Call for Writers and Youth Leaders

An exciting new opportunity for aspiring writers and youth leaders begins today with the launch of a new initiative from the Commonwealth Youth Programme.

Young people aged 15-29 from Commonwealth countries are invited to join the Commonwealth Correspondents – an international collective of writers and young activists who report on local and worldwide issues and events to share their thoughts and analyses.

Commonwealth Correspondents write short articles of between 150 to 500 words in length which are published on the website – http://www.yourcommonwealth.org/ – which charts the opinions and experiences of young people in the Commonwealth.

“The aim is to bring together a group of ambitious and talented people keen to share their thoughts and encounters with the world,” said Layne Robinson, Youth Affairs Programme Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

“These people will be the leaders or writers of the future who will influence opinion and decisions across the globe.”

To spark conversation and debate with their peers around the world, correspondents are asked to write about ordinary and extraordinary issues or events occurring in their community, town, country or region, and how they have affected them or made them think about certain subjects.

To apply to become a Commonwealth Correspondent, or to learn more about the initiative, please send a short email with your name, age and nationality to will@yourcommonwealth.org

What do I have to do?

You don’t need to be a professional or even an experienced writer. To become a correspondent, all you have to do is commit to producing at least one short article every two months. The article could be an opinion piece or a news or interview article – whichever you prefer.

You might want to write:

· a short opinion piece about a subject that you care about or something that you have been thinking about recently;

· a short news article about an event you have attended or been involved with, for instance, a campaign, conference, workshop or performance; or

· a short interview where you ask questions of someone you know or meet and record the replies.

Why should I take part?

There are many benefits of becoming a Correspondent:

· it is a great thing to add to your resume/curriculum vitae to impress future employers and university tutors;

· it is hugely satisfying to know that your articles are being read by other young people from all around the world – it is also a way of making friends and learning new things; and

· your articles may influence opinion across the Commonwealth and within member governments – they will be read by lots of senior people at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

For more information:

Will Henley

Editor / Communications Manager

YourCommonwealth

will@yourcommonwealth.org