Opportunity: Volunteer as a Judge for The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition

Kieran Miles, Volunteer Judge meets RCS Vice-Patron Her Majesty The Queen during an award ceremony for the winners

As we enter an exciting new chapter of the Royal Commonwealth Society’s flagship youth initiative, we are delighted to announce that applications to volunteer as a judge for The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition are now open!  

This year is a particularly exciting time to get involved with the competition. The change in name from The Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition to The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition, reflects a broader, more inclusive approach to written expression, embracing creativity in all its forms while continuing to champion the power of young voices across the Commonwealth. 

As part of this evolution, the competition’s structure has been redesigned to encourage greater participation and ensure stronger regional representation. The competition will be open to all Commonwealth nationals or residents under 18, bringing participants together within a single age category. In addition to one overall winner, the competition will now recognise one winner from each of the five regions of the Commonwealth, ensuring that excellence in writing is celebrated across all regions. 

How to Become a Judge:

The Royal Commonwealth Society is currently looking for volunteer judges for the next chapter of The Queen’s Commonwealth Writing Competition.  Judges will share the RCS’s commitment to amplifying youth dialogue across the Commonwealth. They may also have a particular interest in the theme, literacy, youth work, or international affairs.    

  To be eligible for the role:  

• be at least 19 years old 

• have an interest in writing and/or literature/ the Commonwealth and/or international affairs 

• be available between May 2026 and June 2026 in order to read and judge approximately 100-150 entries up to 1000 words each 

• have reliable access to an internet connection during this period as the judging process is electronic. We also encourage that judges have access to a computer or laptop rather than phone to ensure full access to the judging platform.  

Your voluntary assistance with this programme will be instrumental to our efforts to empower young writers to imagine a better future and encouraging them to take their first steps towards it.  

To volunteer, please fill in this brief form. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact qcecjudging@royalcwsociety.org should you require further information or have any questions.