Deadline: Send your application no later than November 17, 2021, at midnight.

 What is YouthLab?

The Youth Innovation Lab for Peace (YouthLab) is an initiative that aims to improve youth participation in peacebuilding and development processes in the region. It is funded by the European Union and implemented by Interpeace and its partners, Never Again Rwanda (Rwanda), Pole Institute (DRC), APC (Sud Kivu), and CENAP (Burundi).

Interpeace: https://www.interpeace.org/

Never Again Rwanda: https://neveragainrwanda.org/

Pole Institute: https://www.pole-institute.org/

CENAP: http://www.cenap.bi/

APC: https://apcasbl.org

Why participate in YouthLab as a young innovator?

By participating in the YouthLab project, you will benefit from a training and experience exchange path that will allow you to strengthen your skills in leadership and conflict resolution, project design and management, and advocacy. You will participate, within a group of 30 young men and women, girls and boys, from the Great Lakes region (Rwanda, DRC, Burundi), in the development and implementation of innovative projects for the ‘improved governance, peacebuilding, and development in the Great Lakes region. To this end, you will benefit from the support of the project’s partner organizations, mentors from various national and regional organizations, and access to a cross-border network of policymakers to share your ideas.

Am I eligible?

  • Were you born between 1992 and 2004?
  • Are you a citizen and resident of one of the three countries concerned (Rwanda, Burundi, DRC – Kivu region)? For citizens of the DRC – North Kivu: you must be a citizen of the city of Goma, the territory of Rutshuru, the territory of Nyiragongo, or the locality of Sake. For citizens of the DRC – South Kivu: you must be a citizen of the city of Bukavu, the territory of Uvira, the territory of Kabare, or the territory of Kalehe.
  • You know, read, write and express yourself in French and/or English
  • Are you able to commit to participating in activities throughout the duration of the project (November 2021 to June 2023)?
  • Have you implemented initiatives to and/or wish to participate in the improvement of governance, the consolidation of peace, and the development of the Great Lakes region?

If you meet these conditions, then don’t hesitate to apply!

How do I submit my application?

To apply for the YouthLab project as a young innovator, all you need to do is submit a complete dossier, including:

  • The duly completed application form
  • A curriculum vitae (CV)
  • A copy of an identity document with your last name, first name, date of birth, and photo
  • Two letters of recommendation written according to the guidelines provided below (see appendix 1)
  • Any other training certificate or diploma, or proof of achievement related to the field of good governance, peacebuilding, or development (optional)

1.If you are able to do so, please submit your application online by clicking on the link corresponding to your area of ​​residence:

Note: It is recommended that you first work offline on the Application Questionnaire Word file, and only upload your responses to the online questionnaire when you are ready to submit and have gathered all the necessary documents.

2. If you have difficulty filing online, you can also send your file by email to the contact address corresponding to your area of ​​residence:

  • If you are a national of (DRC) in the NORTH-KIVU:
    • Email address:recrutement@pole-institute.org
    • Telephone: +243 992 844 352
    • Physical Address: Pole Institut, 289, avenue Alindi, Himbi, Commune de Goma
  • If you are a national of (DRC) in the SOUTH-KIVU:
    • Email address: apcasbl@gmail.com
    • Telephone: +257 22 24 76 75
    • Physical address: APC, 13A, Avenue Kibombo (Immeuble Bakanameso), Quartier Ndendere, Commune d’Ibanda, Ville de Bukavu
  • If you are a national of BURUNDI:
    • Email address: cenap@cenap.bi
    • Telephone: +257 22 24 76 75
    • Physical address: CENAP, 14, Avenue d’Italie, Building de la LONA (2ème étage), Bujumbura

3. Exceptionally, if the submission of an electronic application is impossible, a candidate may be authorized to submit his file in paper format. He must make a prior request to the partner organization in his country of origin, by phone, or in-person at the office of the partner organization corresponding to his area of ​​residence (see contact details above).

Warning: You must choose only one of the three deposit options above. Anyone who submits their file twice will be automatically eliminated.

The deadline for submitting applications is November 17, 2021, at midnight. No application will be accepted after this deadline.

 How will my application be evaluated?

The applications received will be evaluated by a Joint Selection Committee (JSC) composed of members of the project partner organizations, according to the following criteria:

  • Leadership
  • Openness to diversity and tolerance
  • Ability to work in a network
  • Creativity and innovation
  • Availability
  • Sense of commitment

Interpeace, NAR, POLE Institut, and CENAP are particularly attached to the principles of diversity, inclusion, and gender equality. We therefore strongly encourage young women and girls, people living with disabilities, and other marginalized groups to apply.

Pour le français, veuillez visiter cette page

Appendix 1

Guidance Note on Developing Letters of Recommendation – Young Innovators for Peace in the Great Lakes Region

 What is YouthLab?

The YouthLab program aims to give young people in the Great Lakes region (Rwanda, Burundi, DRC) the skills and knowledge that will enable them to play an effective role in governance, peacebuilding, and development processes at the levels local, national and regional. It is a 30-month program funded by the European Union and implemented by Interpeace and its partners, Never Again Rwanda (Rwanda), Pole Institute (DRC), and CENAP (Burundi).

This program responds to the need to improve the participation of young people in peacebuilding and development processes in the region. It will enable young men, women, girls and boys between the ages of 18 and 30 to acquire knowledge in leadership and conflict resolution, design projects, and defend their interests. It will also form a cross-border network that will give them access to decision-makers to share their ideas. Ultimately, the program will offer young people the opportunity to design peace-oriented projects and activities that generate/strengthen a shared sense of regional citizenship.

In this regard, YouthLab plans to select 30 young innovators in peace, governance, and development in the Great Lakes region. The selected group will include an equal proportion of young women and men.

 Why do applicants need to submit letters of recommendation?

For an application to be complete and taken into account, one of the prerequisites is to add two letters of recommendation. These letters must come from two separate people who have worked closely with the candidate. These letters are essential pieces in the evaluation of an application and should support the qualifications of the applicant in light of the program’s selection criteria.

Guide to writing a letter of recommendation:

A Joint Selection Committee (JSC) will be established and composed of members of the organizations organizing the program. The JSC will evaluate the applications according to the following criteria: Leadership; Openness to diversity and tolerance; Ability to work in a network; Creativity and innovation; a Sense of commitment. The language skills and availability of the candidate.

Implication: The letter of recommendation commits its author and the candidate. It is therefore essential to include truthful elements in it. For each application considered, the JSC will conduct in-depth research on the elements presented in the file. Discrepancies between the JSC verifications and what is put forward in a case may justify the elimination of the candidate in the selection process.

Format: The letter of recommendation must be short – 1 and a half pages maximum – and written in a formal manner, in French or in English. We invite reference persons to comment on the following elements about the young candidate (if known):

  • Language skills: Can you attest to a good command (oral, writing) in French and/or English by the candidate? Good command of at least French is a prerequisite for beneficial and fruitful participation in the program.
  • Leadership: Has the candidate ever done and/or said something that you think demonstrates leadership qualities? For example, have you witnessed and/or benefited from a peace / good governance/development initiative implemented by the candidate, alone or in collaboration with others? If so, please specify which initiative (s), when the impact was achieved, and the precise role of the candidate in the development and implementation of the initiative.
  • Openness to diversity and tolerance: Is the candidate sensitive to diversity (social, cultural, ethnic, community, geographic, gender, age, etc.) and tolerant? Please illustrate your words with at least one example of a comment/behavior that you personally witnessed from the candidate. For example, working with someone from another community, respecting ideas different from their own during conversations, etc.
  • Ability to work in a network: Has the candidate already been mobilized by different actors to accomplish a joint project/initiative? Please illustrate your words with at least one specific example that you have personally witnessed or been part of. Please also add indications on the sustainability of the collaborations established, on the nature of the different groups mobilized, and on the context in which this mobilization took place.
  • Creativity, innovation: Has the candidate already designed innovative projects/initiatives, or has he/she already shared innovative ideas for peace, good governance, and the development of his / her community? Please illustrate your comments with specific examples.
  • Sense of commitment: Does the candidate generally finish what he/she undertakes? Please illustrate your comments with at least one example of an initiative started and completed by the candidate of whom you have personally witnessed or been a party.

Interpeace and partners, Never Again Rwanda (Rwanda), Pole Institute (DRC), Action pour la Paix et la Concorde (RDC), and CENAP (Burundi), thank you for your collaboration which contributes to the promotion of youth participation in peacebuilding, governance, and development in the Great Lakes region.

For more details, please visit https://neveragainrwanda.org/call-for-applications-young-innovators-for-peace-in-the-great-lakes-region/

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