The MCW Global’s Young Leaders Fellowship 2027 for young changemakers worldwide | Fully Funded

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The MCW Global’s Young Leaders Fellowship 2027 for young changemakers worldwide

Applications are now open for the 2027 MCW Global’s Young Leaders Fellowship. The Young Leaders Fellowship Program is a one-of-a-kind leadership opportunity open to all young people between 18 – 26 from all over the world who wish to address community projects in the areas of education, health, and economic security. The year-long Fellowship prepares young people to become leaders of change in their communities through leadership development, global citizenship, self-awareness, and vision planning.

The Fellowship Program aims to mobilize young people with the skills and resources needed to create and implement vision plans in the areas of education, health, and economic security.

MCW Global’s Young Leaders Fellowship begins with the Community Needs Assessment – A one-month community needs mapping that prepares young people, between the ages of 18-26, from around the world to understand their local communities better. After the community needs assessment, Young Leaders participate in a 10-day intensive in-person training program that helps them become leaders of positive change in their communities. After the in-person training program, participants return to their communities to spend ten months developing their action plans with virtual support from alumni mentors.

Fellowship opportunities database

Eligibility Requirements

Young Leaders Must:

- Demonstrate commitment to their community
- Identify an issue in their community in the areas of education, health, or economic security
- Demonstrate a strong motivation to create positive change and an interest in social projects, while expressing your most authentic and original thoughts. Original ideas and genuine reflections will be valued more than AI-generated responses.
- Be between the ages of 18 – 26 at the start of the program (June 1, 2027)
- Be fluent in written and spoken English
- Commit to doing the Community Needs Assessment in June, attending the 10-day in-person program in July, and spending the following year aiming to execute their community project
- Have access to email and the internet to allow for consistent communication with the MCW Global Team and Young Leaders Fellowship alumni-mentor for the duration of the year-long program

Adhere to Young Leaders Fellowship graduation guidelines (to be provided upon acceptance to the program)
Be eligible for appropriate visa and travel documentation

Program Phases

The program is based on three phases:

Virtual | Community Needs Assessment: 1 Month

The Fellowship begins with an intensive community mapping and needs assessment. Young Leaders will be provided with the tools and knowledge to assess their community. This phase is implemented prior to starting the in-person training, as it will give the young leaders a better understanding of the community’s needs.

Fellowship opportunities database

In-Person | Vision Planning & Project Development: 10 Days

Participants come to the Fellowship with an idea of a community issue they want to address. Vision planning is the process of transforming passion into a concrete, tangible plan for change.

Through the in-person training program, which includes diverse speakers, workshops, events, and facilitated group work, participants can put their local issues into a larger global context while understanding why they are uniquely positioned to change their community. Participants will also determine which tools and skills can be applied to an actionable plan.

Virtual | Project Implementation & Alumni Mentorship

10 Months

To further develop and execute their actionable plans, Young Leaders are paired with alumni mentors, who will guide them in the in-person program toward creating an actionable plan. These mentors have gone through the Fellowship program and successfully graduated from it. During the year, alumni mentors support participants by facilitating quarterly “hangouts” and ongoing remote communication.

Fellowship opportunities database

Alumni mentors undergo customized training prior to the start of the program to support team building and cultural competency among the diverse group of Young Leaders.

Application Timeline

November 5, 2026: Young Leaders Fellowship Application Opens
December 3, 2026: Young Leaders Fellowship Application Closes
December 21, 2026: First-round Decisions Sent Out; Shortlisted Candidates Notified; Second-Round Application Opens
January 8, 2027: Second-Round Application Closes
February 3 – 16, 2027: Interviews with Alumni
February 23, 2027: Acceptances Sent Out
March 2, 2027: Confirmation of Acceptance
March 16, 2027: Confirmation of U.S. Visa Interview Date and Deposit by Mentees
June – July 2027: Community Needs Assessment
July 20 – 29, 2027: In-Person Training Program – Young Leaders Fellowship
July 2027 – July 2028: The Entire Young Leaders Fellowship Duration