Fully-funded: The MCW YOUNG LEADERS FELLOWSHIP 2023, New York, USA

The Young Leaders Fellowship Program is a one-of-a-kind leadership opportunity open to all young people between 18 – 26 from all over the world who wish to address community projects in the areas of education, health, and economic security. The year-long program prepares young people to become leaders of change in their communities through leadership development, global citizenship, self-awareness, and vision planning.

The program team, mentors, and mentees all work together to impact communities through innovative ideas and concrete projects, hence truly accomplishing the purpose of Local Change Through Global Exchange®.

MCW Global’s Fellowship begins with the Community Needs Assessment – A one-month community needs mapping that prepares young people, between the ages of 18-26, from around the world to understand their local communities better. After the community needs assessment, Young Leaders participate in a week-long intensive in-person training program that helps them become leaders of positive change in their communities. After the in-person training program, participants return to their communities to spend ten months developing their action plans with virtual support from alumni mentors.

Virtual | Community Needs Assessment

The Fellowship begins with an intensive community mapping and needs assessment.

Young Leaders will be provided with the tools and knowledge to assess their community. 

This phase is implemented prior to starting the in-person training, as it will give the young leaders a better understanding of the community’s needs.

In-Person | Vision Planning & Project Development 

Participants come to the Fellowship with an idea of a community issue they want to address. Vision planning is the process of transforming passion into a concrete, tangible plan for change.

Through the in-person training program, which includes diverse speakers, workshops, events, and facilitated group work, participants can put their local issues into a larger global context while understanding why they are uniquely positioned to change their community.

Participants will also determine which tools and skills can be applied to an actionable plan.

(10 days)

Virtual | Project Implementation & Alumni Mentorship 

To further develop and execute their actionable plans, Young Leaders are paired with alumni mentors, who will guide them in the in-person program toward creating an actionable plan. These mentors have gone through the Fellowship program and successfully graduated from it.

During the year, alumni mentors support participants by facilitating quarterly “hangouts” and ongoing remote communication.

Alumni mentors undergo customized training prior to the start of the program to support team building and cultural competency among the diverse group of Young Leaders.

(10 months)

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Young Leaders Must

• Demonstrate commitment to their community;
• Identify an issue in their community in the areas of education, health, or economic security;
• Be between the ages of 18-26 at the start of the program (June 1, 2023);
• Be fluent in written and spoken English;
• Commit to doing the Community Needs Assessment in June, attending the 10-day in-person program in July, and spending the following year aiming to execute their community project;
• Have access to email and the internet to allow for consistent communication with the MCW Global Team and Young Leaders Fellowship alumni-mentor for the duration of the year-long program;
• Adhere to Young Leaders Fellowship graduation guidelines (to be provided upon acceptance to the program);
• Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (and be able to provide proof) or in case of an exemption from this requirement due to a medical reason, contact MCW Global Leadership directly for further steps;
• Be eligible for appropriate visa and travel documentation;
• Submit a completed application on or before Friday, November 18, 2022, 11:59 PM (NYC EST time).

2023 – 2024 TIMELINE

• October 14, 2022: Young Leaders Fellowship Application Opens;
• November 18, 2022: Young Leaders Fellowship Application Closes;
• December 8, 2022: First-round Decisions Sent Out; Shortlist Candidates Notified; Second-Round Application Opens;
• December 18, 2022: Second Round Application Closes;
• January 9 – 18, 2023: Interviews with Alumni;
• January 25, 2023: Acceptances Sent Out;
• February 1, 2023: Confirmation of Acceptances;
• February 10, 2023: Confirmation of Visa Interview Date and Deposit;
• June 1 – June 30, 2023: Community Needs Assessment;
• July 11 – July 20, 2023: In-Person Training Program – Young Leaders Fellowship in New York, New York, and Burlington, Vermont;
• July 2023 – July 2024: The Entire Young Leaders Fellowship Duration.

APPLICATION INFORMATION

The application must be filled out in English.

Letters of recommendation and resumes also need to be written in English. Any part of the application that is not written in English will not be read and be considered incomplete.

The application includes:

• General Information
• Essay Questions
  • Identify an issue in your community that concerns you. How would you address this issue?
  • Describe one time you have faced a challenge and used a leadership skill to come up with a solution.
• Resume
  • Your resume should not be more than 1 page. We suggest that it be prepared in Times New Roman, 12 font, with 1-inch margins.
• Two Letters of recommendation
  • Your letters should come from people who know your work ethic and commitment to your community. Friends and family members are discouraged from writing letters of recommendation.
  • Recommenders should state their name, position, contact info, and relationship to the applicant at the top of the letter.
• Liability Waiver
  • At the end of the application, please review the terms and conditions.
• Application Portal
  • Click here to create an account and submit the application by November 18, 2022.

LOGISTICS INFORMATION & COST

Please read the following logistics information and cost carefully.

The 2023 Young Leaders Fellowship will take place in New York, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, from July 11 – 19, 2023. Accommodations will be provided by New York University in New York and Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.

DEPOSIT

MCW requires all accepted participants to pay a $100 deposit fee by February 10, 2023. The deposit will be refunded to the participant in full on July 20, 2023, when they have successfully completed the in-person training program of the Fellowship. 
The deposit is required to cover all costs MCW Global may incur should a participant cancel after March 1, 2023. 

Payment can be made via Square or PayPal. If no payment is made by February 10, 2023, you will be considered to be no longer attending the Fellowship. 

If Square or PayPal are not operational in your country/territory, please contact MCW Global.

COSTS COVERED BY MCW

• International Economy Flights for international participants 
• Domestic Economy flights for United States participants
• Housing from the evening of July 10 – July 20, 2023
• Three meals per day from July 11 – July 19, 2023
• Round Trip Travel from New York, New York to Burlington, Vermont
• Public Transportation to/from JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Airports

COST NOT COVERED BY MCW

• Passport Fees
• Visa Fees
• In-Country Costs (travel to the airport, extra baggage fees, etc.) 

FLIGHTS

In an effort to make the program accessible to all individuals, MCW will cover economy flight costs related to the program’s attendance for every accepted participant. Flights will only be booked to arrive one day in advance of the program and to depart one day after the program. If you wish to travel in the US for longer than this time, you must book the flight on your own, and MCW will reimburse you for the cost of the flight according to what MCW would have booked. No exceptions will be made. 

If a participant delays applying for their visa after being accepted into the program and, as a result, will receive the visa less than a month before the program begins, travel will no longer be provided.

If MCW is booking any travel on behalf of a participant, all travel will be according to the most cost-efficient route and booked in economy (or equivalent) class. 

ADDITIONAL HOUSING ON JULY 10, 2023, AND JULY 20, 2023

MCW will provide a room the night before and after the program for those whose flight schedules require them to arrive the day before or depart after the program. This is considered to be a part of the program, and it is the responsibility of the participant to notify MCW at least a month before the start of the program if they require housing.  Requests for a room later than this period of time will not be considered. Please note that a room will not be provided for those arriving or departing more than 24 hours before the start or the end of the program. These participants are expected to find their own accommodations. MCW (including staff, volunteers, board members, and friends of MCW) are not responsible for providing accommodations for participants prior to or beyond the program.

If you request the room and then choose not to stay there, please note that the NYU cancellation fee of $50 will be deducted from your deposit. 

**If you have any questions or need further clarification, please feel free to contact us at apply@mcwglobal.org.

Source / Official Website: HERE.