Application is now open for the 2020-2021 Leadership Development Fellowship (LDF), formerly known as the Leaders for Democracy Fellowship (LDF) Program. The Leadership Development Fellowship supported by the U.S. Department of State’s U.S. – Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and implemented by World Learning aims to engage emerging leaders across sectors in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in identifying innovative ways to address social and economic challenges in their local communities.
Starting in 2020, the Leadership Development Fellowship will take place over 12 months and include 5 stages.
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This fellowship advances participants’ civic engagement and social entrepreneurship by providing advanced technical skills, financial and professional resources, and regional support networks. Emerging leaders with an established track record in civic engagement and social entrepreneurship are encouraged to apply for this application-based fellowship.
Fellowship Cycle
This is an intensive civic engagement and social entrepreneurship fellowship and selected candidates are expected to fully participate in each stage of the fellowship. Starting in 2020, the LDF Fellowship will take place over 12 months and include 5 stages:
- Stage One: Fellowship begins with two weeks of in-person workshops and training with World Learning and Duke University focused on: studying the systems that contribute to societal challenges; building effective partnerships for social change, and developing inclusive and equitable interventions.
- Stage Two: Fellows refine interventions and complete exercises that provide local focus on systems analysis, inclusive interventions, building partnerships, and other acquired tools and knowledge from Stage One.
- Stage Three: Fellows spend three weeks in the United States as part of the English Track (for high-proficiency English speakers), or in Lebanon as part of the Arabic Track (for high-proficiency Arabic speakers), to gain academic and local insights into civic engagement and social entrepreneurship and to report and reflect on the findings of their Stage Two activities.
- Stage Four: Over six months, Fellows apply the lessons of the LDF Fellowship and report on results to strengthen their ongoing civic and social entrepreneurial activities. During this stage, Fellows may apply for small grants or technical assistance.
- Stage Five: In the twelfth month, the Fellows reconvene for three days to learn and share the impact of their LDF experience.
The 2020-2021 LDF Fellowship is approximately twelve months in total starting June 2020 through May 2021.
Benefits
- This fellowship advances participants’ civic engagement and social entrepreneurship by providing advanced technical skills, financial and professional resources, and regional support networks.
- The LDF Fellowship will cover the cost of international travel, lodging, and health insurance, and provide a modest living stipend to cover meals and incidentals during the in-person engagements.
Eligibilities
Applicants for both tracks must meet the following eligibility criteria:
- Age: Applicants must be between 28 and 35 years of age.
- Professional Experience: Applicants must have at least five years of professional work experience in a relevant field.
- Civic Engagement and/or Social Entrepreneurship Experience: Applicants must have a minimum of five years of civic engagement and/or social entrepreneurship experience.
- Academic Background: Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree.
- Arabic Fluency: Applicants in both tracks must be able to function comfortably in Arabic-speaking academic and professional environments.
- Full Participation: Applicants must be willing and able to participate fully in all five stages of the LDF Fellowship. Fellows will travel out of the MENA region for two weeks at the beginning of the fellowship, for three weeks to either the U.S. or Lebanon during Stage Three and again for three days at the end of the fellowship.
- Application: Applicants must have the capacity and ability to immediately apply the knowledge and skills gained throughout the LDF Fellowship
- For the English Track, which includes a visit to the U.S. as part of Stage Three, applicants must:
- Eligible Countries: Be from Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Israel.
- English Fluency: Be able to function comfortably in English-speaking academic and professional environments. All U.S.-based activities are conducted in English.
- For the Arabic Track, which includes a visit to Lebanon as part of Stage Three, applicants must:
- Eligible Countries: Be from Syria, Yemen, Algeria, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Application Process
Apply online through the given link.
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Application Deadline: February 17, 2020
Application ClosedOfficial link
