Gold Holder and Regional Intern attends the UN High Meeting on Youth in New York

To celebrate the conclusion of the United Nations (UN) International Year of Youth (IYY), the UN hosted the “High Level Meeting on Youth” at their headquarters in New York. More than 500 youth delegates from organisations across the globe attended this historic event, alongside representatives from 193 member states, including various UN entities, governments and NGOs. Gold Award holder Dinesh Gajendran from India was invited to represent the IAA. He shares his experience and shares his thoughts on youth development.

The meeting was opened by the Secretary General H.E. Mr Ban ki Moon, who highlighted the plight of young people across the globe and called for governments to engage these youth in decision-making.

Speaking at the meeting, Ban ki Moon said: “Young people lack in education, freedom and opportunities they deserve. Unemployment rates for young people are three to six times the rate of adults, and informal, low-wage and insecure work is the norm.

“Young people are standing up for the rights of those who suffer discrimination based on gender, race and sexual orientation. This is especially true for young women, the disabled and indigenous youth. Failing to invest on our youth is a false economy.” Watch Ban ki Moon’s full address.

The opening session was followed by two consecutive informal interactive thematic panel discussions, which everyone was invited to take part in. The first panel discussion focused on strengthening international cooperation regarding youth and enhancing dialogue, mutual understanding and active youth participation as indispensable elements towards achieving social integration, full employment and the eradication of poverty.

The second discussion of the day explored the challenges to youth development and opportunities for poverty eradication, employment and sustainable development.

There was also a youth panel on "Giving it back, passing it on": Corporate Engagement and Youth Philanthropy as Pathways to Development, which was part of a series of youth events organised by the UN, NGOs and related UN agencies.

United Nations and the Award: A bridge for youth

I believe that youth engagement is key to the success of the Award. Youth delegates representing the Award at a global level often prove their mettle and showcase how positive youth engagement makes a difference. Attending the UN Meeting as a Gold Award holder gave me the opportunity to take part in an international debate on youth development, to make decisions alongside adult leaders, as well as to showcase how the Award is a key player in this sector.

Youth delegates also met H.E Vanugopala Menon, Ambassador of Singapore permanent commission to UN, which was organised by James Soh – Executive Director of the Award in Singapore & Hon Advisor for the Asia Pacific regional office. This gave us an insight into the UN working system and how the UN works and acts as a platform for youth.

Earlier in the year, I was also given opportunity to be a part of a consultation held with the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), held in Bangkok in April. Here, I contributed to the formation of a concept paper on ‘The Network of Emerging Leaders in Asia and Pacific (NELAP)’ which will offer development opportunities for youth in our region. Through NELAP, hundreds of Award holders will be given the opportunity to become citizens for social development and become part of a global-decision making process.

Life after Gold

Representing youth is something I have been keen to do since completing my own Award. I have been a participant, a leader an assessor and an ambassador for the Programme, having represented the Award at several International conferences, including the Beyond Sport Summit in Chicago last year. The Award has given me many opportunities and I would like to pass on these opportunities to other young people. Currently, I am working as an intern for the Asia Pacific region, collecting transformative Award stories as part of the Peter Cruddas Initiative. I myself was long-listed for the Initiative in year one for The Audacious Academy for Sports and Social Development (AASSD), a sports initiative that encourages young boys to channel their time and energy into sport.

Having attended the UN Meeting in New York, I am determined to see that young people continue to be represented and that their rights are extended. I would like to launch series of campaigns to support and empower young people, including the establishment of more open Award centres, a health programme for young people, and sports for employment. We have already started a blood screening test for young people from rural areas in India.

As a region, we are also about to launch a Gold Award Holders’ Alumni with three country community projects. There are also plans to set up an Asia Pacific Advisory Group with key stakeholders under the age of 35, as well as the Network of Emerging Leaders, which will be piloted in India, Indonesia and the Philippines.

There are many ways for Award holders to stay connected to the Award way beyond Gold and, if governments are going to address the issues affecting youth, society needs to give us a chance to participate.

---Dinesh Gajendran, Gold Award Holder, IAYP, India.

(Peter Cruddas Regional Intern, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Asia Pacific Region)

Dinesh Gajendran as Asia Pacific Regional Intern

It is an honour to introduce Gold Holder Dinesh Gajendran as the Second Asia Pacific Regional Intern for the Peter Cruddas Initiative. Year two of the Peter Cruddas Initiative will build on the success of Year One, widening the scope to focus on youth engagement. Dinesh was recognised as a Social Innovator in Year One of the Peter Cruddas Social Innovation Initiative for introducing the Award Programme in Madurai Kamaraj University and actively engaging in the India Special Projects with Olcott Memorial School in Chennai and Vellore Rural project in . He also represented the International Award Association at the 2010 Beyond Sport Summit held in Chicago, USA.

With experience in teaching Marketing and Advertising Subjects to MBA aspirants in Dept of Management Studies, Madurai Kamaraj University for the last 1.5 years; active engagement with Rural youth and local community by introducing and sustaining Kho-Kho as a sport since 2006; and Serving as a Manager/Coach & Technical official/Umpire for Taminadu State Kho-Kho Association and Kho-Kho Federation of India (KKFI)for two years; Dinesh is a self-made leader.

Dinesh believes that doing the Gold Award taught him the necessary leadership, networking and organizing skills to become self condient in becoming a Social entrepreneur.

His Project Rural Challengers was selected for the Peter Cruddas Social Innovations Initiative (PCSII) and recognized as Social Innovator by The International Award Association (IAA) for promoting Award to underprivileged areas of Tamilnadu.

Congratulations Dinesh! and Good Luck

Peter Cruddas Initiative Internship- “Telling the story about Award participants who are making a difference”

The Peter Cruddas Social Innovation Initiative aims to recognise participants who demonstrate enterprising attitudes, and who have used their Award Programme to benefit a specific section of society. The Initiative has been set up to recognise these individuals for their commitment to changing the lives of others.

This initiative aims to encourage social innovation amongst Award participants around the world. The measures of success (or KPIs) will be an increase in the number of case studies and stories featuring social change being collected by the Secretariat and an increase in the number of media articles featuring such stories.
The initiative will be managed by the head of communications based in the London office and utilising the services of the regional directors. In each region a young Gold Award holder will be engaged as an intern for 3 months each year, whose role will be to identify and write up the social innovation success stories within their own region and feed these into the Secretariat structures. These young people will be called Peter Cruddas Regional Interns. (See appendix for further details of recruitment, selection and management of these posts.) In addition, there will be a Peter Cruddas Initiative Co-ordinator, based in the London office, who will co-ordinate the initiative on behalf of the head of communications, and report into them.

At the end of the year, three social innovators from each region will be selected to attend a showcase event to be held in London attended by Peter Cruddas and HRH The Earl of Wessex. The most impactful of these social innovators will be chosen by Peter Cruddas, on recommendation from the IAA, to enjoy a tailor-made one week induction course, possibly within the CMC Markets environment. This reward will be flexible and aims to provide the social innovator with a further opportunity to gain experience internationally either within CMC markets or an appropriate work place experience at a national or international level.

Social innovators will be Gold Award participants who saw a problem or opportunity in their community or halfway around the world, and took action to develop a solution. They will combine accentuated leadership, a drive for social justice, and excellent managerial ability to create social projects that benefit human and community development. The shortlisted individuals selected to attend the London event will be distinguished as Peter Cruddas Social Innovators.

The Peter Cruddas Foundation, established by Peter Cruddas, chief executive of CMC Markets plc, in 2006 and the International Award Association’s Global Benefactor, is supporting the Initiative. Peter has been a passionate supporter of the International Award since 2005, when he became our first Global Benefactor, and is underlining his continuing commitment through this exciting project.

Year two of the Peter Cruddas Initiative will build on the success of year one, widening the scope to focus on youth engagement. A paid intern is to be recruited at regional level to provide support on communications and research projects and activities.

The Asia Pacific Regional office will be calling for applications for a 6-12 month internship commencing in April. The Initiative's first ever intern Rahul Shankar (pictured left) reflects on his experience: "Thousands of young people are creating social change and this initiative enables us to find these innovators and give them due recognition. I was honoured to have been the first intern to find such stories and look forward to the second year of the initiative."

Know more about the Peter Cruddas Initiative.

- Information from Asia Pacific Regional News Letter and the IAA Website