Deadline: 15 May 2018
Open to: young professionals (up to 35 years old)
Benefits: free of charge and includes food, accommodation and flight tickets

Description

The Swedish Institute (SI) is pleased to welcome applications to SAYP WB from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Sweden.

SAYP is a leadership and training programme developed to build awareness, capacity, and resilience in the practice of governance in countries of Western Balkans. The programme attempts to strengthen young professionals and their individual capabilities to participate in the process of developing a more sustainable governance structure.

The module is focused on:

• Network-building;
• Experience-sharing;
• Development of new knowledge;

Afterward, SAYP participants are welcome to join in follow-ups and thematic workshops as fellows of the Swedish Institute Alumni Network – a vast professional and global contact network meant to keep building good practices and mutual learning processes for a sustainable future. SAYP alumni also enjoy the possibility to apply for micro-grants to build their own activities and use peer shadowing mobility for tailor-made expert visits abroad.

Eligibility

The programme targets young professionals (up to 35 years old) already employed either in the state structures (state, regions, municipalities) or in political organizations, parties or movements. Also, civil society workers and employees of public companies may apply. In SAYP 2018 applicants from the following categories have priority:

• Policymakers (politicians, government officials, employees of political parties);
• Public servants (non-political civil servants working at government agencies);
• Civil society workers (CSO/NGO volunteers/employees);

* Young professionals who do not belong to any of the categories above, e.g. employed in the private sector, or working as independent consultants/freelancers, may also apply but will not be prioritized in the selection.

Benefits

Participation in SAYP starts with a thematic module (usually some 30 participants, and about two weeks in duration), which is free of charge and includes food, accommodation and flight tickets.

How to Apply?

Applications are uploaded and submitted in application portal. Only applicants who have submitted a complete application will be considered for the programme. These are the steps in the application process:

1. Download and fill out the mandatory documents;
2. Go to the application portal:
3. Register as a new user. Upload the documents and submit;

Your application must contain the following documents:

1. Motivation letter according to the SI template.
   Motivation letters in any other templates or formats are NOT valid. Make sure to read the questions in the Motivation Letter thoroughly and be specific and personal in your reasoning. Without exception, answers may not exceed the allowed number of characters (letters and spaces) for each question;
2. Curriculum Vitae (CV) in the Europass format of maximum 3 pages.
   A CV submitted in any other format than the Europass is NOT valid. Additional pages will be disregarded;
3. Letter of Reference.
   It is recommended to use the SI template.
   Remember that a letter of reference that is not signed is NOT valid;
4. English language certificate.
   If you do not have an English language certificate, prepare the SI template to be submitted with your application. An English language teacher or other professional, who can evaluate your English language proficiency, may sign the template to validate your English language level. If you have completed a master’s- or Ph.D. degree in English, you may use the diploma as a certificate. To participate in SAYP 2018 we will require at least English 6 or Independent User B2 (in average) according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages;

Successful candidates will be notified in late May – early June.

For more information please visit the official website.