National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Hurford Youth Fellows Program 2019/2020 for Youth Leaders (Fully Funded to Washington D.C. USA)

Application Deadline: July 1st 2019

The Hurford Youth Fellowship Program seeks to build the leadership skills and harness the potential of young democracy activists from around the world. Through the Program, young activists spend three months at the World Movement’s Secretariat, during which they expand their global connections, share experiences with other activists from democracy movements around the world, and contribute to the development of the World Movement for Democracy and the World Youth Movement for Democracy. Hurford Youth Fellows engage in strategic meetings; conduct research; and organize and lead presentations, online discussions, and information-sharing sessions on key democracy issues.

Upon the successful completion of each fellowship, the fellows serve as a regional/country focal point, working with the Hurford Youth Fellowship Alumni Network to remain involved and take the lead in World Youth Movement activities.

Specifically, each fellow will engage in the following activities:

Conduct research on one topicrelated to the democracy themes above
Develop online resources, such as a collection of related publications and training materials;
Facilitate online discussions;
Contribute to the World Movement/World Youth Movement social media posts
Take part in planning and implementing other activities of the World Movement/World Youth Movement;and
Participate in relevant events and discussions in Washington,D.C.,to deepen understanding of issues and build working relationships.
Identify, compile, present, and creatively share discussion materials and results.

Eligibility:
Applicants interested in the Hurford Youth Fellows Program must be no older than 30 years of age.
They 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.

English Language Requirement:

A working knowledge of English is an important prerequisite for participation in the program for general communication purposes.

All application materials must be submitted in English.

Residency Requirements:

Fellows are expected to work full-time on their fellowship projectsat the NED office in Washington, D.C. Fellows may not hold any other fellowships or be otherwise em-ployed during the fellowship period without the express permission of World Movement Secretariat staff.

Additional fellowships or work opportunities that coincide with the fellowship period must be brought to the attention of World Movement Secretariat staff prior to the candidate’s acceptance of a Hurford Fellowship.

Failure to do so may result in the revocation of the fellowship.

Hurford Youth fellowships are not designed to support extensive fieldwork outside the Washington, D.C., area.

The program recognizes the importance of establishing ties with counterparts elsewhere in the United States and abroad and understands that professional obligations may sometimes necessitate domestic or international travel. However, no funds willbe available to support fellows’ professional travel.

Fellows are expected to be in residence at the NED for the entirety of the fellowship period in order to take full advantage of the professional resources available in D.C.

Benefits:

Fellowship Support and Services:

Each fellow will receive a monthly stipend for living expenses, plus basic health insurance and round trip 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.

The World Movement Secretariat staff plays a vital role in helping fellows realize their fellowship ob-jectives by collaborating with them on their fellowship projects and engaging them in ongoing discus-sions about their work. NED houses a Democracy Resource Center (DRC),which ncludes alibrary with some 20,000 works, including books, journals, grantee reports, and other publications on democracy.

The DRC’s expert staff members assist fellows with their research interests. Fellows may enjoy access to other local libraries as needed.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the NED Hurford Youth Fellows Program 2019/2020