YouthActionNet Laureate Global Fellowship 2016 for Young Changemakers – San Jose, Costa Rica (fully-funded)

Deadline: March 13th, 2016

The 2016 Laureate Global Fellowship application is now open. The Laureate Global Fellowship is a program of YouthActionNet, a signature initiative of the International Youth Foundation. Made possible by the Laureate International Universities, the fellowship supports 20 young social entrepreneurs each year who apply from countries worldwide.

Now in its 16th year, YouthActionNet supports a global network of 1350+ young leaders who have benefited from programs in our 23 national, regional, and global leadership institutes. The 2016 Laureate Global Fellowship Leadership Training & Retreat takes place from October 5 — 15th, 2016 in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Benefits

All selected Fellows receive:

• Immersive leadership training and retreat in San Jose, Costa Rica (October 2016)
• Yearlong fellowship experience including coaching/mentoring, advocacy, and networking opportunities
• Access to our global network of 1350+ change makers worldwide
• A lifetime of continued learning and support offered to all alumni

Costs including airfare, Costa Rican visa fee, ground transportation, accommodations, and group meals are covered by the International Youth Foundation.

Eligibility

• Age 18-29 as of October 1, 2016
• Founder or co-founder of an existing social venture*
• Have achieved at least one year of impact through the venture
• Fluent in English

*Applicants must be founder or co-founder of a venture that has not previously participated in the Laureate Global Fellowship.

Guidelines

1. The applicant must be proficient in English.
2. Applications will be accepted in English only.
3. The applicant must be between 18 and 29 years of age as of October 01, 2016.
4. The applicant must be a founder or co-founder of the venture.The founder or co-founder is defined as the person who, either alone or as part of a team, is responsible for conceiving and establishing the venture.
   1. A social venture is defined as a project, organization, or business that uses social impact as a defining guidepost.
   2. Ventures can be non-profit, for-profit, or combine elements of both.
   3. Ventures can be stand-alone organizations or operating within an existing organization.
   4. Ventures can be legally registered or unregistered at the time of application.
5. The venture must have demonstrated at least one year of impact at the time the application is submitted.
6. In the case that you cannot submit an online application, word document applications may be emailed to: [email protected]. Please save your application as “FirstName.LastName.2016” and attach the file to the email with the email’s subject line reading: “2016 Word Application – LAST NAME”. Please save using the .doc format, not .docx.  Applications sent via email must be received no later than 11:59 PM US Eastern Standard Time on March 13, 2016.
7. The YouthActionNet team reserves the right to interview applicants at its discretion during the application review period.

How to apply

• Please apply through YouthActionNet’s 2016 Laureate Global Fellowship Online Application.
• While online applications are preferred, there is a Microsoft Word version of the application for those who require it due to limited bandwith. Click here to access the Word application.

In order to provide applicants with the opportunity to clearly and thoroughly explain their ventures and personal journey, the application consists of seven sections. Each must be completed in order for an application to be reviewed. There is one additional section which is encouraged but not mandatory.

1. Part 1: Basic Information. You will provide basic information about you, including contact information.
2. Part 2: Video Submission. Using guidelines provided in this application, you will create an original video and post it online. Your video will be the first opportunity we have to see your passion, knowledge, and unique perspective. We hope you will be specific and succinct in explaining your personal relationship to your work (why you do what you do), the steps you have made towards change (what your venture does), and what a successful future looks like for your venture.
3. Part 3: Your Venture. You will describe key elements of your social venture, including core activities, beneficiaries, impact, and achievements.
4. Part 4: Your Business Model. You will discuss your venture’s funding structure, revenue generation strategies, and partnerships.
5. Part 5: Tell Us About You. You will share your background, leadership style, and what you hope to learn if selected.
6. Part 6: Additional Information. Questions in this section are used primarily for statistics and program learning; they do not affect your eligibility for the fellowship.
7. Part 7: References. You will be asked to enter the contact information for two references who can discuss your eligibility for the fellowship.
8. Part 8: Supporting Documents. You will have the opportunity to submit up to three additional documents that may provide judges with a better understanding of your venture. This section is optional but highly encouraged.

All applicants will receive notification by June 13th, 2016, including those who were not selected as Fellows this year.

For more information and to apply, visit Laureate Global Fellowship.