Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship Programme 2025

If you're a young, innovative change-maker passionate about leadership and community impact, applications are now open for the Youth Leaders (YoLe) Fellowship Programme. This one-year initiative by UNFPA Ghana is designed to empower young individuals through comprehensive training, mentorship, and hands-on experience in various sectors. Details in this article.

YoLe Fellowship programme Summary

Location: Accra, Ghana
Host Institution: United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ghana
Fellowship Type: Professional Development (non-academic)
Target Group: Young graduates from Ghanaian tertiary institutions
Fields of Focus: Leadership, Innovation, Policy Development, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Advocacy
Value & Coverage: Comprehensive training, mentorship, and professional development opportunities
Duration: One year
Application Deadline: April 24, 2025, 11:59 p.m.
Start Date: October 2025
Eligible to: Ghanaian graduates aged 18-30 years

YoLe Fellowship Overview

Launched in 2018, the YoLe Fellowship Programme aligns with UNFPA’s mandate to ensure every young person's potential is fulfilled. It also supports the United Nations Youth Strategy (2030) to address the needs, build the agency, and advance the rights of young people in all their diversity. The fellowship aims to develop the capacities of young individuals to become impactful leaders in their communities and beyond.

Programme Components

1. Space to Incubate: Fellows have access to "The Orange Loft," an ultra-modern collaborative space tailored to support online and in-person training sessions, fostering creativity and innovation.

2. Mentorship: Participants are paired with high-level professionals, including ambassadors, UN agency heads, and leaders from public and private institutions, facilitating professional knowledge transfer and career guidance.

3. Training/Capacity Building: The programme offers professionally coordinated training sessions covering areas such as research, reporting, proposal development, social media networking, business model development, data visualization, public speaking, and gender equity in innovation.

4. Policy and Strategy Alignment: The fellowship aligns with UNFPA’s mandate and the United Nations Youth Strategy (2030), as well as Ghana's National Youth Policy, focusing on areas like ICT training, gender mainstreaming, and reproductive health and rights.

5. Deployment to Units and Internship: Fellows are assigned to units within the UNFPA Country Office to gain hands-on experience and undertake a mandatory one-month internship with other UN agencies, CSOs/NGOs, or public and private institutions.

Core Subjects and Objectives

Leadership Types & Styles: Understanding various leadership paradigms and their applications.
Governance & Accountability: Exploring corporate, public, NGO/CSO, and local governance structures.
Public Policy Formulation & Analysis: Developing skills to analyze and formulate effective public policies.
Organizational Culture & Leadership: Examining the impact of organizational culture on leadership effectiveness.
Leadership Ethics, Values, Principles, and Practices: Instilling ethical leadership values and principles.

Fellowship Benefits

Comprehensive Training: Access to a wide range of training sessions aimed at enhancing professional and personal development.
Mentorship Opportunities: Guidance from experienced professionals to navigate career paths effectively.
Professional Exposure: Hands-on experience within UNFPA and partner organizations, providing insights into international development work.
Networking: Opportunities to connect with like-minded peers, professionals, and leaders across various sectors.

Eligibility Criteria

Aged between 18 - 30 years.
Graduate of a tertiary institution in Ghana.
Able to commit fully to the one-year fellowship duration on-site at the UNFPA Ghana Country Office in Accra.
Proactive with strong interpersonal skills.
Proficient in English.
Passionate about leadership, sustainable development, peace, human rights, and social entrepreneurship.
Demonstrated interest in development issues and contributing towards Ghana's aspirations on Agenda 2030.
Affiliation with youth organizations/networks or relevant volunteer/work experience.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should follow these steps to apply for the YoLe Fellowship:

Online Application: Complete the application form available on the UNFPA Ghana website.
Document Submission: Submit necessary documents, including a CV, academic certificates, and a personal statement outlining motivations and aspirations.
Selection Process: Shortlisted candidates will undergo a rigorous selection process, including interviews and assessments.
Notification: Successful applicants will be notified and provided with further instructions.