Call for Regional Youth Leaders to join UN "Youth Connect"

To this end, the UN Sub-Regional team (UNST) is making a call for youth leaders and young civil society representatives across the Eastern Caribbean , who are motivated to serve,  to apply to become a part of "Youth Connect" - a forum that will allow them to  play an active and leading role in the sustainable development of the sub-region, in collaboration and partnership with the United Nations. 

This move is in keeping with the UN's 2018 Youth 2030 Strategy. This  system-wide Youth Strategy  serves as an umbrella framework to guide the UN's efforts to strengthen its work with and for young people across the three pillars - peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development. Youth engagement is therefore critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It has been well-established, that achieving the 2030 Agenda will require strong partnerships, including with youth, to ensure that young people are empowered to make meaningful contributions that can potentially enhance their well-being. Youth2030, puts young people at the center of an inter-generational and action-oriented Decade of Action. Working with and for youth, the global implementation of the strategy is gaining momentum to expand global, regional, country, and community-level action and to accelerate impact. 

YOUTH CONNECT 

Overview

As the world’s primary global advocate for the promotion of peace, human rights and sustainable development, the United Nations is uniquely placed to promote and safeguard the rights of young people and provide a meaningful platform to ensure that their needs are addressed, their engagement enhanced; and their voices amplified. To this end, for over five decades, the UN has prioritized youth engagement and empowerment as a key plank of sustainable development.

In 2018, the UN launched Youth 2030, a system-wide Youth Strategy which serves as an umbrella framework to guide the UN's efforts to strengthen its work with and for young people across the three pillars - peace and security, human rights, and sustainable development. Youth engagement is therefore critical to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  It has been well-established, that achieving the 2030 Agenda will require strong partnerships, including with youth, to ensure that young people are empowered to make meaningful contributions that can potentially enhance their well-being. Youth2030, puts young people at the center of an inter-generational and action-oriented Decade of Action. Working with and for youth, the global implementation of the strategy is gaining momentum to expand global, regional, country, and community-level action and to accelerate impact.

The United Nations Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Office is seeking to establish Youth Connect – a forum for youth throughout the Eastern Caribbean region to play an active and leading role in the sustainable development of the sub-region, in collaboration and partnership with the UN Sub-Regional Team (UNST). Youth ambassadors currently working with UNST members will be invited to become members of Youth Connect. Members of Youth Connect will have an opportunity to learn more about UN programmes globally and in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean and provide suggestions to the UNST about how programmes can better serve the youth in the sub-region. Youth Connect membership will comprise of active national and regional youth leaders and representatives who are motivated to serve. In keeping with the UN’s mandate to Leave No One Behind (LNOB), Youth Connect will be participatory and inclusive. As such, marginalized persons and those representing underserved youth communities are strongly encouraged to apply and make their voices heard in the decision-making process.

Objectives

Under a minimum one-year appointment Youth Connect members will be expected to:

1. Serve as UN Youth Advocates in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean to promote youth interests and involvement in sustainable development at national and regional levels.
2. Collaborate and interact with the existing youth ambassadors (if not members of Youth Connect) working with the UNST, to amplify the voice of the youth on key UNST projects and programmes.
3. Assist the UNST in the development and implementation of the Youth Development Strategy for Barbados & the Eastern Caribbean.
4. Ensure that youth engagement is mainstreamed across UNST work plans and programmes.   
5. Provide advice on measures to improve the UNST’s Youth Score Card ranking.
6. Participate in regional events, meetings, working groups and other forums, as required by the UNST and the UNRCO.
7. Advocate for inclusion and improvement in the well-being of marginalized and vulnerable youth across the sub-region, via appropriate forums at the national, regional, and international level.
8. Meaningfully participate in the implementation of the Cooperation Framework and collaborate with UNST to implement initiatives under the Country Programming Framework; and the respective Country Implementation Plans (CIP).
9. Engage in communication and outreach activities to raise awareness of ongoing programmes and projects being implemented by UN agencies across the sub-region.
10. Support and champion new youth-led initiatives such as volunteer and mentorship programmes within the UN system.
11. Assist in strengthening partnership between the UNST, youth organisations and young people in Barbados & the Eastern Caribbean, in general.
12. Participate in UN advocacy events for Agenda2030 and SDGs achievement in Barbados & the Eastern Caribbean.
13. Share and learn from experiences on matters affecting youth, as well as collaborate on areas of mutual interests.
14. Strengthen information dissemination and promotion of youth issues and interventions through active participation in UN campaigns like Decade of Action – UN@75.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible one must be:

1. Between the ages of 18 to 29 years.
2. A national of at least one of the following countries: Anguilla, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Antigua & Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.
3. Passionate about the ideals and key principles of the UN including peacebuilding, upholding human rights, and advancing sustainable development.
4. Able to demonstrate a key role played in implementation of at least one successful development project at the community, national, or regional level.
5. Able to demonstrate leadership qualities, and to secure support and respect of other youth leaders and young persons at the community, national and regional levels.
6. Experienced in working with and/or advocating on behalf of marginalized and/or vulnerable youth.
7. Committed to serve for a minimum of one year.
8. Involved in or a member of at least one social club, currently or in the past.
9. An effective communicator, team oriented, organized, critical thinker, innovative and creative.

      *To provide an opportunity for new voices, youth with experience working as a member of staff/consultant or volunteering for the UN are ineligible for membership. 

Terms of Appointment

1. Membership is on a voluntary basis, with no remuneration.
2. Members of Youth Connect will serve for a minimum of one year.
3. For continuity, fifty percent of members of the first cohort may be selected to serve for a second one-year term. This will be a joint decision between the youth the UN. Youth will be selected by their peers and endorsed by the UN where practical.
4. Should a member of Youth Connect resign or relinquish his/her duties, the next eligible applicant will be selected to replace the member.
5. Depending on the response, efforts will be made to select at least one member from each participating country.  Membership will range from between 10-15 members each year.
6. Membership will be guided by a strict code of ethics in line with UN standards.
7. Each member will be required to sign a letter of appointment and a Non-disclosure Agreement (NDA).
8. All members will undergo orientation and training while serving in the role.
9. Youth Connect members will report directly to the UNST via quarterly reports.

Code of Conduct

Members of Youth Connect will be expected to:

1. Devote sufficient time to be productive members.
2. Prepare adequately for meetings.
3. Participate actively in meetings and discussions.
4. Make contributions in good faith and without fear or favour.
5. Maintain independence, objectivity, and absolute confidentiality with regard to the protection of UN’s interests.
6. Maintain awareness of UN’s vision, mission, values, and plans, and be guided by these documents.
7. Desist from making offers, promises or undertakings of any kind on behalf of UN Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.
8. Be not engaged in staff disputes.
9. Attend meetings and other support mechanisms, as requested, without the use of proxies or substitutes.

Guidelines for Meetings

1. Meetings will be held once every quarter, and if necessary, an emergency meeting will be called to deal with urgent matters.
2. Meetings will be planned at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
3. Members will be informed, and the agenda will be distributed before the meeting.
4. Youth Connect memebers will also be invited to contribute ideas for the prospective agenda and review proposed agenda content.
5. The UNST may propose the participation of other stakeholders in the meetings in order to enrich the discussion.
6. Youth Connect members will review the draft agenda ahead of the meeting and prepare ideas, suggestions, and questions as they deem appropriate.
7. Members will confirm their participation or send apologies for absence by email, no later than five working days before the scheduled date of the meeting.
8. Members may be invited to make specific inputs to the meeting.
9. Youth Connect will prepare quarterly reports, and other briefs/notes/reports requested for consideration by all members and submit to UNST.
10. Meetings will be facilitated by a representative of the UNST/UNRCO.
11. Minutes are taken by a UN staff member. The Minutes are a record of the meeting’s conclusions, not a record of processes. No attribution to any individual will be specified in the minutes, unless specifically requested by a member.

Promotion and Selection

The nomination and selection process for Youth Connect members follow:

1. Open Regional Call– The RCO will launch a call for applications via various platforms including social media, websites of national governments and regional organizations, as well as on the UNST and Agency websites. Youth organizations across the region will also be directly informed. 
2. Short-listing of Candidates – The UNST Selection Committee will review applications and develop a shortlist, based on the selection criteria.
3. Interview – The Selection Committee will conduct brief interviews with short-listed candidates in alignment with eligibility criteria to determine suitability.
4. Decision – The Selection Committee will make recommendations to the UNST of the youth selected to constitute Youth Connect. 
5. Nomination – The Resident Coordinator on behalf of the UNST, will confirm the availability of prospective members and co-sign their nomination letters, after which a formal meeting will be convened to officially welcome them. Should selected individuals be unable to serve, the next eligible applicant will be selected through a formal process.

In commenting on this new forum, UN Resident Coordinator , Didier Trebucq stressed that Youth Connect was not meant to replace the existing engagement and partnership that currently exists between youth representatives and individual UN agencies, but was geared to enhance it. "We are anticipating the roll-out of Youth Connect which will serve as a means of enhancing our joint partnership with youth. Last year we would have worked with various youth for UN75 and other initiatives, in various capacities including as influencers, panelists and moderators among other roles. We are looking forward to building on this legacy to strengthen our engagement and collective support to youth ,including those who are at-risk and marginalized, in support of the 2030 Agenda."

Interested youth  or entities nominating individuals are asked to submit their CV's or that of their nominees via email to Ms. Lorraine Nicholas, Youth Focal Point in the Resident Coordinator Office (RCO) at lorraine.nicholas@un.org  on or before Tuesday, September 28.