Hurford Youth Fellows Program 2015 – Washington, D.C. (fully-funded)

Deadline: April 27, 2015

The World Youth Movement for Democracy invites applications for the 2015 Hurford Youth Fellows Program taking place from August – December 2015 and February – June 2016 in Washington, DC. The Hurford Youth Fellowship is a four-month program that aims to build Young Activists’ leadership skills.

With support from the Hurford Foundation, the World Youth Movement for Democracy, working with the International Forum for Democratic Studies at NED, will host three fellows per year from around the world in its Washington, D.C., office. For a period of four months, each fellow will have the opportunity to build his or her leadership and organizational skills while contributing to the development of the World Youth Movement.

A project developing online discussion platforms to generate active engagement among World Youth Movement members around the world will be central to each fellowship. Hurford Youth Fellows will organize and lead a series of online discussions and information-sharing sessions on key democracy issues that they will identify in consultation with the Secretariat and Leadership Board. Materials for, and the results of, each discussion will be compiled, presented, and shared globally in a creative manner.

Fellows Expectations

Specifically, each fellow will engage in the following activities:

• Facilitate online discussions;
• Maintain a weekly blog for the World Youth Movement website;
• Conduct research on topics such as civic education, the role of youth in policy development, and youth activities against corruption;
• Develop online resources, such as a collection of related publications and training materials;
• Write articles for the World Youth Movement newsletter;
• Identify a current, ongoing activity, develop strategies for enhancing its impact, and take the lead in implementing those strategies;
• Take part in planning and implementing other activities of the World Youth Movement; and
• Participate in relevant events and discussions in Washington, D.C., to deepen understanding of issues and build working relationships.

Each fellow will also make at least one formal presentation of their work during their stay. Presentations may be open to the public or geared to a more select audience and will typically focus on the fellow’s online discussion topics.

Upon the successful completion of each fellowship at NED, the fellow will serve as a regional/country focal point, working with the Youth Democracy Ambassadors to remain involved and take the lead in World Youth Movement activities.

Residency Requirements

Fellows are expected to work full-time on their fellowship projects at the NED office in Washington, D.C. Fellows may not hold any other fellowships or be otherwise employed during the fellowship period without the express permission of program staff. Additional fellowships or work opportunities that coincide with the fellowship period must be brought to the attention of program staff prior to the candidate’s acceptance of a Hurford Fellowship. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of the fellowship.

Benefits

Each fellow will receive a monthly stipend for living expenses, plus basic health insurance and roundtrip travel to and from Washington, D.C. Stipends take into account the cost of living in Washington, D.C. Fellows are provided with a fully equipped office, including Internet and email access, and a limited budget for fellowship-related long-distance phone calls.

Eligibility

• The Hurford Youth Fellows Program is open to applicants from any country.
• Applicants must be under 30 years of age
• Applicants must have a working knowledge of English and be under 30 years of age. All application materials must be submitted in English.
• Applicants must demonstrate strong interest in democratic activism and in the advancement of democracy in their respective communities, as well as worldwide.
• Youth affiliated with civil society organizations are especially encouraged to apply.

Application

Applicants are asked to submit the following:

1. Applicant Form;
2. C.V./Resume; and
3. Two Letters of Recommendation

All application materials should be uploaded to the online application or should be sent via email to [email protected].

For more information, visit Hurford Youth Fellows Program.