CommonGround - Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the ...

Co-operationOpportunitiesAlthough the Commonwealth is rightlyperceived as a major internationalorganisation, its structure is built arounda wide array of civil society groups,which play a vital part in informing andshaping Commonwealth policy.However, the Commonwealth alsoencourages involvement fromindividuals through consultation,competitions and exchanges. A numberof these opportunities are listed below.The CommonwealthPeople’s ForumFor more than ten years, theCommonwealth Foundation hasprovided an opportunity, at eachCHOGM venue, for individuals as wellas civil society groups, to meet anddiscuss issues of current concern. Aparallel event for 15-29 year-olds is alsoheld alongside the main Forum. Detailsof the most recent meetings in Trinidadand Tobago are available from theFoundation’s website,www.commonwealthfoundation.com.Youth programmesA great deal of the Commonwealth’swork relates to the present and futureneeds of younger people. The RoyalCommonwealth Society organises anumber of activities specifically foryoung people, and some of these arelisted below. More details can found onthe Society’s website, www.thercs.orgDelegates at the sixthCommonwealth YouthForum, Entebbe, Uganda,November 2007.32Youth Summits ● An opportunity foryoung people to come together anddebate important issues of the day.Youth leadership ● Nkabom,meaning ‘coming together’, is a ten-dayprogramme open to about thirty 18-26year-olds, from all parts of theCommonwealth. Held every two years,in a different Commonwealth location,the Programme aims to help youngpeople engage more effectively withtheir own and the internationalcommunity, and to give them skills andconfidence to act as effective agents ofchange.Competitions and awards ● Eachyear the Royal Commonwealth Societyholds competitions and awards foressay writing, photography and filmmaking.They are open to anyone underthe age of 30, with prizes that includecash, equipment and further guidance.Exchange Schemes ● TheCommonwealth Youth ExchangeCouncil can provide support, guidanceand funding for youth exchangesbetween the UK and otherCommonwealth countries. Details ofplanning and organising this areavailable from the Council’s website,www.cyec.org.uk.ContactsListed below are some of the many organisations associated with the Commonwealth.ABCDEFGHJLAssociation of Commonwealth Archivistsand Records Managers www.acarm.orgCommonwealth Association of Architectswww.comarchitect.orgRoyal Agricultural Society of theCommonwealth www.commagshow.orgCommonwealth Broadcasting Associationwww.cba.org.uk/index.phpCommonwealth Business Councilwww.cbcglobal.orgCommonwealth Countries Leaguewww.ccl-int.orgRoyal Commonwealth Societywww.thercs.orgThe Commonwealth Associationwww.comassoc.orgCommonwealth Dental Associationwww.cdauk.comCommonwealth Consortium for Educationwww.commonwealtheducation.orgCommonwealth Council for EducationalAdministration and Managementwww.cceam.orgCommonwealth Education Trustwww.cet1886.orgCommonwealth Engineers Councilwww.ice.org.ukCouncil for Education in theCommonwealth www.cecomm.org.uk/homeCommonwealth Forestry Associationwww.cfa-international.orgCommonwealth Foundationwww.commonwealthfoundation.comFriends of the Commonwealthwww.commonwealthfriends.orgCommonwealth Games Federationwww.thecgf.comCommonwealth Geographical Bureauwww.commonwealthgeography.orgCommonwealth Association for Health andDisabilities supramaniam@lineone.netCommonwealth HIV and AIDs Action Group(Para55) www.para55.orgCommonwealth Human Ecology Councilwww.chec-hq.orgCommonwealth Human Rights Initiativewww.humanrightsinitiative.orgCommonwealth Journalists Associationwww.commonwealthjournalists.comCommonwealth Judicial Education Institutewww.cjei.orgAssociation for Commonwealth Literatureand Language Studies www.aclals.ulg.ac.be/Commonwealth Association of Law ReformAgencies www.calras.orgCommonwealth Lawyers Associationwww.commonwealthlawyers.comCommonwealth of Learning www.col.orgCommonwealth Legal EducationNPTUYAssociation www.cleaonline.orgCommonwealth Local Government Forumwww.clgf.org.ukM Commonwealth Association of Museumswww.maltwood.uvic.ca/camCommonwealth Magistrates and JudgesAssociation www.cmja.orgCommonwealth Medical Associationwww.commonwealthmedics.orgConference of CommonwealthMeteorologists www.commonwealthmet.orgCommonwealth Nurses Federationwww.commonwealthnurses.orgCommonwealth Association for PublicAdministration and Managementwww.capam.orgCommonwealth Association of PaediatricGastroenterology and Nutritionwww.capgan.orgCommonwealth Association of Plannerswww.commonwealth-planners.orgCommonwealth Parliamentary Associationwww.cpahq.orgCommonwealth Pharmacists Associationwww.commonwealthpharmacy.orgR Royal Overseas League www.rosl.org.ukS Commonwealth Secretariatwww.thecommonwealth.orgCommonwealth Association of Science,Technology and Mathematics Educatorswww.castme.orgCommonwealth Organisation for SocialWork www.sasw.org.sg/coswCommonwealth Association of Surveyingand Land Economy www.casle.orgCommonwealth Scholarships Commissionwww.cscuk.org.ukInstitute of Commonwealth Studieswww.commonwealth.sas.ac.ukRoyal Commonwealth Ex-Services Leaguewww.commonwealthveterans.org.ukCommonwealth Association of TaxAdministrators www.catatax.orgCommonwealth TelecommunicationsOrganisation www.cto.intCommonwealth Trade Union Groupwww.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-17116-f0.cfmLeague for the Exchange of CommonwealthTeachers www.lect.org.uk/home.aspxAssociation of Commonwealth Universitieswww.acu.ac.ukW Commonwealth War Graves Commissionwww.cwgc.orgCommonwealth Women's Networkwww.commonwealthwomen.netCommonwealth Youth Exchange Councilwww.cyec.org.uk