12th August 2015 is celebrated as International Youth Day!! The day is meant as an opportunity for governments and others to draw attention to youth issues worldwide.
The 2015 International Youth Day theme is “Youth Civic Engagement”.
The engagement and participation of youth is essential to achieve sustainable human development. A number of NGOs around the world work for the protection of their rights, their empowerment and their close association with the society & environment. Yet often the opportunities for youth to engage politically, economically and socially are low or non-existent. Even many NGOs are unaware of the latest opportunities available for the youths.
Considering this, we have developed a list of youth toolkits, resources and opportunities that are still open for projects supporting youths around the world.
Nominate for 2016 Commonwealth Youth Awards-Acknowledging Youth making a Difference
Deadline: 31 August 2015
Do you know a young person making a positive difference in your community or country?
If yes, then Nominate for the2016 Commonwealth Youth Awards!
Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) of the Commonwealth Secretariat has initiated these awards for the Excellence in Development Work.
A total of 16 finalists will be shortlisted from four Commonwealth regional categories: Africa and Europe, Asia, America and Caribbean, and Pacific.
Focus Areas
- Promote youth participation in decision making
- Promote economic empowerment of young people
- Take action for equality between young women and young men
- Promote peaceful and democratic environment in which human rights flourish
- Provide quality education for all
- Improve access to information and communication technology
- Promote health, development and values through sport and culture
- Engage young people to protect the environment.
Awards & Benefits
The sixteen regional finalists will receive a £1,000 grant, a trophy and a certificate. The four regional winners will receive an additional £2,000, a trophy, and a certificate. The overall Commonwealth award winner, or Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, will receive £5,000 in total, a trophy and a certificate. The 16 finalists will be invited to receive their awards at an official ceremony in London.
Criteria for Nomination
- The nominee must have been engaged in their development work for more than 12 months either in a professional or voluntary capacity
- The nominee must be from a Commonwealth member country
- The development work must be ongoing and in a Commonwealth member country
- Nominees must be aged between 15 and 29 years (as of 31 December 2016), and come from a Commonwealth member country.
- Nominees should give permission for their names to be put forward (if nominated by someone else). Award winners and finalists must agree to take part in publicity and activities generated by the Commonwealth.
- The development work can be within any number of areas, including agriculture, skills training, arts and culture, environment protection, education, health and well-being, human rights, information and communications technology, journalism and many more areas including sport, science and sustainability.
How to Apply
Interested applicants can make nominations by submitting an online application form given on the website. Applicants will be required to provide:
- Details about yourself
- Details about the person you are nominating (if nominating someone)
- The reasons you think the nominee (or you, if you are nominating yourself) deserves to win
- A description of the development work and how it makes a positive difference to the lives of others.
For more information, please visit Commonwealth Youth Awards.
