Editorial charter

Publish with YouthShare

YouthShare publishes analyses by young writers from around the world, in English and French. Every text defends an idea that belongs to its author, rests on verifiable sources and goes through three checks before the editorial board reviews it.

Who writes for YouthShare

Our contributors are students, researchers, engineers, urban planners and analysts. They live on four continents and write about what they study, observe or build.

  • A grounded perspective

    You write from your discipline, your city or your field. That perspective gives the text its substance and its credibility, and it is what the board looks for first.

  • English or French

    You write in the language you master best. YouthShare translates every accepted text and publishes both versions.

  • A volunteer commitment

    Writing is a volunteer assignment, opened on our partner platforms. It commits you for a set period, from application to publication.

Read our contributors’ profiles

What we publish

Three formats. Each one defends an idea and demonstrates it.

  • Op-ed

    An argued point of view on a question of society, climate, innovation or development.

    The board expects a thesis stated in the first paragraph, defended through to the conclusion, with the main objections examined.

  • Analysis brief

    A precise question, addressed with data and sources.

    The board expects a clear method and a useful conclusion: readers leave with an established fact or a course of action.

  • Field piece

    A reality lived or observed first-hand, in a city, a company or a community.

    The board expects precise, verified places, actors and facts, connected to a wider question.

The 23 analyses published so far run from 430 to 1,600 words; most fall between 750 and 1,150 words.

Our themes and our labs

Every text belongs to one of our four publishing themes and speaks to the work of our five labs. Read the analyses already published in your theme before proposing a topic: your text brings a new angle to them.

The five labs

Your topic can also start from one of our labs: propose it. To spark ideas, each lab opens its research avenues. Discover the research avenues

The charter: our rules

These rules apply to every text, whoever the author. They determine whether a text goes before the editorial board.

  1. An idea of your own

    Your text brings a thesis, an angle or data that readers discover through you. Summarising existing work prepares the text; the publication begins with your own contribution.

  2. Your own words, from start to finish

    You conceive and write the text yourself. A text produced or rewritten by generative artificial intelligence is rejected. Any use of an AI tool is declared on submission, proofreading included.

  3. Verifiable sources

    Every figure, quotation and fact points to a precise source: author, title, date and link. The board opens the sources and checks what they say.

  4. Sound reasoning

    A clear thesis, supported arguments, the main objections examined. The conclusion follows from the demonstration.

  5. Unpublished work

    The text is reserved for YouthShare until it is published. Any later republication credits its first appearance on YouthShare.

  6. A demanding, respectful tone

    Criticism targets ideas, policies and facts. The text speaks to a curious reader and defines every technical term.

  7. Commitment to our approach

    You know our labs and our method: think together before acting together. Your text belongs to one of our themes.

Preparing your text

A well-built text reads quickly and checks easily. Here is the expected shape and the file to submit.

The structure

  1. A precise title that announces the question or the thesis.
  2. A standfirst of two or three sentences that sets out the issue and your position.
  3. Subheadings that follow the steps of the argument.
  4. A conclusion that draws the consequences: what to remember, what to do.
  5. Sources at the end of the text, in the order they appear.

The submission file

  • The text, in an editable document
  • The full list of sources: author, title, date, link
  • A biography of two or three sentences
  • A portrait photo
  • Your city and country
  • The Sustainable Development Goals your work follows
  • Your LinkedIn profile, if you would like it on your profile card
  • A declaration of every artificial intelligence tool used

These items make up your card on the Contributors page and the author box of each article.

Artificial intelligence: the rule

The thinking and the writing are yours. Tools remain tools, and you declare them.

  • Declare on submission

    Every tool used during the work: spell-checker, translation, rewording, research. State the tool and how you used it.

  • Grounds for rejection

    A text, a paragraph or a line of argument produced or rewritten by generative artificial intelligence. Any use kept silent and found during the checks also leads to rejection.

Our checks

Before the editorial board, every text goes through three systematic checks. They complement human reading.

  • Artificial intelligence detection

    The text is analysed with tools that detect generated content. A high score triggers an in-depth review and can on its own justify a rejection.

  • Plagiarism check

    The text is compared with existing publications. Any uncredited reuse, even partial or reworded, leads to rejection.

  • Source check

    The board opens the sources cited and checks that they say what the text attributes to them.

The process, step by step

Our writing assignments open first on our partner platforms. Selection follows, then the editorial work begins.

  1. Get to know our labs and our approach

    Read the pages of our five labs and several analyses in your theme. Your application shows that you understand our method.

  2. Find a writing assignment

    Assignments are published on JeVeuxAider.gouv.fr and Idealist. Each one states the theme, the expected format and the period.

  3. Apply on the platform

    In a few lines, present your topic, your angle and what makes it original.

  4. Selection

    We select applications according to our values, your availability and how many contributors we can welcome during the period.

  5. Writing and submission

    You write your text and submit the complete file: text, sources, biography, photo and declaration of any AI tool used.

  6. Checks

    Artificial intelligence detection, plagiarism check and source check.

  7. Editorial board

    The board accepts the text, requests revisions or rejects it, giving its reasons in writing.

  8. Editing and publication

    An accepted text is edited, translated, then published in English and French with your name and biography.

Editorial board decisions

The board gives a reasoned decision for every text. Several rounds of revisions may come before the final decision.

  • Accepted

    The text moves to editing, then translation, before publication.

  • Revisions requested

    The board specifies the points to rework. The revised text comes back before the board as many times as needed.

  • Rejected

    The board states the reason for rejection in writing.

Reasons for rejection

  • Text produced or rewritten by artificial intelligence
  • Plagiarism, including partial or reworded
  • Insufficient originality: the idea repeats existing analyses without a contribution of its own
  • Sources missing, imprecise or saying something other than the text
  • Weak reasoning or a conclusion without demonstration
  • Text outside our themes or contrary to our values
  • Requested revisions left unaddressed
  • Text already published elsewhere

After publication

An accepted text becomes a YouthShare publication in its own right.

  • In two languages

    Your text appears in English and French. The translated version states its original language and links to the original.

  • Signed and presented

    Your name, photo, biography and the SDGs you follow accompany the article. Your card joins the Contributors page, with the number of analyses you have published.

  • Read and found

    The article joins the Publications page, under its theme, and the site search. Our lab pages suggest it to readers on related topics.

See all publications

Frequently asked questions

Can I send my text directly by email?

Writing assignments go through our partner platforms, JeVeuxAider.gouv.fr and Idealist. That is where we open assignments and receive applications.

Can I propose my own topic?

Yes, within the theme of the assignment. Your application presents the topic, the angle you have chosen and what makes it original.

Can I publish several analyses?

Yes. Several contributors already sign more than one text. Each new text follows the same process, from application to editorial board.

Which language should I write in?

English or French. YouthShare translates every accepted text into the other language and publishes both versions.

How many rounds of revisions?

As many as the text needs to meet the charter. At each round the board specifies the points to rework, then gives a reasoned final decision.

What are our values?

Equity, solidarity, integrity, participation, resilience and impact. They guide both how we select applications and how we read texts.

Your analysis starts on our platforms

Our writing assignments are published there with their theme, format and period.

A letter, when there is something worth saying