Latest content: Youth

Guest blog by Salome Mosha and Gideon Gachihi, Commonwealth youth leaders and mental health advocates.

The inaugural Commonwealth Expo 2023 was held on the final day of the 10th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (10CYMM) and allowed Government ministers and other delegates to learn more about the work of accredited Commonwealth organisations, as well as others working in the youth space. The expo resulted in a rich display of youth-focused initiatives and projects that are all aimed at improving the lives of young people.

You may be unfamiliar with the term “youth bulge”. The World Bank has defined it as a phenomenon in many developing countries where factors such as reducing infant mortality and high fertility rates have resulted in children and young people outnumbering adults.

The 10th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting has secured a range of tangible commitments for young people in the Commonwealth, including AI training opportunities, scholarships, stronger youth networks, new laws to protect vulnerable people, and more opportunities to shape policy.

Senior government ministers and other senior government officials attending the 10th Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting (10CYMM) got a feel of the impactful work some UK organisations are doing to support young people in London. The UK’s National Youth Agency facilitated visits to four innovative youth work projects to showcase different approaches to common challenges.

At the Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work, Maya Kirti Nanan, Founder of the Autism Siblings and Friends Network (ASFN), was chosen as the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year for 2023.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP), a special edition of the Commonwealth Youth Awards has spotlighted 50 exceptional young leaders who are committed to solving some of the world’s most difficult challenges and transforming lives in their communities.

Senior government officials have applauded the impact of the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Programme, including notable achievements delivered for youth development over the past six years.

The Hamish Ogston Foundation has made the largest-ever investment in heritage skills in Commonwealth history.

Young people from across the Commonwealth have shared strategies and actions to address the urgent environmental crises affecting their generation.

By Layne Robinson, Head of Social Policy Division

By Dr Lin Sambili-Gicheha, Project Manager, Sport for Development and Peace

Young professionals in the Pacific have created a new network to empower young entrepreneurs in the region.

The ocean is facing unprecedented challenges, from plastic pollution and overfishing to climate change and habitat destruction. As the custodians of the future, young people have a critical role to play in addressing these issues and shaping a sustainable future for our ocean.  

Blog by: Sunge Makawa, Assistant Programmes Officer Social Policy Development – Youth and Gayathri Ajayakumar, Data Science Intern ICT Data and Analytics

The University of Reading in the UK was adorned with flags from across the Commonwealth to welcome speakers, participants and representatives from youth organisations who gathered for the 4th Commonwealth Conference on Youth Work.

Youth work practitioners, academics and policymakers from across the Commonwealth are coming together at the University of Reading, UK, and virtually, for the 4th Commonwealth Conference on Youth Work, being held under the theme, The Power of Youth Work: Forging a sustainable and peaceful common future.

Speaking at an event in Trinidad and Tobago aimed at tackling male violence, especially young men, The Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland, KC, has called for societies to “act together” to reverse the tide of violence amongst men.

The Commonwealth Higher Education Youth Work Consortium (CHEYWC), supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat, organised a technical workshop for youth workers aimed at bolstering the professionalisation of the youth sector.