The Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) Youth Network offers young people an exciting opportunity to embark on a one-year learning path, discovering the EU-OCT Partnership and the functioning of the European Institutions, and networking with like-minded young people from other OCTs.
Why an OCT Youth Network?
Over the past few years, engaging with youth has become one of the top priorities of the European Commission. It is a way to pro-actively seek the support of youth and partner with them to foster sustainable development and to acknowledge and enhance the key contributions of youth in pursuing positive social changes worldwide.
The OCT Youth Network is being launched by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, which is responsible for formulating the EU’s international partnership and development policy.
What is the OCT Youth Network about?
The OCT Youth Network aims to increase the ties between young people living in OCTs and the European Union (EU), and enhance the knowledge and involvement of young people in the EU-OCT partnership.
The network’s objectives are to
- connect young people from the 13 OCTs to each other and with EU institutions and decision makers
- project an OCT youth perspective to inform the EU-OCT partnership in a spirit of co-creation
- deepen understanding about the EU in the OCTs
- create links with other youth initiatives at regional and country level, including the EU and Member States
What will the network do?
OCT Youth Network members will serve a one-year mandate that includes: a week-long study visit to Brussels to explore the functioning of the European Institutions, four online webinars to deepen their knowledge and competences, and several facilitated dialogue sessions with top EU political leaders.
Throughout their mandate, the members will have a great opportunity to discover the EU-OCT partnership and engage with EU political leaders. They will also meet and network with a wide range of like-minded young people and with key EU actors, broadening their own personal and professional networks and horizons. Members of the OCT Youth Network will actively participate in crafting the network by contributing to its activities and co-selecting priorities and topics to be addressed.
In short, OCT Youth Network members will learn, debate, engage, participate and co-lead activities on youth perspectives of the EU-OCT Partnership with their OCT peers and with other actors.
Who are the members of the OCT Youth Network?
The OCT Youth Network is composed of 25 young people (aged 20-28) representing 10 OCTs associated with the EU: Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, French Polynesia, Greenland, New Caledonia, Saba, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Sint Maarten, and Wallis and Futuna.
The group features a high diversity of profiles, backgrounds and passions - mirroring the reality in the OCTs.
How to become a member?
Members of the OCT Youth Network are selected via an open call for applicants. The call to join the network in 2022 is closed.
A new call for applicants will open in spring 2023 for the second edition of the OCT Youth Network, which will begin in July 2023.
More information
For more information about the network or its activities, contact us at INTPA-OCT-YN@ec.europa.eu