A call to young leaders in Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) in the Commonwealth

Are you interested in how sport can be used to support sustainable development?

 Do you believe in the value of international cooperation and working with other young leaders across the Commonwealth?

Would you like to contribute to a Commonwealth-wide initiative and expand your networks and contacts in the sport and development field?

An exciting opportunity exists to join a youth-focused working group being formed to support the promotion and coordination of Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) in the Commonwealth. This is a chance to input into key Commonwealth sport and development forums, increase your knowledge and understanding of SDP and network with other young ‘SDP’ leaders across the Commonwealth.

Sport is a key part of the Commonwealth identity and an important common thread that draws together the membership. In the modern Commonwealth sport is also increasingly recognised as a tool that can contribute to achieving a range of development objectives. Many Commonwealth countries, organisations and agencies are active in this work, while others wish to develop it. To strengthen this area the Commonwealth Secretariat’s Youth Affairs Division, with support from the Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council (CYEC), is forming a working group of volunteer ‘SDP Youth Focal Points’ to: 

• Provide a youth voice and perspective on strengthening SDP in the Commonwealth;
• Meet on a quarterly basis with other regional focal points (via web conferences) and make recommendations on SDP to forums such as the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS), Commonwealth Sport Conferences and the Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting;
• Liaise with other youth representative bodies to advance awareness of SDP approaches and initiatives;
• Assist in the formation of an SDP sub-Committee of the Commonwealth Youth Council and establish the initial focus for this group.

 Additionally, from this working group the Commonwealth Secretariat will invite a selected member to: 

• Attend the annual CABOS face to face meeting to be held in June 2013; and/or
• Make a key note panel presentation at the 4^th Annual Sports Development Conference to be held in Glasgow in August 2013*

 *Travel, board and lodging for these activities will be supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat

 The working group is being formed on a voluntary basis for an initial one-year period and nationals of Commonwealth countries above the age of 15 and who will be under 30 at the conclusion of their tenure (i.e. March 2014) are encouraged to submit an expression of interest to be involved. Expressions of interest should include your current CV, including referees, and a creative, well-developed submission on how Sport for Development and Peace can contribute to ‘putting young people at the centre of sustainable development’.

 Submissions can be in the form of:

• Academic essay or position paper (no more than 1500 words)
• Magazine feature article suitable for publication on the Your Commonwealth web site – see www.yourcommonwealth.org (1000 words)
• Short film
• Photography with extended captions/descriptions for each image
• Other submissions related welcome by negotiation (please contact Carl Konadu at CYEC carl@cyec.org.uk)

The deadline for submissions is Friday 15 March, with the intention to publish or display selected examples in relevant Commonwealth forums and platforms.

Please send all expressions of interest and submissions to:

Oliver Dudfield
Sport Development Adviser
Commonwealth Secretariat – Youth Affairs Division
Marlborough House
Pall Mall
London, SW1Y 5HX

o.dudfield@commonwealth.int or +44 (0) 20 7747 6267

*Submissions preferred electronically