Social Entrepreneur & Homelessness Solutions Advocate; Co-Founder of Homeless World Cup & The Big Issue in Scotland; Author of "GOAL: The Story of the Homeless World Cup"
Mel Young Biography
Mel Young MBE is a Scottish social entrepreneur known for his work addressing homelessness and social exclusion. With a background as a journalist and editor, Young co-founded The Big Issue in Scotland, a weekly magazine sold by homeless individuals. He also co-founded the International Network of Street Papers, a global network of more than 80 street papers, where he serves as honorary president. In addition, Young founded New Consumer Magazine, a publication focused on ethical lifestyle and fair trade, encouraging consumers to make socially responsible purchasing decisions.
Young is the creator of the Homeless World Cup, an international football tournament designed to unite and empower people experiencing homelessness. The idea emerged at the conclusion of an International Network of Street Papers conference in Cape Town, where Young and Harald Schmied identified football as a universal language. The inaugural tournament took place in Graz, Austria, with 18 teams participating. Under Young's leadership, the Homeless World Cup expanded to include partners in 70 countries, reaching more than 100,000 participants annually and impacting over one million people. Research indicates that approximately 80 percent of players experience significant positive changes in their lives after participating in the event.
Young is the author of "GOAL: The Story of the Homeless World Cup," published by Birlinn, and "Social Entrepreneurship: A Better Way of Thinking About a Sustainable Future" from LID Publishing. His expertise in social innovation, sport for change, and homelessness has led to speaking engagements at international forums and conferences, including the Cities Ending Homelessness Conference.
Young's contributions have been recognized with several honors, including an MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List, the Jackie Robinson Humanitarian Award from the United States Sports Academy, and the Integrity & Impact Award at the FEVO Sport Industry Awards. He is a Schwab Fellow of the World Economic Forum, a Senior Fellow of Ashoka, and holds five honorary degrees from Scottish universities. Young is also a recipient of the Edinburgh Award.
As a co-founder of the Homeless World Cup and The Big Issue in Scotland, Young continues to advocate for innovative solutions to homelessness and to promote the role of sport and social enterprise in creating lasting social change.
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Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Mel Young for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Mel Young, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Mel Young or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Mel Young
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What topics does Mel Young speak about?
Mel Young is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Change Management, Corporate Strategy, Entrepreneurship, ESG, Executive Leadership, Football, Innovation, Overcoming Adversity, Philanthropy, Soccer, Social Activism, Social Entrepreneurship, Strategic Leadership, Sustainability -
Where does Mel Young travel from?
Mel Young generally travels from Edinburgh, UK, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
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Mel Young is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Mel Young for your event is available upon request. Mel Young generally travels from Edinburgh, UK and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Paul Polman, Sallie Krawcheck, Fabrizio Protti, Marta del Castillo and Jens Nielsen. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Mel Young for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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