Global Youth Representation

The British Youth Council provides a platform for young people in the UK to be represented internationally on the issues that matter to them.

We believe that young people should have a say on the decisions affecting them and the issues they care about. Many of these issues are either global in nature, such as poverty and climate change, directly affected by global events, such as the Covid-19 Pandemic, or dealt with at international venues such as the Council of Europe, the Commonwealth or the United Nations.

UK Young Ambassadors

The Young Ambassadors are a team of four elected young people aged 18-25 representing the UK in internationally.

Alongside these four mandated posts, the UK Young Ambassador team features a cluster of International Associates. It also often includes additional British Youth Council representatives who have been elected to serve on either the Council of Europe's Advisory Council on Youth, the governing structures of the Commonwealth Youth Council or as a Board Member of the European Youth Forum.

Latest news and blogs

OUR AMBASSADORS

Elif True

UK Young Ambassador to the Commonwealth

William Awomoyi

UK Young Ambassador to the Commonwealth

William is a 20-year-old Politics and International Relations student at the University of Cambridge. William has sufficient experience in youth politics having served as the MYP and first Young Mayor of Croydon. He is a multi-award-winning public sector strategist, having won the Bromley Rotary Award 2020, the SMK Young Campaigner of the Year Award 2021 and the Diana Award 2022/23 for public service. In September 2021, William was elected UK Young Ambassador to the Commonwealth Youth Forum. William is also an advisor to the AfCFTA Youth Advisory Council.

Maurizio Cuttin

UK Young Ambassador to Europe

Maurizio is a 21-year-old scholarship MA student at the University of Warwick, studying United States Foreign Policy. An aspiring diplomat with a background in international relations and human rights, he's passionate about youth civic engagement and peacebuilding. In September 2021, Maurizio was elected as UK Young Ambassador to the European Youth Forum, a role he is honoured to have. In April 2023, Maurizio was subsequently elected to the Council of Europe's Advisory Council on Youth.

OUR ASSOCIATES

Peter

Associate

Samaira

Associate

Cameron Deol

Associate

Currently, I am an A-level student in my final year of sixth form and planning to study History at university. My interest in promoting the voices of young people and creating positive changes within our global and domestic communities cemented my desire to become an international associate. Prior to this position, I have taken active roles in mental health and well-being initiatives along with youth engagement projects. I have also worked with the Shadow International Development Secretary.

European Youth Forum

The British Youth Council holds the UK seat on the European Youth Forum (YFJ) where we meet with national youth councils and international youth organisations across Europe. The European Youth Forum hosts a Council of Members Meeting (COMEM) or a General Assembly (GA) every six months. The UK, via the British Youth Council, has one voting seat and one observer who votes on policy papers and resolutions and holds the Board and the Council of Europe’s Advisory Council on Youth to account. Every two years, there are elections to the Advisory Council on Youth and the Board. The European Youth Forum runs various other events such as training, conferences, workshops and seminars on key youth issues, often in partnership with the Council of Europe, the European Commission and the United Nations. Members of the British Youth Council often have access to these training events and conferences. Maurizio Cuttin is the UK representative to the European Youth Forum.

Commonwealth

The Commonwealth Youth Forum occurs every two years before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. It allows young Commonwealth citizens to discuss issues, share their experiences, build consensus, and identify best practices. Delegates from all Commonwealth nations attend the event, and a final communiqué document is produced and presented to the Heads of Government which takes place after the Commonwealth Youth Forum.

The Commonwealth Youth Council (CYC) comprised of representatives from national youth councils from the 56 members of the Commonwealth of Nations - thus making it the apex youth engagement strategy for Commonwealth youth. It acts as an amalgamation of the various national youth councils of the member states. The CYC represents 1.5 billion young people from across Commonwealth countries and is supported by the Commonwealth Secretariat. Currently, young people make up 60% of the Commonwealth. William Awomoyi and Elif True are the UK representatives to the Commonwealth Youth Forum and Council.

Youth delegates

A UK youth delegate is a young person given formal negotiator accreditation as part of the UK delegation at international summits such as the G8/G20 and the United Nations. The British Youth Council previously supported young people attending the Y20 summit in Mexico ahead of the 2012 G20. The British Youth Council sends youth representatives to relevant ad hoc forums, platforms and conferences as and when an opportunity arises. We do this by calling on our pool of elected Ambassadors and Trustees or by offering an open call to young people. All public opportunities will be shared on the British Youth Council website and on our Twitter and Facebook pages.

As the voice of young people, youth delegates play an unprecedented role in influencing a country’s official policy positions. They can inspire and motivate young people while helping to translate complicated policy language into something accessible and relevant to people’s daily lives. In early 2022, the UK Young Ambassador team launched a campaign to lobby Government departments and Ministers for an officially elected UN Youth Delegate programme in the UK, similar to other countries.

We're recruiting

The British Youth Council is looking for new International Associates and our next UK Young Ambassadors for the European Youth Forum.

Represent young people internationally.

Deadline for applications is Monday 24th October at 09:00.
We can’t wait to hear from you!

International Associates

Ambassador to the European Youth Forum

Information

For more information and latest news follow on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

For more information contact the International team on international@byc.org.uk. 

 

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