If you have something to say, say it!
Voices of Youth (VOY) is a platform that publishes blog posts that are submitted from a wide variety of young people from all over the world.
Anybody is invited and encouraged to create blog posts and share them with the VOY community. Blog posts can be about any topic (social, economic, political, recreational…) and be submitted in any format (articles, videos, reviews, stories, interviews, poems…) – there is no limit to your creativity!
To maintain a certain quality standard for our readers, VOY will only publish blog posts that meet the following quality requirements:
- Your blog post is about your perspective on something
It doesn’t matter whether it is a serious issue or a fun issue, a global issue or a local issue, make sure to express your personal thoughts. - Your blog post has a coherent structure
Whatever the format of your blog post may be, make sure that your post has an introduction part where you introduce the issue, a main body of text where you develop the issue and a conclusive section where you wrap it all up. Writing in short and light paragraphs will make your post more engaging. - Your blog post is captivating
Make an effort to tell a compelling story to VOY readers. There are many ways to make a post powerful – try to write something inspirational, funny, sad, uplifting, troubling, philosophical or critical. - Your blog post is clear
Make sure that your text not only makes sense to you, but also to your readers. This means that sometimes you’ll have to explain details that seem obvious to you, but not to the readers. Always put together an outline of your post before you start writing – this will allow you to order your thoughts. - Your blog post is neither too long nor too short
Find the right length for your post. Make sure that your blog post is at least 200 words and maximum 1000 words. Poems are an exception. - Your blog post uses proper referencing
We do not expect you to reference every line of your text – please don’t! However, if you mention facts or numbers in your article, indicate the source by hyperlinking one or several words of your text, linking to the source where one can find the mentioned facts or numbers. Make sure that your sources are reputable and credible! - Spelling & grammar matters!
We know that you might not be writing in your first language when you submit to Voices of Youth. That’s okay, but it is important that your post is readable and can be understood by others. Good grammar, spelling and punctuation are crucial. Writing in simple, short sentences can help communicate your message clearly. Always proofread your work before submitting a post! You might also want to ask a friend or a teacher to check your post before you submit – or use a free online programme to spot any errors. - Have the rights to your image!
When selecting images for your post, only use images that you have the right to use! Photos that you shot yourself belong to you, so you can use them without hesitation. If you use images from the internet, make sure that you have the permission to use them and credit the owner. - Your posts are original, just like yourself!
When submitting content to Voices of Youth, make sure that it was written by you and that it hasn’t been published anywhere else (even your own blog). - Young people rock!
While the definition of youth varies around the world, content from contributors aged between 13 and 24 will be prioritized.
Please note that we reserve the right to make edits to your submissions before publishing.
Unfortunately, because VOY receives a high number of submissions on a daily basis, the VOY editorial board has to pass on some material and cannot reply to all submissions. If you do not hear from the editorial board within 15 days, please assume that VOY will not be able to publish your post. You should then feel free to publish it elsewhere.