Voices of Youth Applications Open

Voices of Youth, founded by UNICEF, is a vibrant community of young people offering inspiring content, original insight and opinion from across the globe. Approximately 60% of Cambodia’s population are under the age of 25. This young population have the potential to contribute to Cambodia’s development and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Providing Cambodian youth with the opportunities and platforms to advocate for their rights and influence policy-makers, is integral to UNICEF Cambodia’s work. The 2019 Voices of Youth Cambodia programme will offer successful applicants training in different creative platforms and the skills to advocate for children’s rights in Cambodia. This includes photography, blog writing, social media and film. We will offer an opportunity to meet UNICEF Cambodia programme staff and education in key UNICEF development themes such as Health, Nutrition, Education, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Child Protection and Public Policy and Finance for Children.  

Through weekly training sessions on creative storytelling and child rights, successful applicants will produce blogs, social media posts or films which will gain a global audience through publication on UNICEF Cambodia’s Voices of Youth website. Some articles will be promoted on the UNICEF Global website. You will be supported throughout, from ideas and content to writing and editing.  

This year is the 30th Anniversary of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) and successful applicants will be invited to join UNICEF Cambodia’s celebration events. There will beopportunities to discuss child rights with key policy makers – representing your young peers across the country. 

Benefits 

The participants of the 2019 programme will benefit from improved skills, knowledge, employability and experience networking opportunities with successful professionals in these areas or work. They will graduate from the programme with the skills and resources to advocate for social change for youth in Cambodia.  

• Acquiring and improving digital media skills in storytelling and advocacy through blog writing, photography, social media and film-making – with the opportunity to focus on key interest area (e.g photography) 
• Educational opportunities to learn more about different development areas and UNICEF programmes (education, health, WASH, nutrition, child protection, public policy and finance for children) to engage participant’s areas of interest 
• Networking with fellow Cambodian youths  
• Meeting and building mentorship relationships with UNICEF staff, including from the facilitator(s) and UNICEF communications team 
• Acquiring soft skills for future employability, including research, team-work, communication, organization, presenting. 
• The opportunity to discuss child rights with high-level policy makers and influence change 
• The opportunity to engage with CRC30 and become a Youth Ambassador for Child Rights with UNICEF in Cambodia 

Eligibility criteria 

To be eligible to apply, you must meet the below criteria: 

• Be a Cambodian youth aged from 14 to 24 
• Be able to attend 2-hour face-to-face training at UNICEF Cambodia Phnom Penh office once a week for 12 weeks [Day To Be Confirmed] 
• Already be engaged in the digital community in Cambodia in some way, or be interested in starting 
• Be interested and able to produce one artefact – blog, social media post, photo essay or short film – every other week for 12 weeks  
• Be committed and passionate about social issues and children’s rights in Cambodia 
• Prioritize the program from late September 2019 (Date to be confirmed).  
• Have access to internet connection (and a smartphone or computer) to conduct research, write blogs, access social media and participate in debates.   

Language 

Training sessions will be conducted in English with some Khmer when possible, including Khmer translations. Participants should have a basic understanding of English language but this should not be a limiting factor for motivated and talented participants. Efforts will be made to ensure that all participants have understood the content and the tasks. Blogs, photo-essays and social media posts will all be able to be written and published in either Khmer or English. 

How to apply

Do you have what it takes? Apply now!  

Please download and complete the application form here. The final question asks you to create a social media campaign, photo essay, blog or short film. Please send this, and your application form, to ldarby@unicef.org and cseng@unicef.org with the subject line: VOICES OF YOUTH 2019

We are particularly encouraging female applicants and applicants with disabilities to apply. We also welcome applications from individuals living outside of Phnom Penh who can travel to the UNICEF Cambodia office each week or able to engage with the learning materials online.  

Deadline to apply: 9th September 2019 

Questions? Please email us at cseng@unicef.org or ldarby@unicef.org