- What are Youth Ambassadors?
- What do Youth Ambassadors do?
- How much time should I bring with me?
- How do we work together?
- How is it decided who is allowed to take part in events?
- How do you support the presence meetings?
- What happens if I cannot attend meetings?
- How are we supported during the programme?
- How are the candidates selected?
What are Youth Ambassadors?
Youth Ambassadors are ambassadors for the Duke Award in Germany and want to inspire others to participate in the Duke programme to tackle societal challenges. They are passionate about sharing their stories and ensuring that the voices of young people are heard. They seek to collaborate with other like-minded individuals from across Germany to advocate for the issues they care about.
They are working in a solution-oriented way to realise the fundamental principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (non-discrimination, prioritising a child’s best interests, best possible development and participation) and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in their immediate environment and in society as a whole. They are determined to bring about positive, sustainable change. They see the Duke Programme as a framework that inspires young people to surpass themselves, make a difference and participate in society. They are committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible have the opportunity to participate in the Duke programme.
Does that sound like you? Read more about the work of our Youth Ambassadors and find out how you can apply for the 2025-26 programme.
What do Youth Ambassadors do?
Our Youth Ambassadors represent the Duke Award at events and strengthen their own skills in the process. To this end, we regularly invite them to events where they lead workshops, give speeches, take part in panel discussions and report on their own Award participation.
You can also get involved in the organisation! Smaller working groups are formed each year, which you can organise according to your own ideas. This could be on the topic of climate protection or democracy, attracting more programme providers, social media content creation and much more. We look forward to your ideas and will support you in realising them.
Because the Youth Ambassador Programme is what you make of it: On request, we are happy to organise workshopswith exciting people from our supporter environment. For example, ProSiebenSat.1 presenter Stephanie Puls showed us how to present topics online and speak better in public.
Activities of Youth Ambassadors
How much time should I bring with me?
The Youth Ambassador programme lasts 12 months. On average, you should plan 4-6 hours per month. If you are still completing your Silver or Gold Award, you can use this time for the ‘Engagement’ section of your Award. The monthly online meetings always take place in the evening (usually from 17.00 to 19.00). There are additional time commitments for all creative projects or events, but you are not expected to attend all of them.
How do we work together?
We use WhatsApp groups and emails for daily communication. We use the Miro platform for calls and knowledge management. As soon as you have accepted your place and signed the declaration of consent, you will be added. We use Whats App to share updates and upcoming events. We have set up groups in the community for specific events and working groups so that you only receive information that is relevant to you.
How is it decided who is allowed to take part in events?
There are several events each year to which Youth Ambassadors are invited. These include Award ceremonies, network meetings, business summits and conferences. We inform all participants about the opportunity to enquire about availability and interest in participating. If the event is on a specific topic, e.g. climate protection, we take into account which Youth Ambassadors have a particular passion in this area. If it is a regional event, we will prioritise all local Youth Ambassadors. We keep a record of who has attended which events and endeavour to ensure an even number of opportunities over the 12 months.
How do you support the presence meetings?
As soon as you have confirmed that you can take part in a presence event, we will send you the details by email. If you are under 18 years old, we will send you a declaration of consent that your legal guardian must sign. We will also be happy to provide you with a school exemption.
We will then arrange an online briefing session where you can find out more about the event, we can discuss your input and you can ask questions.
In principle, we are happy if you are able to pay your own transport costs and accommodation. However, this should never be an obstacle. If this is not possible for you, please contact us and we will find a solution together and support you!
What happens if I cannot attend meetings?
We would like to encourage you to attend as many of the online meetings as possible. The dates for the meetings are communicated early in the ‘Welcome Call’ in April. At the end of the year, active participants will receive a certificate of participation. In this document, we will highlight your newly acquired skills, how you have contributed to the group and with which topics, and what results your working group has achieved.
How are we supported during the programme?
Our board member Vanessa is your direct contact throughout the entire programme. She is available via WhatsApp, email or phone from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm. If you need additional support to ensure the programme is accessible to you, please get in touch with Vanessa.
How are the candidates selected?
Our team will review all applications for completeness as soon as the application window closes. It is important that the Youth Ambassadors represent all young people participating in the Duke Award in Germany. We make sure that the different federal states are represented and that the Youth Ambassadors represent a range of backgrounds, religions, cultures, genders, abilities and perspectives. Successful applicants should be passionate about the Duke Award and willing to share their experiences and work with others to create positive change. The Youth Ambassadors are a mixture of Bronze, Silver and Gold Award winners. All successful applicants will be contacted by phone or email in early April. Those who are unsuccessful will receive an email by the end of April.
