Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative: Overview and Invitation

Program Overview

The mission of the Carrington Youth Fellowship Initiative (CYFI) is to support Nigerian youth in implementing projects that have a positive impact on Nigerian society.

Former Ambassador to Nigeria, Walter Carrington, was a champion of civil liberties, democracy and closer ties between the U.S. and Nigeria. The CYFI program invites applications from young Nigerians who are committed to putting the ideals of Walter Carrington into practice. The theme of the 2012 CYFI program is “Youth Engagement.”  The CYFI Board of Directors will select fellows who demonstrate the exceptional vision, skills, and experience necessary to implement their own Youth Engagement Projects (YEPs).

Benefits

• Implement concrete, youth-oriented solutions to issues that concern you
• Access U.S. Government resources and contacts
• Catch the attention of American and Nigerian leaders in the public and private sectors
• Work alongside talented and motivated peers with diverse backgrounds, but similar visions
• Participate in CYFI Alumni Program

Youth Engagement Projects

• Teams of 3-5 fellows submit project proposals to the CYFI Board
• Projects should be achievable in scope and address a current issue in Nigeria
• CYFI Board supports fellows by working to connect them with resources and contacts
• Fellows work on their own time to implement projects
• End of year recognition ceremony for fellows

Expectations

• Complete Youth Engagement Project as part of 3-5 fellow project team
• Attend monthly project status meetings with CYFI Board of Directors
• Participate in roundtables, networking events, and teambuilding events

Application Process

• Selection Criteria: Skills, Experience & Vision
• Electronic Application Due Date: January 20, 2012
• Interviews: January 23 – January 31, 2012

CYFI Application

Please submit applications online here:

Name:

Date of Birth:

Address:Phone:

E-mail:

Field of work/education and place of work/education:

Please describe your past participation in a group, organization or project. What was your contribution? (250 words or less):Please provide a project overview that you would be interested in proposing to team members for the CYFI Youth Engagement project. The project can focus on Healthcare, Education, Governance, or another area of interest. Inspiring and enabling other youth to take action is an important component of the project. Include details such as purpose, expected results, possible challenges, target audience and outside resources that you would use. For outside resources, please focus on business and non-governmental organization sources that can provide in-kind support. Please keep in mind that we are using this question to help us better understand your interests and vision. Each project team, made up of multiple fellows, will decide on one project. It is therefore possible that only elements of the project you propose will make it to the implementation stage (500 words or less)