YSEALI Bootcamp for Digital Creators
Manila, Philippines | May 28 to June 1, 2025
Supported by:
Implemented by:
What is Creators Co-Lab?
Creators Co-Lab: YSEALI Bootcamp for Digital Creators will convene digital content creators from across Southeast Asia for a series of workshops to advance their skills. Topics of discussion include AI literacy, cybersecurity, brand development, ethics and utilizing social media platforms to create positive impact.
The bootcamp will have virtual sessions on April 5 and 6, 2025 and a five-day in-person workshop in Manila, Philippines, from May 28 to June 1, 2025.
The YSEALI Creators Co-Lab Toolkit
About the toolkit
This toolkit is for aspiring content creators figuring out how to start, or for those who want to improve their content creation skills. This toolkit is designed to help you develop your own brand and come up with authentic, engaging, and meaningful content. It also helps you build the skills needed to take care of your safety and wellbeing as a content creator.
Why join Creators Co-Lab?
Boost your content creation skills
Be immersed in co-learning sessions and hands-on activities on key topics
Collaborate with fellow content creators and journalists from the region
Get the chance to be one of the 60 selected participants from ASEAN countries and Timor-Leste
Win small grants and mentorship support to develop new digital content
Five groups will receive grants of up to USD 4,000 each to support their content development
Bootcamp Roadmap
Recruitment Application period: December 9, 2024 to February 9, 2025
Selected participants will receive confirmation letters in March 2025.
Online sessions April 5 and 6, 2025
Chosen participants will join two online sessions that will focus on issues and trends in responsible media creation and consumption.
Onsite workshop May 28 to June 1, 2025
The in-person workshop features co-learning sessions and hands-on training in content creation and MIL led by experts in the media, technology and academe.
Post-workshop small grants August to November 2025
Bootcamp participants will pitch MIL campaigns for a chance to win mentoring support and USD 4,000 seed grants to implement their project.
Sustained collaboration
The YSEALI Network of Digital Creators will be officially launched during the workshop, offering a platform for continued collaboration.
Who can Apply?
Are you interested in Creators Co-Lab? You can join if you…
- Are between 18 and 35 years old at the time of application
- Have good proficiency in the English language, including speaking, reading, and writing
- Have access to the Internet and have basic proficiency in computer applications
- Are a citizen of an ASEAN country and Timor-Leste
- Have been actively creating content for their social media channels for the past three months
- Have at least 1,000 followers on any social media platform
- Have knowledge and experience relevant to digital content creation
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I apply to the YSEALI Creators Co-Lab?
Fill out this application form. The application period is from December 9, 2024 to February 9, 2025.
When will all virtual and in-person sessions take place?
Virtual sessions will be held via Zoom on April 5 and 6, 2025, while the in-person workshop will take place in Manila, Philippines, from May 28 to June 1, 2025.
Am I required to join both online and on-site sessions?
Yes. All participants are required to participate in all virtual sessions. Non-attendance in the online sessions will result in the forfeiture of your participation in the in-person workshop.
Participants should be available to fly to Manila, Philippines to attend the on-site sessions.
Who are the workshop organizers?
Creators Co-Lab is organized by Out of The Box Media Literacy Initiative (OOTB), an award-winning Manila-based NGO that promotes critical and civic-oriented Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in the Philippines through educational programs, resources, and campaigns. Get to know more about OOTB here
Creators Co-Lab is supported by the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines. It is one of the regional workshops in 2025 of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), a signature program of the U.S. government that strengthens leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. Get to know more about YSEALI here
Who is this bootcamp for?
The Creators Co-Lab is designed for digital creators: driven and talented individuals who produce and share different kinds of content online. They can be bloggers, podcasters, social media influencers, news producers, digital illustrators, photographers, video streamers, live sellers, online course creators, and so on. Digital creators use various platforms, tools, and technologies to create, distribute, and/or monetize their digital content and services for various purposes.
Can I join the bootcamp if I do not meet the age requirement?
No. The program is exclusive for individuals aged 18 to 35 at the time of the virtual and in-person sessions.
Can I join the bootcamp if I create content as part of a group?
For as long as you manage your own content creator account or page aside from the account of your group, organization or company, you may participate in the bootcamp.
Those who create content solely for a group, company or organization, are not allowed to apply.
Can I attend only the in-person sessions and skip the virtual sessions?
No. All selected participants must attend both the scheduled virtual and in-person sessions. If you skip the virtual sessions, your participation in the in-person workshop will be forfeited.
Is it required to bring personal equipment, such as a camera or laptop, during the in-person sessions?
No, but we are encouraging all selected participants to bring at least a smartphone to use for content creation.
Is it required to join the small grant competition?
No, but all participants are highly encouraged to join the Grant Competition. More details will be shared during the virtual sessions.
Is this bootcamp for free?
Applying for the Creators Co-Lab is absolutely free of charge.
For all accepted participants, YSEALI will cover the airfare, in-land transit, accommodations, and meals for the on-site sessions of the selected participants.
What should I do if I have specific dietary and accommodation requirements?
Organizers will share a confirmation form, once selected, asking for special requests regarding your participation.
Can I request an excuse letter so I can be absent from school or work for the program activities?
Yes. The organizer will provide all your travel and accommodation needs, including providing a letter of support indicating that you have been selected as a participant in this workshop.
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Meet The Creators
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What is YSEALI?
Launched in 2013, the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) is the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. Through a variety of programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding, YSEALI seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Southeast Asia, and nurture an ASEAN community.
The U.S. Mission to ASEAN partners with ASEAN and related stakeholders to advance U.S. interests in a peaceful, prosperous, and integrated Southeast Asia that respects the rule of law, upholds the dignity of its people and actively addresses regional and global concerns.
About the US Embassy in the Philippines
The U.S. Embassy in the Philippines represents the United States’ diplomatic mission in the country. It handles relations between the two nations, providing services such as visa processing, consular assistance, and promoting U.S.-Philippines cooperation.
About Out of The Box Media Literacy Initiative
Out of The Box Media Literacy Initiative (OOTB) is an award-winning Manila-based NGO that promotes critical and civic-oriented Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in the Philippines through educational programs, resources, and campaigns.
© 2024 Out of The Box Media Literacy Initiative. All right reserved.