YOUNG LEADERS ACCESS PROGRAM 2020, USA (Fully Funded)
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
MCW Global’s year-long flagship program is for participants between the ages of 18 to 26, who are prepared to become leaders of positive change in their communities by obtaining tools and skills needed to transform passion into action. The program is based on 3 phases:
Summer Program
The program begins with an intensive, 10-day summer program that facilitates leadership development, self-awareness, a deep understanding of global citizenship, and how to implement a project from beginning to end. The program is held in late July in New York City, New York and Burlington, Vermont. In addition to working alongside MCW Global team members, alumni mentors, and volunteers, participants will also hear from a range of experts from academia, civil society, development, and the public and private sectors about their own community-action projects.
(10 days)
Vision Planning: Project Development
Participants come to the Program with an idea of a community issue they want to address through the process of vision planning, which aims to transform passion into a tangible plan for change. During this process, participants will be able to put their local issues into a larger global context while exploring why they are in a unique position to make change happen. Participants will also determine which tools they need to apply to the plan, in order to make it actionable. After the program, Young Leaders are expected to further develop and/or implement their plan in collaboration with their alumni mentors.
(12 months)
Alumni Mentorship and Ongoing Support
To further develop and implement their vision plans, Young Leaders are paired with alumni mentors, who guide them at the summer program toward creating an actionable plan. 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 in order to support team building and cultural competency.
(12 months)
APPLICATION
Step 1: Application
Fill out the application, which is available until Sunday, January 5. The application includes sharing your resume, filling out some basic information, and a few short essay questions.
Step 2: Needs Assessment
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to submit a brief needs assessment, which will describe their community issue and potential solutions in greater detail.
Step 3: Interview
If selected, candidates will be contacted for a virtual interview with alumni who have gone through the program.
Step 4: Decision
Applicants who are selected to participate in the program will be notified by email of their status on April 1, 2020.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for the program, Young Leaders should:
- Demonstrate commitment to their community
- Identify an issue in their community to address
- Be between the ages of 18-26
- Be fluent in written and spoken English
- Commit to attending the 10-day program and spending the following year aiming to execute their community project
- Be eligible for appropriate visa and travel documentation
- Have access to email and Internet to allow for consistent communication with the MCW Global Team and Young Leaders Program alumni-mentor for the duration of the year-long program
- Adhere to Young Leaders Access Program graduation guidelines (to be provided upon acceptance to the program)
- Submit a completed application on or before January 5, 2020
TIMELINE
- November 15, 2019: Young Leaders Access Program application opens
- January 5, 2020: Young Leaders Access Program application closes
- February 3, 2020: First round decisions sent out; short list candidates notified; second round application opens
- February 21, 2020: Second round application closes
- March 2-28, 2020: Interviews with Alumni
- April 1, 2020: Acceptances sent out
- May 3, 2020: Confirmation of acceptance with visa interview date and deposit
- July 21, 2020 – July 30, 2020: Young Leaders Access Summer Program
- July 30, 2020 – July 22, 2021: Young Leaders Access Program duration
HOW TO APPLY
The application must be filled out in English. All letters of recommendation and your resume need to be prepared in English. Any parts of the application that are not in English will not be read and the application will be considered incomplete.
The application includes:
1. General information
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 the letters of recommendation.
- Recommenders should state their name, position, and relationship to the applicant at the top of the letter.
- The letter should be on official letterhead, signed and dated.
5. Liability waiver
- At the end of the application, please review the terms and conditions.
Apply here until January 5, 2020.