Are you an individual or group aged 18–30 and interested in developing and implementing your project ideas on advancing gender equality and other issues that matter to you as young people in an intercommunal team? Are you also interested in receiving a small grant to realise your ideas? Then this opportunity is for you!

About the Young Leaders in Action

Young Leaders in Action is an initiative within the ‘Peacebuilding in Divided Societies’ programme implemented by the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, in collaboration with the British Council through its regional Stronger Together programme.

Τhe ‘Peacebuilding in Divided Societies’ programme aims to strengthen women and young people’s input to discussions on peace and security, with a focus on peacebuilding, social action, leadership, negotiation, and intercommunal collaboration.

Young Leaders in Action will focus on equipping participants with the tools and strategies needed to support them to develop their own social action projects and work together in intercommunal teams to implement them.

The initiative includes an immersive workshop that aims to empower the next generation of young leaders and peacebuilders across Cyprus to act on issues related to gender and youth inclusive peacebuilding.

Small grants up to €300 will be provided for the implementation of their ideas. Social actions need to reach people across the divide and can take place throughout Cyprus. Implementation period of small grants for social actions: September 2023 to January 2024.

Workshop

During the workshop participants will learn more about gender equality, inclusive peacebuilding, the UN women peace and security agenda and the youth peace and security agenda and how they can apply them in the context of Cyprus. Participants will get to know each other and create teams to work on ideas for community social actions based on their interests.

The workshop will be delivered face-to-face in Nicosia.

Dates: 26-27-28 May 2023*
Time: 16.00-19.00 on Friday, 26 May
09.00-17.00 on Saturday, 27 May
10.00-16.00 on Sunday, 28 May

Location: Goethe Institute and Ledra Palace Hotel, Nicosia buffer zone
*Option for accommodation for people living outside of Nicosia

What to expect:

• Follow up sessions with mentors and teams to develop ideas will take place during June 2023. Mentors also will be supporting the teams for the implementation of their actions. Other capacity learning opportunities and sessions will be organised during the programme. 
• Participants are not required to submit a proposal for funding after the workshop.
• Certificates of participation will be provided to those that complete the programme.
• The deadline for applications is Tuesday, 2 May 2023.

Apply here: https://forms.office.com/e/N31c1gLMfe 

We will notify successful participants by Friday, 5 May 2023.

Eligibility Criteria

Participants must:

• Be between 18-30 years old, from any community in Cyprus.
• Be in Cyprus as the workshop in May will be face-to-face.
• Be committed to acting and leading on issues related to the inclusion of women and youth.
• Demonstrate commitment and motivation to actively participate throughout the programme and implement social actions in groups.
• Demonstrate good communication skills and teamwork in an intercultural environment.
• Be able to speak and write confidently in English (a formal qualification is not required, just the ability to speak and write at this level).
• Have a wish to develop interpersonal relations with participants from all communities in Cyprus.
• We strive for gender diversity and equal representation among youth from all communities in Cyprus.

Information

For further information, please contact Marilena Kyriakou at Marilena.Kyriakou@cy.britishcouncil.org or Mustafa Öngün at mustafa.ongun@un.org