What is it
MCW Global’s Young Leaders Conference is an expansion of the Young Leaders Program focused on leveraging leadership to solve region-specific issues through regional networking. Through carefully selected speakers and training materials, the Young Leaders Conference semi-annually creates region-specific discourse worldwide over the course of 3 days and is tailored for community development practitioners aged 25-35.
The primary goal of the conference in Zambia is to empower young people in East and Southern Africa with leadership skills to engage in discussions that affect their specific regions and provide the necessary tools and means to identify and understand issues of integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The Young Leaders Conference from April 24th to 26th, 2023 will welcome young people from Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The conference will cater to young people between the ages of 25-35 who are motivated to expand their leadership knowledge and engage in important discussions that advance their region’s well-being with a focus on leadership and ICT integration. The conference is designed to encourage them to establish regional networks for future exchange.
Objectives
- Reach more young people in East and Southern Africa and equip them with leadership skills to help them establish regional networks for future exchange;
- Increase knowledge in identifying and understanding challenges of ICT integration in the education sector of the East and Southern Africa region for the participating youth;
- Give the participants the opportunity to be able to carry out community outreach and mobilization for ICT with appropriate stakeholders locally and regionally;
- Provide mentorship and financial support to develop community projects.
What We Offer
The Young Leaders Conference
April 24th – April 26th, 2023 (Mandatory)
The conference will include numerous sessions over a span of three days in redefining leadership, personal leadership building, engaging with communities, and developing soft skills of leadership to help them establish regional networks for future exchange.
The conference will also focus on creating a safe environment where participants engage in discussions about the challenges faced in the East and Southern Africa region in terms of ICT integration and gain leadership skills to address issues in their communities. Several speakers from academia, civil society,
public institutions, and private sectors are invited to explore those region-specific issues from their work lens. This will provide participants with a broader perspective of the problem and an in-depth analysis of the current situation.
Vision Planning
May 20th – June 20th, 2023 (Optional)
As participants understand their position to lead social change they are invited to join webinar sessions to identify and understand their community issue.
Participants will also go through the basic project plan and activity design through three webinars that will be spread out in the month following the conference.
These three webinars, however, will be optional. Interested participants can opt for these sessions if they wish to.
Financial Support and Mentorship
September 2023 – November 2023 (Optional)
Participants with actionable project plans will be invited to apply for financial support (up to $300) to help them in implementation. This is also an optional feature of the conference. Interested participants can apply for financial support post-conference which will be subject to review and approval by MCW Global and MC-Zambia.
Participants who receive funding will also be assigned a mentor from the Young Leaders Program Alumni Community to support their project execution and reporting which should be finalized and reported within two months after the distribution of the fund.
Am I Eligible?
Young Leaders Must:
- Be based in Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, or Zimbabwe;
- Be an Information Communication and Technology professional or have a diploma or degree in computer science and information communication technology or be able to demonstrate practical experience in ICT (app/ web development);
- Be dedicated to commit to community solutions for ICT;
- Be motivated to develop leadership skills;
- Be motivated to engage in discussion around leadership, networking, and challenges facing the ICT community in the East and Southern Africa Region;
- Be motivated to establish regional networks for future exchange;
- Be between the ages of 25-35;
- Speak English;
- Commit to attending the three-day conference;
- Have access to email and internet to allow for consistent communication with the MCW Global and MC-Zambia Teams;
- Submit a completed application on or before February 17th, 2023 at 11:59 PM EST.
Stay on Track
- January 17th, 2023: Young Leaders Conference application opens;
- February 17th, 2023: Young Leaders Conference application closes;
- February 28th, 2023: Acceptances sent out;
- March 7th 2023: Confirmation of acceptance
- April 24th – April 26th, 2023: Young Leaders Conference in Lusaka, Zambia;
- May 20th, 2023 – June 20th, 2023: Three webinars (optional);
- July 30th, 2023: Deadline for project submissions (optional);
- August 20th, 2023: Final decisions sent out and mentors assigned;
- September 1st- October 31st, 2023: Project implementation;
- November 30th, 2023: Submission of final report.
Ace Your Application!
- The application must be filled out in English.
- Any part of the application that is not written in English will not be read and be considered incomplete.
- The application includes:
- General Information
- Essay Questions
- What does leadership mean to you? Describe the leadership qualities you believe a good leader should possess?
- Please describe any experience in local community engagement or grassroots work.
What do you believe are the challenges facing your community regarding the integration of ICT?
- What do you understand by the term resource mobilization? Do you have any experience in this regard? Please elaborate
Do you have any experience in project management? What are some of the project management skills you wish to gain?
- Resume
- Your resume should not be more than 1 page. We suggest that it be prepared in Times New Roman, 12 font, with 1-inch margins.
- Liability Waiver
- At the end of the application, please review the terms and conditions.
- Application Form
- Click below to submit the application by Friday, February 17th, 2023.
Here’s How it Works
Please carefully read the following logistics information:
- In an effort to make the program accessible to all participants, the Young Leaders Conference is fully-funded (free of charge).
- MCW Global and MC-Zambia will also cover the costs of program tools, e-modules, speakers, and additional program expenses during the conference and the remaining part of the program.
- MCW Global and MC-Zambia will cover all costs of transportation to and from the conference using routes that are economically the most efficient ones. This could mean a flight or travel by road via public transport depending on your route.
- Your lodging costs will also be covered fully by MCW Global and MC-Zambia. However, you might be required to share a room with a fellow conference participant.
- The conference will take place in Lusaka, Zambia.
**If you have any questions or need further clarifications, please feel free to contact us at apply@mcwglobal.org.**
Good luck with your application!
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