Application Deadline:20 October 2022
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is accepting applications for the sixth generation of the IOC Young Leaders programme, supported by Worldwide Olympic Partner Panasonic. The programme aims to support young people in the development and implementation of social projects that use sport to solve issues in their communities.
The IOC Young Leaders Programme is part of the IOC’s long-term commitment to support young people and empower them to become social change-makers through sport, while reinforcing sport’s role as an enabler for the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The programme is designed to best equip the selected young leaders to solve local problems through grassroots sports initiatives and sustainable business models.
The IOC Young Leaders programme
Launched in 2016, the IOC Young Leaders programme empowers young people to leverage the power of sport to make a positive difference in their communities. Each project promotes the Olympic values and principles such as respect, tolerance, peace and gender equality, while also addressing a specific local problem.
Requirements
The IOC Young Leader profile:
- 20-28 years old
- Proficiency in English
- Passion for sport as a tool for social and economic change
- Interest in community action
- Knowledge of the UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Strong communicator and team player willing to learn and grow
- Comfortable in managing social media, and new technologies and platforms
This programme is for you if you want to:
- Turn ideation and research into real action and development of solutions
- Become a more effective and stronger leader in sport and social business (or a sport and social business entrepreneur)
- Drive local transformative change in and through sport
- Represent and embody the Olympic values in action
- Commit to a four-year entrepreneurial journey
- Be both a mentee and a mentor through a comprehensive mentorship programme
- Collaborate with fellow young leaders, experts, researchers, sports leaders and social business
The 4-Week Learning Sprint
The 4-Week Learning Sprint, which will take place during November 2022, is a virtual learning programme, open to anyone, comprising four virtual sessions dedicated to different topics (includes content about the Olympic Movement, Olympism 365, Olympic partnerships, the IOC Young Leaders Programme, sport-based social business, the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how to achieve them through sport, etc.).
The sessions can be attended live or watched back after they are made available on the IOC’s YouTube channel. Each week, participants will be asked to complete a topic-specific reflection task –linked to each session – which should not take more than one hour to complete.
• Participants will also be encouraged to complete weekly social media tasks in line with the programme’s themes and to share their Learning Sprint journeys.
• Completion of the 4-Week Learning Sprint is the first pre-requisite for a candidate to be eligible to apply for the IOC Young Leaders Programme. The application process for the programme will open on 1 December 2022. Without completing the Learning Sprint (including all tasks), participants will not be eligible to apply for the IOC Young Leaders Programme.
• The 4-Week Learning Sprint is open to anyone, with the target audience aged between 20 and 28 years old.
• Provided all sessions have been followed and the weekly tasks have been completed and submitted in a timely manner (exact deadlines to be announced closer to the time), participants will be able to obtain a Certificate of Participation on behalf of the IOC Young Leaders Programme
Benefits
- 25 IOC Young Leaders will be selected to benefit from a comprehensive four-year programme, providing them with funding, network support, tools and expertise to become successful social entrepreneurs and make a positive impact through sport.
- This includes a mandatory online four-week learning sprint, a blended learning approach with monthly activities and in-person events, weekly learning modules and leadership opportunities, but also a total of CHF 10,000 in seed-funding given to each participant over the four years.
Selection Criteria
The process for selecting the IOC Young Leaders for 2023-2026 consists of two stages: the 4-Week Learning Sprint and the IOC Young Leaders Programme Application Process.
STAGE 1
Completion of the 4-Week Learning Sprint is the first prerequisite for a candidate to be eligible to apply for the IOC Young Leaders Programme.
Registration for the 4-Week Learning sprint opens on 15 September and closes on 20 October 2022.
The four sessions of the 4-Week Learning Sprint will take place in November: every Tuesday starting on 8 November.
More details will be communicated to those who register.
STAGE 2
After successfully completing the 4-Week Learning Sprint (Certificate of Participation earned), a candidate becomes eligible to apply for the IOC Young Leaders Programme.
The application process opens on 1 December and closes on 31 December 2022.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the IOC Young Leaders Programme