To highlight young people making a positive difference in their communities, the Commonwealth Secretariat recently opened nominations for the 2026 Commonwealth Youth Awards for Excellence in Development Work.
Managed by the Commonwealth Youth Programme, the awards, popularly known as the Commonwealth Youth Awards (CYA), recognise outstanding young changemakers, aged 15–29, from 56 member countries who demonstrate impactful projects that support the achievement of the SDGs.
Each year, an outstanding entrant is named Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, with regional awards given for Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Canada, and the Pacific.
The launch for the Commonwealth Youth Awards aired on the Commonwealth Secretariat’s YouTube channel on International Youth Day (IYD), which featured previous award winners reflecting on the role of the awards in spotlighting their innovative solutions to complex issues.
In her IYD message, the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon Shirley Botchwey, said: “Across our 56 member countries, young people are not waiting for permission to act. They are building sustainable farms, launching climate apps, mentoring students, running for local office, and turning the Sustainable Development Goals into local, living realities. They are the change, and it’s our job to support them.”
Celebrating the CYA experience
Reflecting on his experience, Stanley Anigbogu, CEO of LightEd and the 2025 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, commented: “Winning the award was surreal, I couldn’t believe it when I heard my name called and its been an amazing experience thus far. Not only have I received tangible support, but also a number of opportunities to highlight my work. I have also developed partnerships and friendships because of this experience. I highly recommend being a part of it.”
The 2026 edition is being delivered in partnership with the Commonwealth Association for the first time, which will strengthen the Commonwealth’s commitment to nurturing partnerships that support young and ambitious leaders.
Layne Robinson, Head of the Secretariat’s Social Policy Development, said: “This milestone year presents a unique opportunity to highlight success stories. Entrepreneurs, inventors, environmentalists, women’s rights advocates, health campaigners and political activists are just some of the diverse nominees we have had in the past. This award gives them a global platform to promote their innovations, and some funding to help them scale up their development projects.”
Call for the next generation of Commonwealth youth leaders
The winners will be announced during the week-long celebrations for Commonwealth Day in March 2026.
The finalists will receive a trophy, a certificate and cash grants to help them continue their development work. All finalists will be awarded a £1,000 grant. Each selected regional winner will receive an additional £2,000, bringing their total win to £3,000, and the Commonwealth Young Person of the Year will receive an additional cash grant of £2,000, bringing their total award to £5,000.
For more information about the awards and to apply or nominate someone, please visit the nomination portal. Entries must be received online via the link by 23:59 GMT on 17 October 2025.
Celebrating IYD 2025
The launch of the nominations was a part of Commonwealth’s IYD celebratory events during the month of August. IYD 2025 holds special significance as it commemorates 10 years since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in 2015.
The 2026 CYA awards are a part of over 5 decades of work for celebrating, empowering, and engaging young people of the Commonwealth.
Commonwealth Secretariat
