Deadline: October 2020
Nominations are open for the Aspen Institute New Voices Fellowship 2021. The Fellowship offers development experts from Africa, Asia, and Latin America a year-long program of media support, advocacy lessons, training, and writing under the guidance of experienced mentors and trainers.
On average, Fellows devote 10% of their working time towards the Fellowship over the course of the year. The program helps Fellows sharpen their messages, elevate their stories, focus their media targets, and communicate their insights across a variety of media platforms – illuminating crucial perspectives for a broad worldwide audience in order to champion policy change.
Fellows come from a variety of disciplines, ranging from public health to education to poverty alleviation, agriculture, and community activism. All Fellows are experts in their field with a deep understanding of broad development challenges and a passion for communicating their views.
Felllowship Year at a Glance
- February Key In-person Training: Fellows meet in Nairobi, Kenya for a week-long intensive media and advocacy boot camp.
- March – May: Fellows complete one-on-one remote work with their selected mentor. Fellows and mentors focus on the Fellow’s customized program goals, such as publishing op-eds, giving speeches, and working towards tangible advocacy and policy objectives.
- June Key In-person Training: Fellows meet in Aspen, Colorado for the Aspen Ideas: Health Festival and an intensive story-telling training.
- July – September: Remote work continues as Fellows receive support to write, pitch, and publish Op-Eds, complete media appearances, advocate for their work and broader policy change, and share their stories with targeted audiences.
- October Key In-person Training: Fellows meet in Washington, DC for the Aspen Institute’s foundational seminar program. Fellows also explore advance advocacy strategies and prepare for their futures as Senior Fellows.
- November – January: Fellows receive continued support from their mentor until the next class is announced. At that time, Fellows graduate to become Senior Fellows and receive continued guidance and support from the New Voices Alumni Coordinators.
Costs
- All expenses for the fellowship are paid by the organisers;
- They occasionally provide funds for Fellows to participate in media-related activities and conferences.
Eligibility
- Open to individuals who are development experts in fields such as food security, global health, human rights, and climate change.
- For the 2021 class, they will give special consideration to Fellows whose work focuses on COVID-19 relief, vaccine development, and pandemic resiliency. They are also recruiting for Fellows who are experts on the frontlines of sexual and reproductive health and rights.
- Candidates for the Fellowship are expected to have both a record of significant professional achievement and a desire to share their perspectives on global development with a broader international audience.
- The Fellowship is open by nomination only.
Nomination
The best nominations are those that:
- Include thoughtful and personal details;
- Use examples to highlight the candidate;
- Explain what characteristics or personal experiences makes the candidate unique.
For more information, see FAQs and visit Aspen Institute.
