Cameroon: The search for the next Queen’s Young Leaders is on!
Young people from Cameroon aged between 18 to 29 years old called upon to apply for the prestigious scheme.
2015 Winner Mallah Enow Tabot receiving her award from HM the Queen.
Following the huge success of this year’s inaugural Queen’s Young Leaders Awards at Buckingham Palace in June, the search is on to find the next 60 exceptional young people from across the Commonwealth to become the Queen’s Young Leaders of 2016. If you, or someone you know, is doing inspirational work in their community, apply or nominate them for an Award today.
Young people from all across the Commonwealth can apply or be nominated now to win an Award and become a Queen’s Young Leader of 2016. Applications close on Monday 7th September. Visit Queen’s Young Leaders Awards for more information. #TheSearchIsOn.
The Queen’s Young Leaders Awards recognise and celebrate the achievements of young people aged 18-29 who are taking the lead to transform the lives of others and make a lasting difference in their communities. The Programme aims to create new and exciting opportunities for young people, enabling them to step up as leaders and improve the lives of many others in the Commonwealth.
As well as receiving their Award from Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace, winners will receive a bespoke Awards package, which includes a year of training and mentoring from the University of Cambridge. Award winners will also take part in a week-long residential programme in the UK, during which they will spend two days attending workshops at the University of Cambridge, meet with senior UK political and business leaders, and receive guidance from well-established social action projects.
One of the Award winners of 2015, Kate Row, from Australia said: “If you’re a young leader in your community, then apply! It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity – there is nothing better to do in terms of leadership development.”
The search for the Queen’s Young Leaders Award winners was launched in 2014 by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry on behalf of The Queen. The winners of 2015 came from all over the Commonwealth and are working to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of different issues including; education, climate change, gender equality, mental health and attitudes towards disability.
Dr Astrid Bonfield, Chief Executive of The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust said: “Talented young people from all spheres of life are transforming their communities and societies for the better. The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme aims to recognise their achievements and develop their leadership skills further. Over the four year lifetime of the Programme we hope to find an Award winner from every single Commonwealth country. You could be supporting people with mental health issues, or improving the lives of people with disabilities, or be working to mitigate the effects of climate change. If you think you are deserving of this once-in-a-lifetime Award, or know somebody who is, please do not hesitate to apply.”
The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme was established by The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust in partnership with Comic Relief and the Royal Commonwealth Society in recognition of The Queen’s lifetime of service to the Commonwealth. Over the next three years the Programme will support thousands of young people. In addition to the Queen’s Young Leaders Awards, the Programme will provide grants to support organisations in selected countries across the Commonwealth that work with young people to transform their lives.
Notes to editors
Queen’s Young Leaders on social media Twitter: @queensleaders Instagram: @queensyoungleaders Facebook: facebook.com/queensyoungleaders Hashtag: #QueensYoungLeaders #TheSearchIsOn
The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme
The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, in partnership with Comic Relief and The Royal Commonwealth Society, has established The Queen’s Young Leaders Programme in honour of Her Majesty The Queen’s 60 years of service to the Commonwealth at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. Guided by the values of the Commonwealth Charter, the goal of the Programme is to enable young people to step up as leaders and improve the lives of people across the Commonwealth.
Award details
Each year from 2014 to 2018, 60 exceptional young people will be selected to receive a Queen’s Young Leaders Award and become ‘Queen’s Young Leaders’ – one for every year that The Queen had served as Head of the Commonwealth at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. This year’s Award winners are aged between 18 and 29 and are working to support others, raise awareness and inspire change on a variety of different issues including education, climate change, gender equality, mental health and disability equality.
As part of the Award, winners will receive bespoke mentoring and online learning provided by the University of Cambridge. Award winners will attend a week-long residential programme in the UK in June, when they will receive their Award at Buckingham Palace from Her Majesty The Queen.
Criteria to win an award:
• Nominees will have proven experience of working to improve their communities locally, regionally or at a national level and will show evidence of their achievements;
• Nominees will be aged between 18 and 29 for the year of the Award and be citizens of a Commonwealth country;
• Nominees will demonstrate evidence of their leadership qualities Priority will be given to individuals who have overcome challenges to achieve their goals;
• All nominees will need to be supported by a suitable referee.
The Partners
The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust
The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust is a charitable foundation, established in 2012, to mark and celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 60-year contribution to the Commonwealth. The Trust has received donations from governments, corporate partners, trusts, foundations, community groups and individuals from across the Commonwealth, and its programmes work in alliance towards eliminating avoidable blindness and to empower a new generation of young leaders. With a five-year timeframe in which to deliver successful programmes, the Trust’s aim is to leave a lasting legacy, owned by the whole Commonwealth, to honour Her Majesty The Queen. For more information go to: www.jubileetribute.org
Comic Relief
Established in 1985, Comic Relief is a major UK fundraising and grant making charity which uses the power of entertainment to create long-lasting change. Its vision is a just world, free from poverty. It strives to make this vision a reality by supporting poor, disadvantages and vulnerable people in the UK and across some of the world’s poorest communities to change their own lives for the better. Discover more at: www.comicrelief.com
Royal Commonwealth Society
The Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS), founded in 1868, is a network of individuals and organisations committed to improving the lives and prospects of Commonwealth citizens across the world. Working through a range of educational, civil society, business and governmental networks, the RCS addresses issues that matter to the Commonwealth citizens. For more information go to:www.thercs.org