John Smith Fellowship on Good Governance, UK

Deadline: 31 December 2012
Open to: applicants aged 25-40 from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.
Fellowship: three-week intensive program from 7-27 June 2013 in Edinburgh and London.

Description

The aim of the John Smith Fellowship Programme is not to be a short-term scholarship, but a life-changing experience which brings new perspectives, long-term friendships, and a lifetime commitment to good governance. The John Smith Fellowship Programme strengthens and deepens democratic awareness. The Programme targets outstanding young leaders working in politics, local government or civil society with an established interest in promoting democratic reform.

The John Smith Fellowship Programme is an intensive three-week programme covering good governance, social justice and Rule of Law from 7 to 27 June 2013.

The Programme is made up as follows:

• An Academic Programme on the political process in a mature democracy: A series of discussions and meetings with senior academics and practitioners combined with visits to illustrate how public policy is made and developed.
• Planning and preparation of “individual action plans” – setting out how insights gained in the UK can be turned into concrete developments applied at home.
• Individual attachments to suitable organisations – for example, “shadowing” a politician, a placement in central government or an NGO, local administration or the media.
• A final day where Fellows present their action plan projects to representatives of the John Smith Memorial Trust and Trust sponsors and friends.

In the following year, a Follow-Up Conference is planned to bring all Fellows together to report on their activities and compare progress.

The Programme is designed to show how the political system in the United Kingdom has become a successful tool for securing good governance, for making the Rule of Law effective, for advancing the citizens’ human and legal rights, for empowering disadvantaged groups and for giving a voice to those who currently lack political influence. They do not suggest that it is perfect; merely that it works well in our country.

The Fellows are invited to consider how the institutions and practices that they study in the United Kingdom might be adapted for use in their own communities where the traditions and the problems are different.

Eligibility

Applications for Fellowships are invited from the following countries only: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine.

Selection is based on a combination of the leadership potential of the applicant and the quality of the action plan they propose. Action plans are pieces of work or policy problems which the Fellows want to explore while in the UK.

The “ideal” candidate will be aged 25-40, working in politics, local administration, business, the media, the arts or civil society.

Please note that good written and spoken English is essential. A minimum level of IELTS of 6.0 is normally needed for successful candidates. Candidates may be required to take an IELTS test at the final stage of the selection process. Not all finalists are required to sit a test. However, the interview panel reserves the right to require a test at their discretion. The costs of testing must be met by the candidate.

Application

Applications must comprise of:

1. Application Form AVAILABLE HERE completed in English
2. Accompanied by an up to date CV
3. Accompanied by a colour digital passport sized photo

These three items should be emailed to applications@johnsmithtrust.org (at the John Smith Memorial Trust in London) no later than 17.00 GMT 31st December 2012. All applicants should include their full name (first name followed by surname) followed by country in the subject heading of the email.

It is recommended that all applicants read the following document before submitting their application: Guidelines for Applicants (PDF) AVAILABLE HERE. Short listed candidates will be contacted in January 2013.

Find the original call for applications HERE. Read more about last year’s fellows HERE.