Tristan Nunez is a rising star in the racing circuit but while speed is at the forefront of his mind on the track, road safety and championing the message ‘Don’t text and drive’ is his mantra out of the race car. Read more about his foundation and his work as a road safety conscious teenager in the US.

Recently our friends at NOYS shared information about the Dnt txt n drV Foundation set up by young racing driver Tristan Nunez. Tristan Nunez started the Dnt txt n drV Foundation in 2014 after spending three years advocating against distracted driving and working to raise awareness to prevent texting and driving.

Change starts with knowledge and the empowerment to share that with others. Having spoken to thousands of his peers over the years, he has found that it starts with one and can grow really fast. It’s unfortunate that much of the change in perceptions about drunk driving, seats belts, and now distracted driving is most influenced by gruesome images and videos of what can happen.

About Tristan
Tristan Jake Nunez is an 19-year-old MAZDA factory professional autoracing driver in the TUDOR United  Sportscar Championship Series for SpeedSource. In 2013, he became the youngest class winner in GRAND-AM Rolex Series history as well as in American Le Mans Series (ALMS) history with his win at Detroit Belle Isle and Baltimore, respectively. In 2012, he secured the 2012 Cooper Tires Prototype Lites powered by Mazda championship in his rookie season with 11 wins, 12 poles, and seven track records.

At the end of the season, he was awarded the 2012 Team USA Scholarship, going on to win the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone. He won the Skip Barber Summer Series championship with six wins, was chosen as the 2010 Rookie of the Year and has been named by Sports Illustrated as a “Face in the Crowd” all while being an advocate for safer driving with his Dnt txt n drV message.

Tristan founded the Dnt txt n drV Foundation in 2014 to further reinforce his efforts and work against distracted driving.

YOURS is proud to announce to establishment of the YOURS National Road Safety Youth Champions in all English Speaking African Countries for 2015-2017. The National Road Safety Youth Champions will strengthen our Global Youth Network for Road Safety through the African Youth Network on Road Safety: a network of youth led institutions/organizations working in road safety in Africa.

Currently road traffic crashes is the leading cause of death for young people globally. Africa is hit hard. With such a significant portion of the population being affected, the  Road Safety Youth Champions initiative aims to be a key force in raising awareness of road safety and advocating for the needs of this population.

As a part of the greater YOURS network, this initiative recognizes the invisibility of road safety youth champions from community level, district level, regional level, and country level, and also recognizes the need to raise awareness of this global problem , in order to advocate for the growth of supports and services for young people.  National Road Safety Youth Champions is comprised of dedicated and passionate young people who want to raise awareness about road safety and also gain valuable skills. Members of this initiative shall get valuable experience in raising awareness and gaining skills in social media, public speaking, and outreach efforts including the #SaveKidsLives Campaign.

Objectives

• To deepen young people’s involvement in the road safety agenda including Post 2015 development agenda in their respective countries and globally?
• To enable young people take extensive action to advocate for the current and future of road safety for young people.
• To inspire  and connect young people in Africa and represent their interests
• Minimum requirements for Road Safety National Youth Champions:
• Aged between 15 to 30
• Be a citizen and reside in their respective countries.
• Availability to volunteer their  time to ensure YOURS road safety campaign is felt within their communities (approx 7 hours a week)
• Passionate about Africa’s development and the progress of youth
• Find joy in inspiring young people
• Are interested in conducting fundraising events for road safety
• Good written and spoken English, and/local dialectics
• Have knowledge or experience in one of the following: MDGs, Post 2015 development agenda, advocacy, community development, youth mobilization or any other relevant field.
• Have a good social network of other young people
• Have good communication skills and know how to use the Internet and smart phones for Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, skype and blogs.
• You have access to internet atleast 4hours a week
• You believe that young people have the potential to make a difference in road safety

What YOURS can provide

• Successful candidates will be given a 1 year term renewed by another 1 year upon performance
• An exciting and challenging experience with intense interactions!
• In depth engagement with issues of road safety
• Learning how to use communication tools and social networking platforms.
• An opportunity to interact with other young people from across Africa/World, for an enriching exchanges and sharing of experiences.
• A chance to make a difference as a champion in your own country
• Ongoing networking and mentoring support from the YOURS team and Role models.
• Opportunities for international travel (When available)
• Creation of an alumni network to stay involved with the issues and expand your sphere of influence! 

Interested? Do you have what it takes to represent your country?
Please send your motivation letter, contact details, photo and recent Curriculum Vitae
by 21st December 2014 to: brian@youthforroadsafety.org You will receive a confirmation email after we have received all required documents. We will announce our national champions in the new year.

Please Note: Currently, we are only taking applications for countries in English speaking countries in Africa. Applications are now closed.