Call for articles on Youth Leadership

June 23, 2021 

Commemorated each year on 12 August, International Youth Day "celebrates and mainstreams young peoples’ voices, actions and initiatives, as well as their meaningful, universal and equitable engagement". In the lead up, sportanddev.org and The Commonwealth are calling for articles on youth engagement and leadership in sport for development.

The world has more young people today than ever, with UN statistics estimating that nearly 1.2 billion people were between the ages of 15-24 years in 2019. By 2030, this number is expected to increase by 7%, to 1.3 billion. By 2065, the world’s youth population is projected to reach its peak at 1.4 billion.

While definitions of youth differ widely, more than half of those aged 15-24 are unemployed. In the next decade, 1 billion young people are estimated to enter the labour market, and many face a future of irregular and informal employment. 

These risks are worse for marginalised groups. Girls and young women are more likely to be unemployed, lack access to education and be at a higher risk of exploitation and violence. 

While many in the sport for development field seek to engage youth through their policies and programmes, they are often seen as beneficiaries and not meaningfully included in decision-making and leadership.  In recognition, sportanddev is calling for articles to help illustrate and foster a changed perspective on youth engagement and leadership. 

Please send any submissions by 10 August 2021 to Tariqa Tandon at [email protected].

Questions to consider when submitting, include: 

• How can sport be leveraged to address the specific challenges that young people face? 
• How can youth be engaged in leadership roles in the sport for development sector, to determine policy agendas and influence change? What approaches can be used to engage youth in sport leadership roles? 
• How can sport be used to build a more secure future for the youth, and build skills to prepare them for their entry into the labour market? 
• In the context of COVID-19, how can sport help youth recover and rebuild from the pandemic, and build a stronger response to future disruptions? 
• If you work with youth in the SDP sector, how has sport brought about a tangible change in their lives? What are some stories of real change? 
• How can sport impact issues of gender and other inequalities in society? How can sport challenge gender norms and address violence against women and girls? 
• In an increasingly digital world, what is the role of technology and sport in engaging with young people? 
• How can sport be leveraged to address issues of violent extremism, social exclusion and unrest? How can young people use sport to tackle deep structural issues such as poverty, inequality and unemployment? 

Stories of these young people may be those participating in programmes but may also be those delivering programmes or leading initiatives, for example coaches or coordinators.