Dalai Lama Fellows Program for Emerging Social Innovators 2022

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Deadline: 1 February 2022
Open to: international applicants 20-36 years old
Benefits: Attendance at the Contemplative Leadership Assembly in late July 2022 (DLF will cover all costs for travel, lodging, and meals for the Assembly)

Description

Applications for the Dalai Lama Fellows Program 2022 are now open. The Dalai Lama Fellows program offers emerging social innovators a rigorous, interdisciplinary, and deeply contemplative program to reimagine leadership as involving self-awareness, personal sustainability, genuine compassion for others, and the capacity to skillfully navigate complex systems at multiple levels.

Fellows learn practices for cultivating emotional intelligence, self-care, resilience, empathy, deep listening, and communication skills in order to foster systems for human and planetary flourishing for generations to come. Over the course of a year, with the support of mentors and coaches, each Fellow implements an original field project addressing a local challenge and learns how to interweave their own transformation with the transformation of the communities with which they are engaging. Upon graduation, Fellows join a community of LifeLong Fellows, with whom they connect in mutually supportive ways while continuing to advance their leadership journeys.

Eligibility

  • Applicant should be 20-36 years old as of February 1, 2022 (they added a year of eligibility because they did not select Fellows in 2021; please do not inquire about exceptions to the age range, as this is a firm requirement);
  • Be fluent in written and spoken English;
  • Current engagement with or well-articulated plans for a social change project and sustained engagement with the project throughout the fellowship year;
  • Have an-depth knowledge of the community and the issue that the project is seeking to address, preferably with at least one year of previous experience working with the community;
  • Interest in learning and engaging in contemplative practices throughout the year;
  • Commitment to participating in all dimensions of the program (online learning platform, 1-on-1 coaching calls, group learning calls, etc.)
    • They estimate full participation in the fellowship requires about 12 hours per month, not including Fellows’ work on their projects.
  • Attendance at the Contemplative Leadership Assembly in late July 2022 (DLF will cover all costs for travel, lodging, and meals for the Assembly).

Tips for Successful Application

  • Be Authentic: As you reflect on and respond to application questions, they encourage you to avoid telling them just what you think they want to hear. Be authentic with yourself and share that authenticity with their team.
  • Be Courageous: This application is an opportunity to reflect on how you can grow as a leader. Be courageously bold, imagine the kind of leader you can become, and tell the organizers about it.
  • Be Thoughtful: Take time to respond to each question. Save drafts. Share reflections with trusted friends and colleagues. The most successful applications are not only well written but demonstrate thoughtfulness and introspection.
  • Save an Offline Copy: They recommend that you first review the entire application form and then spend time offline composing your responses in Google Docs or Microsoft Word. Be sure to save an offline copy in case of a technological error or broken connection.

How to apply?

The application for Dalai Lama Fellows consists of five main parts:

  • Applicant background and overview
  • Short essay questions
  • Video submission
  • Resume/CV
  • Letter of recommendation

For more information, please visit the official website.