Are you interested in international events or issues in your local community? Become a Commonwealth Correspondent!
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 are invited to join the Commonwealth Correspondents, an international collective of writers and young activists who want to help shape the world through their thoughts, analyses and reporting.
Commonwealth Correspondents write short articles of between 150 to 500 words in length which are published on a website – soon to be launched – dedicated to the opinions and experiences of young people.
“The aim is to bring together a group of ambitious and talented people keen to share their thoughts and encounters with the world,” says 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.”
Correspondents are asked to write about ordinary and extraordinary issues or events occurring in their community, town, country or region.
With the goal of sparking conversation and debate with peers around the world, they explain how events in local, national or international news have affected them or made them think about certain subjects.
To apply to become a Commonwealth Correspondent or simply 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).
• 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 – likely 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’s also a way of making friends and learning new things.
• 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.
• Selected articles may be featured on the blogs section of the Secretariat’s website, which receives more than a million visitors a year.
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