Regional Leadership Centers

Application Deadline:February 26th 2016, 23:59 SAST.

Application for April 2016 Cohort is now open until the 26th Feb 2016

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) was launched by President of the United States Barack Obama as a signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. The need to invest in grooming strong, results-oriented leaders comes out of the statistics: nearly 1 in 3 Africans are between the ages of 10 and 24, and approximately 60% of Africa’s total population is below the age of 35.

Initially, there will be four Regional Leadership Centers (Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and Southern Africa). These Centers will serve as regional hubs across the continent to encourage transformational learning and enhancing leadership skills. The YALI Regional Leadership Centers are a project of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in close partnership with The MasterCard Foundation. Each Regional Leadership Center is managed under a public/private partnership.

Eligibility Requirements:

The program is open to young African leaders aged 18 – 35 years old depending on their level of experience and track record in their chosen sector.

Participants must meet the following criteria:

• Age (18-35)
• English language proficiency
• Portuguese speaking participants will be accommodated in the Mozambique Hub at UEM
• A commitment to positively impact Africa, their own countries as well as communities
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities and interest in Public Management, Entrepreneurship Development and Civic Leadership
• Commitment to serve the development agenda of the African continent

Young leaders from the following countries are eligible to participate in the programme:
Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Lesotho, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Benefits:

Tracks:

Business and Entrepreneurship Development

The objective of the course is for participants to gain the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to apply the principles, tools and systems of innovation and entrepreneurship in pursuing their career and business goals

Civic Leadership

The civic leadership course will expose participants to the practical knowledge of the administrative, financial, and organizational aspects of non-profit organizations and civil society projects.

Public Management and Governance

The objective of this course is to prepare the next generation of Southern Africa’s public service professionals with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully address problems of democratic governance in public administration at the local, provincial, and national levels.

Selection Criteria:

Selection for participation in the YALI RLC SA will be conducted by a selection panel which will use the following criteria to evaluate applications:

Requirements:

• A proven record of leadership in public service, business and entrepreneurship, or civic engagement. They can be new entrants in public and private service institutions looking to develop their leadership abilities.
• Proven record of knowledge, interest, and professional experience in the sector/track selected.
• Proven record of active engagement in public or community service, volunteerism, or mentorship.
• Selected participants applying for the contact session must be willing to travel to the RLC SA in Midrand, Johannesburg or Maputo for the duration of the program.
• A commitment to apply leadership skills and training to benefit your country and/or community after the program.

Skills:

• Good interpersonal and communications skills
• Knowledge of youth leadership and development issues
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Demonstrate the ability to work in a small or large team setting
• Proven computer skills
• Cultural sensitivity
• Positive attitude
• Dedication, responsibility and reliability

Over and above, the intended beneficiaries of the program include the following:

• Rural based and economically disadvantaged communities
• Young leaders living with disabilities
• Young leaders in lusophone countries
• Women
• People who are HIV positive or who are living with AIDS
• Organisations that represent and advocate for the rights of LGBTI communities across the region

Apply Now for the 2016 YALI Regional Leadership Center Fellowship Program Southern Africa

• For Enquiries:  Email: [email protected]

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the 2016 YALI Regional Leadership Center Fellowship Program Southern Africa