Application Deadline: 18th April, 2025.
Applications are now open for the 2025 UNFPA Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship Programme. The YoLe Fellowship is a one-year programme that aims to empower young, innovative change-makers who have recently graduated from tertiary institutions in Ghana and positively impacting their communities. The programme provides training and mentorship on Leadership, Sustainable Development, Peace, Human Rights, and contemporary and emerging issues. Since its inception in 2018, the YoLe Fellowship Programme has trained and mentored several young people in six cohorts, addressing gaps in youth leadership and development while contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Eligibility Requirements
Through an online call for applications, the Programme targets graduates aged 18 –30 years from tertiary institutions in Ghana. Youth leaders, persons living with disability, young women, vulnerable and marginalised young people are encouraged to apply so that ‘no young person is left behind’. The Fellows are selected via a rigorous selection process. The applicant must be:
- Aged between 18 – 30 years
- A graduate of a tertiary institution.
- Able to commit to the Fellowship duration fully (one year), on-site at the UNFPA Ghana Country Office, Accra.
- Fellows withdrawal before Nine months in the Fellowship will not be awarded the Fellowship Certificate.
- Proactive and possesses strong interpersonal skills
- Proficient in English (working knowledge of English) — important for general communication purposes. All application materials must be submitted in English).
- Passionate about Leadership, Sustainable Development, Peace and Human Rights to drive change in all sectors including Social Entrepreneurship which includes agribusiness, innovation, and artificial intelligence (AI) and demonstrate a desire to make a difference in their community
- Demonstrate interest and dedication to development issues and passionate about contributing towards Ghana’s aspirations on Agenda 2030
- Demonstrate affiliation with youth organization/network, volunteer or work experience, in areas of UN and UNFPA’s mandate.
Benefits
SPACE TO INCUBATE
To help advance the objectives of the Fellowship, an ultra-modern collaborative space, The Orange Loft, was built and tailored to suit the needs of the Fellows providing them the space for online and in-person training sessions, providing Fellows a creative space to innovate, an online station to discuss issues as well as a recreation space to facilitate team bonding through play.
MENTORSHIP
The Fellowship has in place a mentorship component that is designed to facilitate professional knowledge transfer and exposure for the Fellows. Fellows are attached to high level professionals to build their capacities and provide guidance on their career paths.
POLICY AND STRATEGY ALIGNMENT
The programme is designed in line with UNFPA’s mandate to ensure that ‘every young person’s potential is fulfilled’, and the United Nations’ Youth Strategy (2030) to ‘increase impact and expand global, regional and country-level action to address the needs, build the agency, and advance the rights of young people in all their diversity’.
TRAINING/CAPACITY BUILDING
Fellows undertake professionally coordinated training sessions covering areas such as Research, Reporting, Proposal Development and Concept Note Writing, social media and Networking, Business Model Canvas Development, Data Visualization and Presentation, Human-Centred Design and Tech Innovations in the COVID-19 era, Public Speaking, Conferencing and Logistics Planning, Gender Equity in Innovation. Soft Skills training such as Data-Driven Decision Making, Emotional-intelligence, Web and app development, Innovation, Business Modeling, and Digital productivity tools. The Fellowship provides participants with training on the future of work and entrepreneurship, and employability skills.
DEPLOYMENT TO UNITS AND INTERNSHIP
Fellows are assigned to units within the Country Office to gain hands-on experience with the work of UNFPA. In addition, Fellows undertake a mandatory one-month internship with other UN agencies, CSOs/NGOs, public and private institutions.
Program Duration
- The duration of the programme is one year and starts from October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026.
Apply Now for the UNFPA Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship Programme
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the UNFPA Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship Programme
