‘Youth Writes’ - A CYPCC and CARICOM Youth empowerment initiative ….laptop computers, cash, educational tours among prizes.

The first-place winner will receive US$1,000.00, a lap top computer, and a one-week educational /nature heritage and cultural tour to Guyana with accommodation and allowances provided.

An innovative essay contest dubbed 'Ýouth Writes', aimed at providing young people with the opportunity to express their views on development and how youth challenges in the region should be managed, has been launched by the Commonwealth Youth Programme Caribbean Centre (CYPCC) and the CARICOM Secretariat

'Youth Writes' is an annual contest being undertaken to mark Caribbean Youth Day 2007 to be observed on September 30. The 2007 'Youth Writes' contestwill concentrate on the views of adolescents and youth between the ages of 13 to 17.

In a 1000-1500 word essay, participants are required to 'Analyze and explain how young people can become effective leaders in the Caribbean by participating in the resolution of today's major issues facing youth.'

The Commonwealth Youth Programme has been mandated to engage and empower young people to enhance their contribution to development. CYPbelieves young people have rights and they must be empowered. CYP, governments and other stakeholders are accountable to young people as much as young people are accountable to each other and to the rest of society. In this rights-based approach to the development of young men and women, CYP advocates for and promotes through its work, the effective participation of all young women and men including vulnerable groups in the development process and for social transformation.

These young students from the Amerindian Community of Orealla, located deep in the jungle of Guyana, are sure to welcome this CYPCC/CARICOM initiative.

CYPCC and CARICOM feel that the views of young people are critical to the policy agendas of Governments and regional and international development agencies working for and with young people in the Caribbean.

Consequently, the essays should keep in mind the centrality of youth empowerment, engagement and mainstreaming, to the topic and for national development, and the advancement of regional integration goals for sustainable economic development. This angle will lead to consolidation of views, themes, and recommendations that CYP and CARICOM and Governments can take into consideration in designing research and development agendas to achieve holistic youth development.

By focusing on an annual topical issue of importance to young people, 'Youth Writes' will provide a channel for the voices and aspirations of a wider cross-section of the Region's youth, thus help to shape the policy of the youth development landscape.

'Youth Writes'will also benefit from a healthy youth critique on development perspectives differentiated by age. This is in keeping with the life-cycle concept of development to address the peculiar concerns of youth cohorts across their developmental span.

The first-place winner will receive US$1,000.00, a lap top computer, and a one-week educational /nature heritage and cultural tour to Guyana with accommodation and allowances provided. The first-place winner's school will receive a fully-loaded desk-top computer system. The winning essay will be published in the Youth Vibes the CYP Caribbean Centre newsletter and other Commonwealth and CARICOM publications. The winner will also be invited to present her /his paper at appropriate meetings of CYP and CARICOM.

The Second-place winner will receive a cheque for US$500.00 and a lap top computer. The essay will also be published in the Youth Vibes and other Commonwealth and CARICOM publications.

The third-place winner will receive a lap top computer. This essay too will be published. There will be media promotions and press releases to media houses in the countries of the first five prize winners.

Participants are urged to select a specific current issue that is of importance to youth development in their country and the region and explain why they have chosen it. They should also describe and analyze the role of young people and their networks; Governments; NGOs, family and community networks, and other development partners to resolve the particular issue they have selected and discuss the immediate consequences.

A panel of Judges comprising officials of CYPCC, CARICOM, regional academic institutions, youth policy makers and regional youth leaders will be convened during August 12 to15, 2007 to review the submissions. The judges will focus on adequate research on the facts of youth empowerment, national policy and regional development perspectives, effective networking and partnership and the central role of young people in resolving the issues. The panel will also check to ensure that essays are presented clearly with a concise argument to support the writer's views and have a clear structure with a title, an introduction, body, conclusion, and bibliography.

Essays will be disqualified if they do not meet the requirements or are postmarked after the submission date of July 24, 2007. Four copies of the essay must be included in the package. Email submissions are accepted provided that entrants also comply with the requirement to mail in submissions. Faxed applications will not be accepted.

Entries must be sent to PO Box 101063 Georgetown, GUYANA by July 24, 2007 or to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . Registration forms are available online at www.thecommonwealth.org/cyp/, but must be printed and mailed.

Winners will be contacted by September 10, 2007