YOUTH TRANSPORT FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME OPPORTUNITY​

UPDATE: The Youth Transport Fellowship Programme call for applications is now closed.

About:

Youth Transport Fellowship Programme 

The 2023 Fellowship programme is currently underway engaging, a community of passionate climate campaigners or activists aged between 18-29. Fellows are  working on or have an idea for a campaign to accelerate the fair transition to zero-emission transport and end the age of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE). The programme will allow them to develop their campaigning skills and provide them with the support to be the future voice on climate campaigns for clean mobility.

UMI Fund and The Clean Mobility Collective’s Youth Transport Fellowship Programme funds, trains and supports youth activists working specifically on transport campaigns in their regions or localities. Projects range from improving urban public and/or active mobility, accelerating the switch to EVs (electric vehicles), pressuring city authorities to redesign our cities as well as other ideas to decarbonize transport.

A core feature of the fellowship programme is to up-skill youth leaders, giving them the tools and experience to be the next generation of campaigners and leaders in this sector. Learning opportunities include how to build successful campaigns, how to utilise digital, best practices in political advocacy and building effective coalitions or networks of campaigners.

The Fellowship Programme

What exactly does the programme involve?

The fellowship is designed to support, train and connect the campaigners of the future. It will includes a monthly financial stipend of $600 for successful fellows, for 12 months, to allow them to focus part of their time on their transport campaign work. The programme will also include a range of learning opportunities to give you the skills to craft and manage world class transport campaigns that have real and lasting impact.

Fellows come together monthly (online) to connect with peers – to share knowledge, ideas, best practice and common experience to further strengthen and enhance local campaigns, and help build a global community of young transport/climate leaders. There will be a face-to-face global gathering of youth leaders in March next year (location TBD) which the programme will also fund.

Time Commitments

Fellows are expected to dedicate around 1-3 days a week on their campaigns, as well as monthly “check-in” calls with other fellows to connect, share knowledge and discuss progress.

We plan to offer 6-8 trainings and workshops over the year, and will also look to pair all fellowship grantees with their own mentor or coach who will schedule regular catch-ups to provide additional support on your leadership journey.

Finally, we are looking to bring all of our youth leaders together for a week-long face to face global gathering meeting in March 2024.

How fellows were selected

The following criteria was used to assess applications:

Campaigning
Fellows have shown that they have already begun to play an active role in climate or civil society campaigning or activism – at a local, regional, national or global level. Ideally fellows are actively part of transport-related campaign efforts and have developed knowledge and strong interest in making a positive contribution to the fair transition of transport systems in a fairer and zero-carbon world.

Leadership
Fellows have shown that they have a proven ability or strong potential to be agents for change – who are successful leading or want to lead their organisations or their communities towards a fairer zero-carbon world. They are people who “get stuff done”, who support others in pursuing collective goals, who are good communicators who can inspire and connect with others, who love to problem-solve and come up with practical plans to make the world a better place.

Vision and ideas
Fellows will have a strong vision for the work they would like to do – the transport problem they would like to solve, or the opportunity for change that they would like to take. They already have strong ideas on what they could do – but are looking for support and space to bring this into reality.

Commitment and values
Fellows have shown that they understand the urgency of action on climate justice and the role of transport systems in the transition to a zero-carbon world. Fellows are committed to working towards social and environmental justice in their lives and value fairness, justice, collaboration and the environment.

Geographical location
Fellows can be based all over the world but we are particularly looking for fellows who are based in and active in Asia and South America.

Financial need
This Fellowship is intended to support individuals working to build campaigns or projects and that have genuine financial need in order to move this work forward. Fellowship places will be prioritised towards individuals who are not already receiving sufficient financial and practical support for their work.

If your application is approved, we will get in touch and talk you through the next steps. Once your project is completed you will need to report on the outputs and outcomes and how the programme has helped you achieve your goals.

The fellowship will run from June 2023 to May 2024