International Youth Representatives

International Youth Representatives (IYRs) represent the Award participants, and alumni, for their region, on the International Council (IC). There are two International Youth Representatives per region, volunteering between November 2025 – November 2028. During their term of appointment International Youth Representatives may attend meetings locally, regionally and internationally, and facilitate sessions at the Foundation’s regional conferences.

As an International Youth Representative, you will report to the Foundation on discussions, projects and feedback from operators. As such, the role requires the ability to take on responsibility for engaging widely.  You will provide both the Foundation and the IC with key insights that help ensure our collective work is  inclusive, and to help grow the Award so it is available to as many young people as possible, particularly those who are considered at-risk and marginalised.

For the Award to be relevant to young people, it is crucial that their voice is at the heart of what we do. Regardless of background, culture or ability, we believe it is essential to give young people across all regions a platform to ensure the Award is accessible and relevant for all young people, wherever they are in the world.

 

 

The 2022-2025 Cohort with Chair of the Award, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

 

Requirements for International Youth Representative applicants

  • Aged between 18 – 28 at point of application
  • Achieved Gold level of the Award or currently doing Gold level and completed 70% of it
  • Passionate about the Award and its impact, eager to share your experience with others
  • Interested in sharing your views and discussing key issues that affect your generation
  • Have some knowledge of how the Award is delivered in your country and able to demonstrate cultural intelligence
  • Have sufficient time to fully commit to the role requirements (approximately 4 hours per month over a three-year period, with occasional in-person events for up to a week at a time)
  • Willing and able to travel internationally
  • Capable of communicating verbally and in written English, and have reliable internet access

If you have answered YES to these questions and and are interested in applying for this role, please click the “Apply Now” button below to proceed with your self-nomination.

Applications will open on 1 February 2025 and will close on 28 February 2025.

FAQs

Still have questions about becoming an International Youth Representative? Read our FAQs below for more information.

 

What is the role of International Youth Representative?  

International Youth Representatives (IYRs) are ambassadors representing the Award’s alumni and participants on the Association’s International Council. They are a key element of the Association decisionmaking process, bringing a diverse and crucial youth perspective to the discussions and development of the Award.   

What is the time commitment?   
The International Youth Representative role is a three-year commitment. On average, you will need to set aside 4 hours per month to the role to keep up-to-date with governance developments, but at least once a year you will be expected to attend in-person events that may last 3 – 5 days, involving local and international travel. At these events you will be expected to actively participate and contribute to the Forum, International Gold Event, International Council, and regional conferences for the three-year term of appointment.
There are additional time commitments for any creative projects or events, but these are optional and there is no expectation for you to attend all of these.
How will I find out about the opportunities that are available?  

Once you have accepted and committed to being an International Youth Representative and returned your consent forms, you will be granted an official email address, with a linked Teams account for internal and external communications. We have designated channels for specific events and focus groups, so you will only receive the information that is relevant. You will also be able to communicate with a wider group of Global Youth Award Ambassadors to discuss issues and share your ideas!  

What support is provided for the in-person events?  

Once you have confirmed your availability to attend an in-person event we will share the details in your calendars. We will arrange an online briefing call, at a time that suits you, with the team running the event and any other IYRs or youth ambassadors who will be attending. During this call you will find out more about what the event involves, meet your Foundation point of contact who will be on hand to support at the event, and have the chance to ask questions so you feel confident with your role.   

 

The staff team will organise your transport, accommodation and visas (if required) in advance. Often food and refreshments are provided at the events, but if you do need to purchase meals, this will be agreed with you in advance, and you will be supported to complete an expense claim form to refund any additional costs.   

There is additional support available for anyone who needs it which includes:   

  • Writing to your school / college / university to request permission for your absence if the event overlaps with your studies   
  • Foundation staff available to meet you on location   
  • We will work with you on a 1-2-1 basis if additional support is required and we will work to remove any barriers which may prevent you from being able to attend.   
What if I cannot attend an event or online session?  

We would encourage you to attend as many of events as possible. The provisional dates for the majority of these are already confirmed and will be shared with you in the Welcome Pack, which is sent out at the start of the cohort. We request that everyone attends the International Youth Representative online session which will take place in May 2025 and the online handover sessions from the outgoing cohort, which will take place in between June 2025 and November 2025. We send out availability surveys in advance of each online meeting, so we know who will be attending. We may be able to record the session for you if you are unable to attend.   

We will regularly share opportunities to attend in-person events, but if you are unable to attend, please let us know in advance.   

How do I manage my time around home and work commitments and the IYR role?  

This is a voluntary role, and you will have other commitments outside of the International Youth Representative role. We do encourage you to think carefully about whether you can commit the time required to make sure both you and the Foundation gets the most from this opportunity.    

We understand that work and studies will always take priority, and we will work with you to ensure you can make the most out of this opportunity, whilst effectively managing your time.  

What support is provided during the cohort? 

The Alumni Officer (Seren Atis) will be your designated point of contact throughout the cohort and all communication will come directly from her. She is based in the UK and contactable via email, phone or WhatsApp. If you require any additional support or reasonable adjustments to ensure the programme is accessible, please speak to Seren who will be happy to help.   

Do you need to have public speaking experience to become an International Youth Representative?  

No, you do not need any previous public speaking experience. Sharing your Award story and working on youth advocacy is one aspect of the role, but there is no expectation for every IYR to stand on stage and present in front of an audience. We are looking for young people who are truly passionate about the Award, have insights from Award participants and holders in their region, speak about their needs, discover life after the Award, and there are numerous opportunities to make a difference behind the scenes as well. We provide training which will help build your confidence when it comes to public speaking, and whilst there are several opportunities to speak in front of larger audiences, there is no expectations for everyone to do this.   

How do you select successful applicants?  

Applications will be reviewed by a committee that contains The Foundation’s staff members, current and previous cohort of The International Youth Representative (IYRs), some members of the International Council Representatives and four National Award Office members per region once the application window closes on 28 February 2025. This review will take place in March 2025. It is important that the IYRs reflect the diversity of young people taking part in the Award across their region and the globe. We will ensure representation from Americas, Asia-Pacific, Africa and EMAS (Europe Mediterranean and Arab States) region with IYRs representing a range of backgrounds, religions, cultures, genders, abilities and perspectives. Successful applicants will be passionate about the Award, willing to share their experiences and work with others to make positive change. All successful and unsuccessful applicants will be contacted via email in early April 2025.  

Potter, International Youth Representative

One of the biggest benefits is you not only get to know friends within your country, but you also you get to know new friends within your region and also all around the world.

Aybüke, International Youth Representative

Actively participating this role allowed me to develop my skills in terms of decision making, leadership and then creating a resolution out of it.

Get in touch!

If you would like to get in touch with us, please email [email protected]

Good luck with your application!