Launched in 2018 by the School of International Futures (SOIF), the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP) is a network of almost 600 people from all over the world who are using futures and foresight to create positive impact and systemic transformation globally.
Their members come from various geographies, areas of expertise, and walks of life – from working with food systems in India to developing new technologies in Kenya to reshaping the future of elections in the US to redesigning interspecies-friendly cities in Germany. What they all have in common are exceptional projects and ideas with the potential to shape the future of communities, countries, and sectors.
Through SOIF’s expertise of doing foresight with impact, its connections with the broader futures and foresight field, and the support of the NGFP team, they offer their members a nurturing environment and enabling conditions for their projects and ideas to flourish and expand their positive impact in the world.
Their ultimate objective is to democratize the futures and foresight field, so they have diverse voices from younger generations participating equally in the co-creation of better, fairer, and more equitable futures for all. They foresee transformed and more inclusive futures envisioned and shaped by diverse voices. Their mission is to identify, accelerate, amplify, and connect a Global South-anchored network of emerging next-generation foresight practitioners to leverage power for transformation.
Their Guiding Principles:
- They recognize the youth’s powerful role in guiding and forming future development strategies.
- They are driven by non-extractive and mutually supportive engagement.
- They believe compensation for collaboration should always be made, and based on specific needs.
- They value clear communication with our members and openness around their expectations and needs.
Their Objectives:
- They will ensure changemakers and community leaders have access to and use contextually appropriate and locally informed futures tools to drive transformation.
- They strive for a world with more foresight and future tools and frameworks emerging from the Global South and being widely used.
- They aim to achieve fair funding and compensation for foresight practices at all levels.
- They want the next generation of changemakers to challenge and inform policy and funding decisions.
- They aspire for diverse organizations to look to NGFP for the latest thinking and cutting-edge collaborators.
- They want the next generation of leaders to find solidarity, support, and connections as they take risks to challenge the status quo.
Location:
United KingdomBenefits
- Foresight capacity building
- Mentorship
- Funding
- Safe spaces for collaboration with peers
- Participation in relevant events around the world
- Visibility in the media, and
- Meaningful connections with decision-makers at the highest levels.
- At the beginning of the journey, each fellow receives a USD 1,000 prize to develop and accelerate their project.
- If a fellow’s application is considered outstanding by our judges (identifiable by the badge “judges choice”), the grant is doubled.
- By the end of their one-year journey, all fellows have the chance to run for the Fellowship Main Prize, which consists of a more substantial grant (at least USD 10,000) and acknowledges those who made the most of their journey.
Eligibilities
- Anyone between 18 and 35 years old, as well as those who are older, but have less than 5 years of experience using foresight.
- They are particularly enthusiastic about applications from those living in the Global South, and those working on the world’s most complex issues, or Global Challenges, as they like to call them.
- Eligibility for the Fellowship will be determined at the discretion of SOIF based on the submitted information, judges scoring, and any additional information gathered from any interviews or references.
Every year, they make sure they have at least two fellows under 25 years old. In 2023, they will reserve one spot within their cohort for a fellow from the Balkans. This is their way to honor the memory of a great SOIF colleague, Sophie Middlemiss, who passed away in 2021 and was passionate about the region.
Eligible Regions: Open for AllApplication Process
- To apply to join the Fellowship you’ll need to complete an online form which includes sharing a short 2-4 minute video and answering 7 questions about you, your experience, and your foresight project idea.
- Their community of judges will then review applications and make decisions around this year’s cohort which will be announced in Autumn 2023.
Application Deadline: June 2, 2023
Application ClosedOfficial link
