BRADES, Montserrat (March 2, 2011) – Parliamentary Secretary Hon. Jermaine Wade is encouraging young Montserratians to become Commonwealth Correspondents.

The Commonwealth Youth Programme recently launched a new initiative for aspiring writers and youth leaders who are interested in international events or issues in their local community.

Wade said the programme is open to young people aged 15-29 and provides an opportunity for the voices of Montserrat’s youth to be heard globally.

Commonwealth Correspondents will have to write short articles between 150 to 500 words in length which will be published on a soon to be launched website, dedicated to the opinions and experiences of young people.

 
Wade said the correspondents do not have to be professionals or experienced writers but they would have to commit to producing at least one short article every two months. “The article can be an opinion piece or a news or interview article sharing your viewpoint on an event you attended or a campaign, conference or performance that you’ve been involved in.”

Correspondents are asked to write about ordinary and extraordinary issues or events occurring in their community, town, country or region. With the goal of sparking a global conversation and debate about how events in local, national or international news have affected them or made them think about certain subjects.

“The aim is to bring together a group of ambitious and talented people keen to share their thoughts and encounters with the world,” says Layne Robinson, Youth Affairs Programme Officer at the Commonwealth Secretariat. “These people will be the leaders or writers of the future who will influence opinion and decisions across the globe.”

To apply to become a Commonwealth Correspondent or simply learn more about the initiative, please send a short email with your name, age and nationality to Will Henley, Editor at will@yourcommonwealth.org.