IYF President’s Julia BLOCHER meets with Dr. Sara Amar IYF Representative in Morocco 

The IYF Representative is the most senior IYF official in a Member Country. Accredited by the IYF Secretary-General to the Head of State or Government, the Representative leads the IYF Country Team, drives national partnerships, and is accountable for the full scope of IYF's programmatic, operational, advocacy, and communication activities in their country.

Representatives are the face of IYF in their country — positioning the organisation as a credible, strategic partner for youth empowerment and ensuring that IYF's global capabilities are applied in direct service of national priorities and the needs of young people.

The Role

The IYF Representative carries responsibility across five areas:

  • Strategic Vision and Programming The Representative develops and communicates a credible strategic vision for IYF at country level, aligned with national youth priorities, the IYF Internal Strategy, and the 2030 Agenda. They continuously assess the socio-economic context to ensure IYF's programmes remain relevant and responsive, and lead the design of the country's programmatic portfolio.
  • Partnership and Resource Mobilisation Representatives lead all partnership building and resource mobilisationefforts at country level. They engage governments, private sector actors, NGOs, community-based organisations, and media — securing financing and investment for youth empowerment and ensuring IYF's value and results are visible to external audiences.
  • Country Team Leadership The Representative establishes, leads, and develops the IYF Country Team (IYFCT) — a team of national volunteer officers covering communications, youth, sports, innovation, women's empowerment, and environment. Building a motivated, inclusive, and high-performing team is a core leadership responsibility of every Representative.
  • Advocacy and Communications Representatives anchor IYF's public profile in their country. They manage relationships with media, keep stakeholders informed of IYF activities, promote youth achievements through national and international platforms, and ensure IYF's visibility through both conventional and digital channels.
  • Accountability and Governance Representatives provide annual reports to the Regional Director and Executive Board, manage locally administered resources responsibly, identify and mitigate risks, and uphold the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and accountability in all operations.

Accreditation

Each IYF Representative is formally accredited by letter of the Secretary-General to the Head of State or Government in their country. They report to the Secretary-General through the Regional Director of their respective Regional Administration. Representatives serve three-year terms on a voluntary, part-time basis.

Who Can Become an IYF Representative?

IYF Representatives are young leaders who are citizens of the country they serve. They bring experience in youth empowerment, development, communications, international relations, or related fields — and a genuine commitment to creating change for young people. IYF Representatives lead with five core competencies: Lead. Design. Empower. Mobilize. Inspire.

To learn more about becoming an IYF Representative, visit the website of the Leaders Assessment Centre.