African Civic Engagement Academy (ACEA) 2021 for mid-career civil society and public leaders across sub-Saharan Africa.

Application Deadline: FEBRUARY 15, 2021 AT 5:00 PM GMT 

SUPPORTED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, the African Civic Engagement Academy (ACEA) is a free online training program and networking opportunity for selected mid-career civil society and public leaders across sub-Saharan Africa.

The Academy is intended for professionals (ages 30-45) with demonstrated leadership experience in NGO, non-profit, or public sector roles. Space is limited and applications are competitive. Participants will be expected to engage in peer discussions and prepare a peer-mentored action plan for civic engagement.

Participants will:

• Be between the ages of 30 and 45 as of January 1, 2021.
• Serve in a leadership role with a civil society organization (including NGOs and non-profit community organizations) or a government unit responsible for engaging with the public.
• Have a demonstrated record of leading civic engagement efforts, including projects and programs to advocate, engage, and communicate in an inclusive way.

Participants will recieve a certificate from the University of Georgia, USA, upon completion. Up to 60 participants will be selected to attend a post-program African Civic Engagement Summit to be held in 2022.

Selected participants will receive online instruction and participate in peer discussions organized into three short courses:
• Principles of Civic Engagement, including strategies for NGO, non-profit, and government sector leaders to advocate and engage with one another.
• Political Inclusion, covering steps that can be taken to improve the political and social inclusion of underrepresented communities.
• Media Management, including the role of old and new media as a bridge between government and civil society

NETWORK WITH NGO AND PUBLIC SECTOR LEADERS ACROSS SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA:

Each ACEA component is accompanied by peer discussion in French, Portuguese, and English.

Through these discussions, participants will be able to make new connections and exchange views with peers from across sub-Saharan Africa while they develop their Civic Engagement Action Plan, gaining valuable input into the project they will propose for their own organization or public sector unit.

At the conclusion of the Academy, up to 60 participants will be selected for an in-person African Civic Engagement Summit in 2022 where they will meet, network, and share perspectives on approaches to improved civic engagement in their communities.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the African Civic Engagement Academy