the 8th edition of the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) at the World Conference Center in Bonn, Germany, from December 19-20, 2017. At a time when our planet is facing increasingly daunting challenges, the GLF in Bonn will gather influencers from all over the world with 1,500 participants, and 6,000 additional participants online, to scale-up best practices and initiatives in support of the global development agenda. We aspire to create a movement of 1 billion people to create a world that is more equitable, productive, profitable, and climate-resilient. Crazy right? But no one ever achieved anything big by thinking small. To achieve this, the GLF is committed to taking every possible opportunity to integrate youth in its activities, providing mentorship, training, volunteering/internship projects and connecting them to our global community.

What is the GLF Youth Ambassador Program?

The program provides an opportunity for youth to be trained and mentored in leveraging online media and social media in a professional environment relevant to the development world. The program includes a three-day hands-on training workshop in Bonn, Germany ahead of the Forum (Dec 16-18, 2017), a practical exercise during the actual Forum (also in Bonn, Dec 19-20), and a one-year partnership for 10 selected candidates. During the program, all participants will be closely involved in supporting the online media outreach for the GLF, while working in different languages and using a variety of tools and platforms.

Who can participate?

The program is open to students or young professionals up to the age of 35 who are interested/studying/working in agriculture, environment, or sustainable development, and eager to learn more about online media/social media. We aspire to offer this program to everyone from all over the world starting from 2018. However, this year, the youth applications will only be accepted for people currently residing (working or studying) in Europe. Why? Due to the long visa processing time for participants applying outside of the EU, the short time span from now until the event, and the associated costs to fly people across continents, we will give priority to foreign candidates already working or studying in Europe. If you are not resident in the EU, and would still like to join our larger virtual team, just send us an email – via p.casier(at)cgiar.org – and we will contact you directly. We are looking for participants fluent in English with mastery of another major language. We are particularly interested in candidates who are fluent in German, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian or Arabic.

What will the selected youth ambassadors receive?

  • Up to €200 for tickets and transport to/from Bonn
  • A €650 lump sum stipend for 5 days accommodation and local expenses in Bonn
  • Free participation in the Bonn Forum (value of USD $240).
  • A one year long partnership with the GLF including hands-on guidance and mentoring in setting up/running actual online media/social media outreach tools, in different languages.
  • The 10 selected youth ambassadors will work remotely and as volunteers. These are not paid internships or staff positions.
  • Throughout 2018: monthly real-time and tailor-made virtual learning events, concentrated on augmenting the youth ambassadors’ skills in using social media outreach tools.
  • Full integration within our GLF Communications team, allowing you to work and learn alongside top-notch professionals.

What do we expect from selected youth ambassadors?

  • Actively engaging during the training workshop
  • Your full enthusiasm, energy, inspiration, flexibility and creativity
  • Your engagement in writing/translating GLF messages and blog posts, and broadcasting them through the social media outlets you manage, under our guidance. This will be done during the Bonn event and throughout 2018. Please expect to allocate a maximum of 3 hours per week on the program, throughout 2018.

How do you apply for the youth ambassador program?

Your application isn’t a “traditional one”. It is designed as an actual test to see how well you master the skills of online networking, and how you can rally an online audience to support your cause. Step 1: Writing your application blog post Email your application in the form of a blog post to Peter Casier – p.casier(at)cgiar.org Your application blog post should be written in English, and consist of a one Microsoft Word file and one picture (attached in the application email separately, not embedded inside the MS Word file). Check this example of an application. Your application should more or less have this style and include these elements. At the bottom of your entry, please include the following administrative details (we will not accept applications unless they contain these):
  • Your name, nationality and age
  • Your email address
  • Gender
  • Country in which you currently live (has to be within the EU)
  • Which organization you work for, or which university you study at
  • Your mother tongue
  • Other languages you are fluent in
Your application blog post should contain the following elements:
  • Introduce who you are and what you do
  • Describe how you are currently involved in our core domains of agriculture, eco-systems or sustainable development: What do you study or work in? Why did you select that area of work/study?
  • Describe how you are currently engaged in social media or online media. Give examples of your past work in this area (and use this as a platform to give visibility to your past work!). Include links if applicable.
  • What are your dreams and inspirations to make this world a better place from where you are and who you are?
  • Practically, what can you contribute to this program? Why should we choose you?
Your submission should be in a feature story format, making it an engaging blog post with a catchy headline and compelling content. Check out these tips on how to write a good story or blogpost. Your application will be published on Landscapes News, the digital news outlet for the Global Landscapes Forum. You can see all applications via this link. Additional tips/guidelines/rules:
  • Don’t use any fancy structuring in your text (e.g. no tables or columns).
  • You may use embedded hyperlinks.
  • You should be the copyright owner of the picture you submit (don’t use any picture you find on the Internet, use your own picture).
  • By submitting your application, you agree that the GLF owns all copyrights for your submission and can publish your application online and use it at our discretion.
  • Maximum length your application blog: 800-1200 words.
Step 2: The first selection: Public voting for your application Once your application is accepted, we will publish your application online and email you the link to your application blogpost. Once online, you will use your current networks to spread your application, so that the online public can “vote” for it, by leaving a comment. We will make an initial selection of 30 applicants, based on how well you have engaged your audience in an online conversation, and promoted your application. We’ll use a formula combining the amount of comments and views your application gets. – So, this will be a test to see how good you use your network, connections and tools to increase engagement of the audience on your blog application, via the comments! The public voting and engagement score tally will end at midnight (EU time) on December 3rd. Based on this voting process, we will short-list 30 candidates with the highest online engagement on their application blogpost. Step 3: The jury selection After the public voting process ends, a GLF jury will select the final 10 candidates. The final selection will be announced on December 5th on our website. If you are a selected candidate, we will advise you directly by email.

When is the deadline for submissions?

We are accepting applications from now through November 30.  So… APPLY NOW. Send your application (or any possible questions) to Peter Casier – p.casier(at)cgiar.org Good luck to you all, looking forward to seeing you in Bonn, and working with you throughout 2018!

About the Global Landscapes Forum:

The Global Landscapes Forum is the first global movement of its kind and the world’s largest science-led multi-sectoral platform on landscapes, bringing together world leaders, climate negotiators, policy makers, development practitioners, private sector representatives, world-class scientists, civil society and the media to accelerate action towards the creation of more resilient, equitable, profitable, productive and healthy landscapes and the achievement of the UNFCCC Paris agreement and of the Sustainable Development Goals (Agenda 2030). CIFORUN Environment, and The World Bank launched the Forum in Warsaw in 2013, alongside the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP). With support from the German Government, the GLF is now entering its next 5-year phase that will put communities and local realities at the center of the conversation. Picture courtesy Lynsey Grosfield (CIFOR)]]>