Call for Applications

2021-22 Fellowship Focus

With our societies being built on histories of structural injustice and violence, what does a critical and inclusive path toward social cohesion look like? How can peoples’ and communities’ diverging realities be seen and acknowledged in the process of building equitable societies? How can the forces underpinning today’s polarization be addressed responsibly? What does building trust require and entail in a climate of division and apathy?

The thematic focus of this year’s Landecker Democracy Fellowship is social cohesion, for which we invite applicants to develop compelling project ideas. It is our goal to support young professionals in their quest to build bridges and form unique and lasting ties among those who are increasingly drifting apart. 

Ideal Candidates

We look for young professionals born in or after 1980 with at least five years of professional experience. These individuals are based in the European Union, the United Kingdom and the United States with leadership experience and demonstrated political or civic engagement who fulfill the following criteria:

As they plan, test and implement their projects, the 30 Landecker Fellows cooperate and support each other. To scale their impact, they rely on and activate their existing networks while also recruiting new partners who support the realization of their ideas.

To learn more about our eligibility criteria, please consult our FAQ section. 

Project Proposal

Candidates present a project proposal for an impactful political or civic initiative. We also welcome proposals that aim at founding an organization or network. Proposals can, for example, be based on community organizing, digital campaigning or cultural strategizing. The implementation of the project needs to be accompanied by various activities, both on- and offline. The project involves the public as well as specific stakeholders related to the initiative. Together with new partners and Humanity in Action alumni, the Fellows work closely with each other and Humanity in Action staff. They recruit influencers in their fields to amplify their projects’ voices. Accompanying activities taking place while planning and testing the core project idea may, for example, include:

We invite candidates to submit proposals for high-impact activities that reinvent democratic spaces to build and nourish inclusiveness and social cohesion through the lenses of their own work and civic engagement. Successful project proposals rely on solid networks and are based on cooperation and public outreach. They focus on impact results, have well-defined target groups, clear project beneficiaries, and solid metrics for impact measurement.

Our Program

From November 7, 2021 to November 6, 2022, the Landecker Democracy Fellows implement their project ideas and related activities. We provide guidance, structured programming and supervision.

We offer our Fellows an intense virtual and on-site training program throughout the year including topics such as Ecosystem Mapping & Defining Audiences; Social Media Messaging; Creating Community & Holding Space; Building High-Performance Teams and Empathy.

Support Pillars

Alongside our training program, our Fellowship model rests on four main pillars:

I. Action Academies

Our off- and online Action Academies are designed as collaborative learning spaces for the Fellows. A rich and multi-angled program provides ample opportunity for peer-to-peer feedback and for getting to know each other and each other’s projects in detail. External speakers and trainers but also Humanity in Action and Landecker alumni provide valuable insights into project implementation, team building and leadership skills. 

II. Pods

An integral part of this Fellowship is the support and feedback from other Fellows. Landecker Fellows meet and collaborate regularly in designated pods (small working groups of five to six Fellows). The pods are an opportunity for Fellows to workshop their ideas, strategize on their projects’ implementation, provide honest peer-to-peer feedback, share good practices, and coordinate on their actions. The pods are instrumental in providing space for this collaboration. In the process, Fellows build lasting connections with each other.

III. Project Mentoring

In addition to support from fellow participants, each Fellow has a designated Humanity in Action team member to foster smooth operations and project implementation. Fellows and their staff mentors touch base with each other on a monthly basis. The regular contact ensures Fellows get individualized support. 

IV. Buddy Exchange

A training program is not complete without the one-on-one support of another Fellow. In addition to structured collaboration in pods, the buddy system allows for sustained communication with a peer. This partnership provides additional space to discuss and safeguard the wellbeing of all members, and allows for more personal check-ins between Fellows. 

Our Expectations

The Alfred Landecker Democracy Fellows commit to join all the virtual and in-person training sessions, to actively participate with their designated pod, to design/implement/evaluate their proposed project activities, to engage their existing networks in realizing their projects, and to establish new partnerships along the way. As part of their project activities, the Alfred Landecker Democracy Fellows also commit to publish at least one article or op-ed through Humanity in Action or another media outlet. Overall, we expect our Fellows to produce tangible outcomes that have a publicly visible impact on their own and other communities.

To read about the highlights of our Landecker Fellows’ work in their respective communities, visit the Landecker Democracy News Page.

Would you like to be notified when calls for applications for the Landecker Democracy Fellowship become available? Sign up here.

Questions? Reach out.

Please contact Monika Mazur-Rafał (she/her).