Open Society Youth Fellowship
Otieno Nickson
FYI
........
The Youth Exchange is excited to announce the Open Society Youth Fellowship.
Please note that this Fellowship call is separate from the call we sent
out last week for nominations for youth-led organizations. The Fellowship
is open to any young person (under 30) to apply directly following the
instructions on the Open Society Foundations website. Please distribute
to grantees and other partners and as always, let us know if you have
additional questions.
http://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/open-society-youth-fellowship-20150417
The Open Society Youth Fellowship supports young activists and organizers
as thought leaders and allies in crafting solutions and new youth-focused
approaches to open society challenges.
Youth Fellows should take advantage of the considerable intellectual and
logistical resources of the Open Society Foundations and expect to contribute
meaningfully to the Foundations' thinking in return. While fellows will work
outside of Open Society Foundations core offices, they will liaise with the
Open Society Youth Exchange to identify opportunities for both in-person and
virtual engagement with Open Society staff and partners. The Youth Exchange
will work with each individual fellow to identify additional opportunities for
the fellow to learn from and collaborate with staff and partners through site
visits, speaking engagements, and other fora.
Fellows may produce a variety of work products, including publications,
such as reports and blog posts; infographics and other visual content;
innovative education and training resources and tools; the launch of new
campaigns and organizations; and creation of artistic or cultural expression
projects. They may also engage in activities such as hosting panel discussions,
traveling to conferences, and presenting on their work in other public spaces.
Eligibility Criteria
All applicants should be under the age of 30. While we will consider
applicants who are currently employed by a civil society organization or
university, we will request additional information to confirm that the
individual is acting on their own in regards to their proposed project, and
that their current employer is flexible with their independent role as a Youth
Fellow.
The Youth Exchange accepts proposals from anywhere in the world, with a
particular interest in proposals from the global south. Applicants should
possess a deep understanding of their particular field and a record of
successful movement-building initiatives, innovative project management
experience, and/or experience in research/tools development. Applicants must be
proficient in spoken English.
Fellowship applications should relate to at least one of the following
areas of work:
* youth mobilization and innovation in
traditional human rights movements (i.e., the LGBTQ rights movement, disability
rights, women's rights, drug policy reform, etc.)
* youth participation and civic engagement
particularly around elections
* youth-led movements
* youth-led work in the field of justice (for
example, policing, pretrial detention, incarcerated youth, or alternative
sentencing)
* youth tactics in advocacy and awareness
raising (for example new media, arts activism, peer-to-peer networks, etc.)
around human rights issues
* youth in closed or transitional societies
Ineligibility Criteria
Only individuals may apply. We will not accept proposals that are clearly
on behalf of an NGO or other formal organization. Fellows may not use stipends
to replace funding for activities or projects that a host organization is
already implementing. Enrollment for degree or non-degree study at academic
institutions, including dissertation research, and projects that include
lobbying activities will not be funded.
Purpose and Priorities
Fellows will receive a stipend of $35,000-50,000 depending on experience
and current income. The fellowship will also cover some travel and project
costs related to the fellows' work to be discussed.
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee comprised of Open
Society Foundations staff. Reviewers consider whether the applicant's
background, track record, and depth of expertise give reason to believe that
the project will be successfully completed and whether the applicant offers
persuasive evidence that the fellowship project will significantly inform the
public and the Open Society community.
Selection and Notification Cycle
* Applications due: May 15, 2015
* Applications review: May/June 2015
* Applicants notified of their status: late
June 2015
* Short-listed applicants invited for an
in-person, Skype, or telephone interview: by July 1, 2015
* Fellows notified: late July 2015
* Fellows announced: early August 2015
Guidelines
All interested applicants should complete the online application form and
submit supporting materials for consideration. Applicants may submit a project
proposal or other materials in a language other than English, as long as they
also submit an English translation. Certified translations are strongly
recommended.
Once the initial information has been entered, applicants receive login
details and an ID number that allows them to make additions and revisions to
the form until materials are submitted. The ID number should be quoted in any
correspondence. The program strongly encourages applicants to submit only
electronic supporting materials. However, if applicants have hard copy
materials that they feel are essential to the evaluation of their project, they
can list these at the end of the project proposal. Fellowship staff will reach
out to applicants should it be necessary to review these materials.
Note: Only applicants without internet access may send an application by
post. An application form is available in the Download Files section. All
others must apply online<http://opensocietyyouthfellowshipprogram.submittable.com/submit/a89a1c5f-5a69-49cc-a803-e8eb949c86ff>. For more information or technical difficulties
with the online application form, please contact the Youth Exchange at
youth.e...@opensocietyfoundations.org<mailto:youth.e...@opensocietyfoundations.org>.