Application Deadline: September 20th 2019
The Advocacy Fellows Program is a project of AVAC. It is designed to support emerging and mid-career advocates to design and implement advocacy projects focused on HIV prevention research and implementation in their countries and communities. Advocacy Fellows carry out their projects while based at “Host Organisations” that are active partners in the Fellows Program process. AVAC provides technical and financial support to Fellows—both salary and project budget—for the duration of the Fellow year(April 2020–March 2021).
The overall goal of Advocacy Fellows is to expand and strengthen the capacity of civil society advocates and organisations to monitor, support and help shape HIV prevention researchand rapid rollout of new effective interventions in low-and middle-income countrieswith high HIV burdens. The programis guided by the belief that effective, sustainable advocacy grows out of work that reflects countrylevel organisational and individual interests and prioritiesand is led by passionate advocates who are motivated to bring change.
The Fellows program is implemented through a close collaboration among the Advocacy Fellow, the Host Organisationand AVAC.
The Advocacy Fellows Program will run for one year,fromApril 2020toMarch 2021.Selected Advocacy Fellows should also plan to spend a few days working closely with AVAC and their hosts to develop their work plans before the Fellows Program year begins.
Eligibility Requirements:
The Advocacy Fellows Program seeks the following:
•Emerging or mid-career community leaders and advocates involved or interested in advocacy around HIV prevention research and implementation, particularly the areas described in Question 3above.
•Individuals with some experience or education in the areas of HIV and AIDS, public health, medicine, international development, women’s rights, communications, or advocacy with key populations, such as sex workers, LGBTQ individualsand drug users.
•Individuals based in low-and middle-income countries with high HIV burdens and where biomedical HIV prevention clinical research is planned and or ongoing and/or where there is current work on implementation of newer biomedical prevention strategies (such as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, treatment, VMMCand multi-intervention programs such as the DREAMS Initiative for adolescent girls and young women or AGYW.) Advocates can also develop proposals that seek to catalyze plans and policies in countrieswhere little activity on these issues has happened to date.Please visit the Prevention & Research database and www.avac.org/trial-mapand specific resources noted in Question 25 below to identify countries where research and implementation is ongoing or planned.
•Those people proficient in the English language. Applications are encouraged from all countries where biomedical prevention research or rollout is ongoing,however the Advocacy Fellow and key staff at her/hisorganisationmust be able to communicate with AVAC staff in English.
•Demonstrated awareness of and willingness to learn about ongoing prevention research and implementation in their respective countries, although extensive knowledge in biomedical HIV prevention is not required. They must also be able to demonstrate strategic analysis of how Fellows Program activities will relate to local prevention landscapes.
Benefits:
The Fellows Program provides:
•Mentoring and capacity buildingin HIV prevention research and implementation advocacy from AVAC for both Advocacy Fellows and Host Organisations.
•Connection to a global networkof HIV advocates including current and former Advocacy Fellows, researchers, civil society leaders and other individuals and/or organisations working in similar fields.
•Opportunities for networking and information sharingwith other Advocacy Fellows and abroader community of advocates including activists, scientists, clinical trial staff and other stakeholders working in the HIV movement.
•A small stipend and technical assistancefor the selected Advocacy Fellow for the initial development of a detailed work plan (up to threedays over a maximum of two months). This phase takes place before the official Fellows Programyear begins.
•Financial support and technical assistancefrom AVAC for project implementation over 12 months. Through a grant to the Host organisation, the Fellow will receive full-time salary support, a budget for project execution and access to a discretionary fund for specific travel, infrastructure or and information technology (IT) needs.(Please note that in some very specific circumstances, Fellows can be permitted to commit less than 100 percent to the Fellows Programs. These arrangements must be raised early on in the process.Please see Question 20below)
•Overhead administration funding to the Host Organisation to cover costs associated with hosting a Fellow will also be included in the grant. Overhead costs are those that are incurred by the organisation to administer the grant that cannot be directly attributed to the Fellows Program activity (for example, proportion of rent, phone, some personnel costs such as executive director, accounting and administrative staff time) and calculated as a percentage of the overall grant.
Download the Advocacy Fellows Program Application and Supporting Materials
Application deadline September 20!
- 2020 Advocacy Fellows Program – Application
- Information Packet
- Resources & Recommended Reading for Prospective Applicants
- Frequently Asked Questions from Host Organizations about the Fellows Program
- Host Commitment Form
- 2018 Advocacy Fellows Achievements
- Flyer — Call for 2020 Advocacy Fellows — Please share with your networks and colleagues!
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the AVAC Advocacy Fellows Program 2020