Become a City Rep and get a chance to travel overseas

Oxford is twinned with five cities – Perm in Russia, Leiden in the Netherlands, Bonn in Germany, Leòn in Nicaragua, and Grenoble in France – and the city council is looking for 10 people, aged 18 to 25, to represent them and help raise awareness and engagement amidst their peers.

City Representatives, or City Reps, will gain invaluable skills working alongside industry professionals, such as web developers Made With Joy, and Oxford International Links (OIL), a keen supporter of the scheme.

City Reps will have the chance to travel to the city they will represent whilst learning to fundraise for their trips abroad. They will create a website containing accounts of their own travel experience, guides to all five twin cities as well as an event calendar for all twinning activities.  They will also put together a launch event as part of Oxford Christmas Light Festival which, this year, will be themed ‘The World In Oxford’.

To become a City Rep young people must prepare and submit either 200 words, 10 photographs or a 90 seconds video to show why they are interested and why they would make a great representative.

Peter McQuitty, Head of Culture, said: “The City Council is investing in improving opportunities for young people to engage in positive activities and develop the skills and ambition to achieve to the best of their abilities.

“The City Rep scheme will help young people develop their digital, fundraising, communication, and event management skills, as well as building their self-confidence, provide opportunities to develop friendships and expand their cultural horizons.”

Applications open Wednesday 29 March and close on Thursday 27 April and should be emailed to internationallinks@oxford.gov.uk. For more information, applicants can contact International Links Coordinator Lauren Spiceley, using the same email address or calling 07483010888.