Youth

Commonwealth Youth Exchange Council (CYEC)

7 Lion Yard, Tremadoc Road, Clapham, London SW4 7NQ, UK

Tel: +44 20 7498 6151 | Fax: +44 20 7622 4365 | Email: mail@cyec.org.uk  www.cyec.org.uk

Foundation: 1970

Officers: Chair: Lord Hameed CBE; Chief Executive: Vic Craggs OBE

CYEC is an education and youth development charity working to promote and advance educational exchange between people and institutions in different Commonwealth countries.

CYEC’s main objectives are the development of young people, educators and their institutions through promotion of Commonwealth and international understanding. CYEC works to further these objectives through a range of partnerships across the Commonwealth. CYEC has three main programme areas, as below.

1. Youth programmes: demographics dictate that young people are recognised as key stakeholders in the future of the Commonwealth and, of course, are crucial partners in development. All CYEC’s youth programmes are informed by the key principle of youth participation. Activities are designed ‘by and with’ young adults as opposed to ‘for’ young people:

  • high quality two-way group exchanges linking UK young people in local communities with their peers across the Commonwealth
  • the development of pan-Commonwealth initiatives supporting young adults as active citizens contributing to development in their communities and across the Commonwealth network, including the biennial Commonwealth Youth Forum held in the wings of CHOGM
  • youth leadership events and programmes.

2. Interchange Programme for Professional Educators: this includes an established bilateral post-to-post teacher exchange programme between the UK and Australia and Canada.

3. Raising awareness of the Commonwealth and its values: publications, resources, training workshops and events for young people, educationalists and organisations.