Deadline: October 17, 2021.

Organised and delivered by the Commonwealth Youth Programme, the Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work aims to recognise and celebrate young people (aged 15 – 29) in the Commonwealth who are spearheading impactful, sustainable development work in their communities.

To mark the celebration next year of the Platinum Jubilee of the Head of the Commonwealth, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust (QCT) has joined as a partner to offer a special award prize to an eligble, selected applicant.

The main objectives of the Commonwealth Youth Awards are to:

• Highlight the contributions young people are making to development work in the Commonwealth, particularly through the Sustainable Development Goals;
• Create an environment which will encourage and sustain investments in youth-led development;
• Illustrate the depth and breadth of talent, commitment and creativity that exists among young people across the Commonwealth; and
• Motivate, encourage and challenge young people to set high standards for their work/service at community, national, regional or international levels.

REQUIREMENTS

• The nominee must have been engaged in development work for more than 12 months, either in a professional or voluntary capacity;
• The nominee must be a Commonwealth citizen and the development work must be taking place in a Commonwealth member country;
• The nominee should not be older than 29 years of age on 31 December 2021; and
• Individuals can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone who can accurately describe their development work.

To be eligible for the QCT prizes, applicants must also meet the following additional criteria:

• be aged 18 to 29 years old on 31 December 2021; and
• be the founder or co-founder of a social enterprise.

CRITERIA

Awards will be decided on the basis of:

1. Level of impact;
2. Level of innovation/fresh approaches to problem solving;
3. Quality of achievement;
4. Quality of the evidence provided; and
5. Sustainability.

AWARDS

1. There will be four finalists for each Commonwealth region with the top entries receiving the Regional Winner Award. The top Regional Winner will receive the Pan-Commonwealth Award and be named the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2022.
2. The 20 Regional Finalists will each receive a £1,000 grant, a trophy and a certificate.
3. The 5 Regional Winners will receive an additional £2,000 (a total of £3,000) a trophy and a certificate.
4. The Pan-Commonwealth Winner will receive an additional £2,000 (a total of £5,000) a trophy and a certificate.
5. The selected winner of the QCT prizes will recieve two years of flexible funding at £20,000 a year, as well as coaching opportunities and organisational development support.
6. Winners will be officially annouced during Commonwealth Week in March 2022.

OFFICIAL LINK