Apply to be an AU Youth Volunteer in 2018!

The African Union Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC), established in 2010, is a continental development program that promotes youth volunteerism in Africa. The program aims to deepen the status of young people as key actors in Africa’s development targets and goals, enhancing their participation in policy development as well as design and implementation of relevant interventions towards the Africa Union’s Agenda 2063, ‘The Africa we want’. It brings people together to share skills, knowledge, creativity and learning to build a more integrated, prosperous and peaceful Continent driven by its citizens. The volunteering opportunities are intended to build professionalism and a sense of responsibility among the participants, thus enhancing their employability.

Young African professionals are recruited to serve for a period of 12 months as AU Volunteers in an AU Member State other than their own. The next intake of volunteers for deployment in 2018 will be from the 11th – 31st of July 2017.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants have to meet the following criteria:

1. Citizen of an AU Member State living on the continent or the Diaspora;
2. Aged between 18 – 35 years;
3. Have a post-secondary certified qualification(s) (TVET, Bachelor’s degree or equivalent)
4. Available in 2018 to dedicate 12 (twelve) months for volunteer work;
5. Willing to live and work in another AU Member State;
6. Is proficient in at least one AU working language (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese);
7. Has at least one year verifiable volunteering experience and one year professional work experience.

Volunteer Entitlements:

For the successful candidates, the African Union Commission and its partners will cover the full costs of their pre-deployment training.

On deployment, African Union Youth Volunteers receive the following:

1. Economy return air ticket from home town to place of deployment
2. A modest monthly stipend
3. Health insurance cover
4. Separation allowance upon successful completion of twelve months service

How to Apply

Click here to apply! Deadline for submission of applications is Monday, 31st July 2017 at Midnight GMT+3

Please note:

1. Incomplete and late applications will not be considered
2. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified
3. Candidates who had applied in previous years are and still meet the eligibility criteria are encourage to re-apply

Go to the Official Page for more

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Delegation – A Powerful Leadership Skill

While many leaders are good in delegating, many other leaders completely lack the skill or do not know it is a leadership skill.

What is Delegation?

As defined by Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, delegation is the act of giving control, authority, a job, a duty, etc., to another person. It can also be said to be the act of empowering to act for another.

Delegating Tasks

Every leader who desires to see steady, continuous and consistent progress of the group he leads must possess effective delegation skills. Some leaders do not involve members in anything they wish to carry out because they doubt their ability to deliver. Any leader leading incompetent people is an incompetent leader. The leader must be willing and ready to involve members in the activities of the group. Even when some members appear dormant, they could be very good delegates for a specific task.

• Delegation builds the confidence and competence of members
• It increases trust and offers a feeling of belonging
• It ensures that the whole members of a group are fully involved in the process and progress of the group.

In delegating, it is important to:

• Understand the capabilities and skills of members. Some leaders delegate people based on availability. While it is important to be available, it is more important to be able! Delegate people who have relevant skills and competencies that concern the matter at hand.
• Be Objective: Delegation based on bias may become an error in leadership. Do not look through a sentimental lens when delegating members to complete a task.
• Let members know why you are choosing them for a task. This way, they are able to develop a personal outcome based on the confidence placed in them.
• Have the development of the members at heart as you delegate them for duties
• Have an oversight function and still be ahead of the situation

Meet Kenneth Gyamerah – A Changemaker from Ghana

It is with great delight that we introduce this change maker – Kenneth Gyamerah

Kenneth Gyamerah is an enthusiast on all issues concerning youth and Education. He feels fulfilled by engaging in policy related discussions and deliberations on youth empowerment and development. He is very passionate about organizing for an African Youth agenda. Kenneth wants to be the voice for the less privilege in society. This led to his involvement with a number of global youth-related organizations. He is part of the 500 young Global Youth Ambassadors advocating for education change in underserved communities around the world. He has organised youth dialogue for 3 districts and 300 young people have benefited from this program. This has increased their sense of patriotism tremendously. He has spoken on many radio stations to help champion youth activism and talk about issues affecting the youth in Ghana and how they can go beyond any limitations to becoming change makers and problem solvers. Kenneth Gyamerah is part of the Civic Society Organization leaders Coalition of Sustainable Development Goals on Quality Education in Ghana.

Recently, he was appointed as the team leader for the review of research papers on youth soft skills development in Ghana which is part of the thematic areas in the SDG Goal 4. Currently, he is the Coordinator of the Youth Alliance for Development a non profit organization committed to empowering young people to contribute to the development aspirations of Ghana. He has mobilized about 500 young people to learn civic leadership and ethics. As Anti Teenage Pregnancy Campaign Ambassador for the Youth Alliance for Development, he has been involved in many school outreach sensitizations, campaigns and empowerment programs for students in underserved communities in the Adansi South District and Obuasi Municipals. 1,500 students have benefited from the initiative.

In February 2017, together with his team, they started a community radio program dubbed “Ellimah Youth Program ” with the Youth Alliance for Development to talk about the issues like drug abuse, decriminalization, Civic responsibilities, entrepreneurship opportunities for young people and promotion of the SDGs in three districts. The one hour youth radio program gives young people the opportunity to share their ideas and help them to deepen their understanding of governance processes in Ghana and also become responsible citizens. As the Coordinating Officer of the French Ambassador Club an initiative of Nuclous Plus Company Limited, they are currently organizing regional French Reading Competition for the Senior High Schools in Ghana. The aim of this programme is to promote the Integration of the French Language in Ghanaian Schools. As part of his advocacy work on Education and Youth Activism, he has been awarded a distinction of Associate Fellow of the Royal Commonwealth Society. This award is given to young African leaders in the age Cohorts of 18-29 who are contributing to community development and promoting the works of the Commonwealth in their countries.

 

Are you an African working to make a change in your community, send your impact story to africanyouthcorner@gmail.com and get featured on the AYC’s Changemakers’ Corner.

Meet Enow A Georges – A Changemaker from Cameroon

We are pleased to introduce this amazing AYC’s Changemaker – Enow A. Georges!

Enow A Georges is a Cameroonian Youth Development Worker and an esteemed Emerging Entrepreneur. He is a YALI fellow from the Regional Leadership Centre in Accra, Ghana cohort 4. A firebrand youth rights activist and public speaker with a deep passion for seeing young people issues brought to the front burner. He is a reproductive health, researcher, consultant and Ambassador to sexual and reproductive health issues especially Menstrual Hygiene.

With a strong desire to restore the dignity of women especially those in the rural communities he organises  reproductive health workshops, educate young girls on how to adequately manage their monthly menstrual flow, advocate at higher levels on the importance of implementing policies that favours menstruation for females. He is also a  consultant at self-consult, an online platform that connects physicians, patients and the pharmacist. In 2013 he was awarded the prize of Youngest youth Ambassador in Cameroon for the fight Against Malaria (KO PALU). In 2015, Enow was a nominee for the Future Awards Africa in Enterprise Support after supporting 500 women in rural communities on adequate menstrual management via provision of menstrual materials and educative workshops. He is also a recipient of the Princess Recognition award for my outstanding work on community service and Leadership. His vision is to see a world where Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) will have full inclusion in society and the underprivileged will access health care.

Enow is a motivational speaker and health adviser who has authored three books on leadership. His leadership teachings have been able to build up to 300 Cameroonian youths to become Social Entrepreneurs of change. He is currently an Ambassador for Harambe-Cameroon which aims at bringing out the untapped potential in Cameroonian youths. He is the community leader for the fight Against Cancer in the North West Region and Vice President for the Global youth Coalition against Cancer (GYCC).

Enow holds several post of leadership including:

• Managing Director of Young Medical Volunteers;
• Vice President Global Youth Coalition Against Cancer (GYCC);
• CEO and Founder of Excellensia Accademia;
• Programmes Coordinator at Believers Nation Incoporated;
• Central Africa Regional Representative at African Union Students Council;
• Reproductive Health Reseacher for Value Health Africa, Build our women and Centre for Livelihood and support to substainable development.

Enow is also an Ambassador for Harambe-Cameroon, Art of Giving and Oya Opportunities. He has represented Cameroon in the following international Conferences:

• 3rd International Submit of Sexual and Reproductive Health Lagos, Nigeria;
• 3rd international Submit on Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Creation;
• Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) RLC West Africa, Accra Ghana

Apart from that Enow spends most of his weekends volunteering as a tutor in a Community Library in the NothWest Region of Cameroon.

 

Are you an African working to make a change in your community, send your impact story to africanyouthcorner@gmail.com and get featured on the AYC’s Changemakers’ Corner.

Get Featured on AYC’s Changemakers Corner

The African Youth Corner is pleased to introduce the Changemakers’ Corner. Beginning in 2017, we shall be featuring young changemakers across Africa. The aim of this is to know the extent to which young people are driving change in their localities, to measure our progress and challenge other youth in Africa to rise up and take initiatives to better their communities. Your work may be related to Education, Health, Environment, Energy, Sustainable Development Goals, etc.

Eligibility

Open to young Africans and other young people who are not of African origin, but are driving change and resident in an African country.

Send a summary ofyourself and the work you are doing (in not less than 250 words) to africanyouthcorner@gmail.com

Like our Facebook Page or follow us on Twitter.

Call for Articles by the African Youth Corner

The African Youth Corner (AYC) is pleased to announce its Call for articles. This is an opportunity to lend your voice to the world on pertinent global matters as it applies to Africa. Articles should highlight Africa’s peculiarity in practice, growth pattern, challenges and prospects. Experience sharing is highly encouraged.

Selected Topics

Articles should be on any of the following topics:

• Women and Girls Rights;
• Education;
• Technology in Africa;
• Entrepreneurship;
• Climate Change and Environment;
• Democracy and Governance.

Eligibility

Open to everyone.

How to Apply

• Attach article (as attached .docx or .PDF), minimum of 250 words and send to africanyouthcorner@gmail.com with the subject as “Your Name, Article Topic, Country”
• Articles should be written in English.
• Give a brief description of yourself in not more than 50 words. Type this in the body of the mail and include your social media handles.

Selected articles will be published on the African Youth Corner Website. Authors will be duly informed and acknowledged.

Join other young Africans on the AYC Facebook Page.

Welcome to the African Youth Corner!

Africa, the world’s second most largest and second most populous is one that has been misrepresented in years past by the media. The true story about Africa has not been told because the most people telling the story of Africa are not Africans. It has been said that until the lion is given the chance to tell the
story of the jungle, the hunter will continue to
relish us with his exploit in the jungle. The real Africa has not been told and seen in full dimension.

Here at the African Youth Corner, we want to tell the world about Africa, who we are and what we represent. It will be Africans telling the African story as it is and not as some people perceive it to be. We would focus on youth, education, health, governance, economy and other matters that make us who we are.

At the Corner, we would also be sharing opportunities for students and professionals, having several guests who are making a difference here in Africa and the amazing stories of many great Africans.

Please stay connected and enjoy the real Africa.

Let the journey begin!!!