lesson, they stay more focused and feel that their voice matters. One student even pulled us aside to say, โI really like this instructor!โ
That small moment means a lot. Thank you to the LEAD team for showing up and building trust with our children.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #ChildrensVoices #VolunteerImpact #LEAD
Every child already has what it takes. Nagareyama L.E.A.D. just gives them the space to prove it.
Through hands-on learning, real teamwork, and actually building things together, kids develop the critical thinking and confidence they'll carry long after the program ends. This is what 21st-century skills look like in practice.
Follow along and cheer these young leaders on.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #SocialImpact #fortheyouth #children
Meet our Designs for Impact collection
Every piece in this collection starts with youth creativity and turns it into real support for young people in institutional homes preparing for life on their own.
When you wear or share something from the collection, you're directly funding YouMeWe's education, career prep, and digital literacy programs.
Check it out on Redbubble and pick something you love
https://www.redbubble.com/people/youmewenpo/shop?asc=u
#YouMeWeNPO #DesignsForImpact #YouthEmpowerment #CreativeImpact #SocialGood
Weโre proud to share a first for YouMeWe: one of our students has developed their own phone app.
They created a game, which was then compiled into an Android app so they can share it with friends. A wonderful accomplishment, and a reminder of what young people can do when they have the chance to learn and create.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #DigitalInclusion #SocialImpact #Japan
September 1 is here, and that means the โBer Months' are officially on!
For the young people we support, the best gift we can give them isn't wrapped in a box. It's the confidence to stand on their own two feet when they turn 18 and step out of institutional care.
Career readiness. Real skills. A plan for what comes next.
But we do have our Sharing and Caring program. Where donor companies purchase and wrap presents in a shoe box and we give the gifts out to the children in the home so everyone has their own personal gift.
If you'd like to volunteer or sponsor Sharing and Caring, reach out early this season. Email us at [email protected] and let's make this holiday count for them.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment#DigitalInclusion #SocialImpact #fortheyouth
US Embassy + A250 Kits - Keeping Children Safe, Before Disaster Strikes
Our COO Gio Cannegieter is on the ground in Kumamoto today, delivering A250 Emergency kits in partnership with the US Embassy. ๐ฑ๐ท๐ฏ๐ต
The children in our care deserve to feel safe, and that means being ready before disaster strikes. These kits go directly to the homes that look after them every day.
Thank you to the US Embassy for making this possible. Preparedness is care. ๐
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #Sociallmpact #DigitalInclusion #fortheyouth
When Learning Becomes Confidence
The moment a student cracks a tough problem, they don't celebrate alone. They turn to the person next to them and start explaining it. That's what keeps us showing up every week.
Our volunteer sessions are less about drilling answers and more about watching kids build real confidence, the kind that makes them want to lift each other up.
Want to see it for yourself? Come join us.
#YouMeWeNPO #YouthEmpowerment #Digitallnclusion #Sociallmpact #fortheyouth
