Join the Deep Connections Fellowship for Indigenous Youth Leaders

Thank you to those who have applied! We have closed the application period and will be in contact soon.

Are you an Indigenous leader looking for opportunities to exchange experiences with other young leaders from around the world? Apply to join the Deep Connections Fellowship for Indigenous Youth Leaders and attend the One Young World Summit in Montréal, Canada from September 17-21, 2024. 

Highlighting the role of young Indigenous leaders as drivers of the struggle of their territories and bearers of Indigenous scientific knowledge, the FSC Indigenous Foundation (FSC-IF) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are launching this Fellowship to support youth leadership and strengthen Indigenous communities by facilitating Indigenous youth to attend the One Young World Summit.

The Summit will bring together young leaders from over 190 countries and more than 250 organizations working to accelerate social impact. The selected Indigenous leaders will participate in different spaces for dialogue, workshops, and networking with other youth leaders worldwide. They will also receive advice from influential political, business, and humanitarian leaders. Once the Summit is over, participants will become One Young World Ambassadors and become members of the FSC-IF Youth Community. They will return to their workplaces and communities with the means and motivation to make a difference.  
 
This opportunity is open to Indigenous youth leaders between the ages of 18 and 35 who are part of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations from one of the following regions: Africa, Asia, the Arctic, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Pacific, and Europe.  

Those interested in applying must be part of Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, promoting and developing actions on behalf of their community or People in one or more of the following strategic themes:   

• Conservation of Mother Earth (the environment) and climate change solutions 
• Empowerment and promotion of the active participation of Indigenous youth 
• Use and promotion of Artificial Intelligence and other technologies 
• Health and promotion of scientific ancestral knowledge 
• Peacebuilding 

Likewise, Indigenous youth who wish to apply are encouraged to carry out actions that incorporate one or several of the following cross-cutting themes: 

• Strengthening and revitalization of culture (Indigenous languages, art, and cosmovision). 
• Social inclusion and work with different population groups (women, girls, etc.). 
• Innovation 
• Sustainability 
• Communication or audiovisual media 

How can I apply? 

Proposals may be submitted in different formats, including video (3-5 min), a written document (2 pages maximum), or by filling out a Google Form. Videos and documents can be submitted through the Google Form or sent to Yaily N. Castillo at y.castillo@fscif.org  Applications can be submitted in Spanish, English, Portuguese, and French. 

Applications will respond to the following: 

Tell us about yourself!	Personal information: First name, last name, e-mail, telephone, country of residence, nationality (can be more than one), which Indigenous People/community you belong to, mother tongue, gender, and age.   Your story:  Who are you?  What is your life story?
Please tell us what you do!	What role do you have within your organization or your community/Indigenous People?  What actions do you carry out in one or more of the previously mentioned strategic themes? How do you incorporate some of the previously mentioned cross-cutting themes?  Tell us about one of your greatest and most important achievements and learnings.
Tell us about your motivation!!!!	Why are you interested in participating in this call?  How could your participation in this Summit contribute to the growth and empowerment of your community/people?  What motivates you to be a leader within your Indigenous community?

Required Attachments: One letter of reference from an Indigenous Peoples’ organization endorsing your involvement in actions of your community or people and stating that you belong to an Indigenous People. 

Receipt of applications will close on May 12, 2024, at 12 p.m. Central American time. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted by the FSC-IF team.  

For more information about this application, please contact Yaily N. Castillo at y.castillo@fscif.org