Commonwealth 2021 Youth Awards (UK)

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work.

Turning adversity into advantage

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has severely upended the lives and prospects of our young people. It has created an unprecedented health challenge, unavoidable disruption to work, training and education, and a future full of uncertainty.

“Without a strong, global response, young people could be staring down the barrel of decades of poverty, unemployment alongside the social upheaval that comes with economic setbacks.

“But despite these challenges, we are seeing a youth population that is ahead of the curve, harnessing their talent, passion and ingenuity to turn adversity into advantage.

“To recognise their contributions in these turbulent times, the Commonwealth Youth Awards will give young people a global platform to showcase their ideas, solutions and technologies. It will highlight the powerful and positive impact they are making in their communities, countries and across the globe.”

• Table of Content
• About The Commonwealth
• Commonwealth Youth Awards
• Aim and Benefits of Commonwealth Youth Awards
• Requirements for Commonwealth Youth Awards Qualification
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About The Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 54 independent and equal countries. It is home to 2.4 billion people, and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. 32 of our members are small states, including many island nations. Our member governments have agreed to shared goals like development, democracy and peace. Our values and principles are expressed in the Commonwealth Charter. The Commonwealth's roots go back to the British Empire. But today any country can join the modern Commonwealth. The last country to join the Commonwealth wa... continue reading

Commonwealth Youth Awards

Aim and Benefits of Commonwealth Youth Awards

• Judges will choose 20 finalists who will each receive a trophy, a certificate and £1,000 in cash.
• Of the 20, five regional winners will be chosen and awarded an additional £2,000.
• The finalists and regional winners will be announced during Commonwealth week in March 2021.
• There will be an overall winner who will receive the title of Commonwealth Young Person of the Year 2021, and a total cash prize of £5,000.

This year’s award includes special recognition for young people who have made outstanding efforts to tackle development challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Requirements for Commonwealth Youth Awards Qualification

The young people who will receive the Commonwealth Youth Awards should demonstrate measurable/tangible impact through their development work.

Nominees must be:

• aged 15 to 29 years;
• a citizen of a Commonwealth member country;
• been engaged in development work for more than 12 months – either in a professional or voluntary capacity;
• have a strong track record of implementing innovative ideas and linking their development work and its impact to one of the 17 SDGs;
• and have demonstrated an understanding of the importance of youth engagement in key areas of development.

Entrants can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone who is not a relative and who can testify to their work.

Selection: Young leaders from across the 54 Commonwealth countries can enter five regional categories:

1. Africa;
2. Asia;
3. Caribbean;
4. Europe and Canada; and
5. Pacific.

A pan-Commonwealth panel will judge the entries based on the impact, sustainability and level of innovation.

Application Deadline

How to Apply

For more details, visit Commonwealth website.