Important: You may complete this application by hand and deliver it to an NDI office, send a scanned copy of your completed form to an NDI staff member, OR you may submit your application via google forms at this link: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5fPIa6nP_NQO56i0seV4mpr0rkUW5BiS3bYiBpyyk9_qsYA/viewform

If you submit your application via google form, It is advised that you read through the application and think about your responses prior to submitting the form. Please be aware that you must complete the entire form in one sitting; you will not be able to save and close out your work without submitting. You will receive a confirmation of your form submission.

 

Are you actively engaged in your political party? Do you see yourself as a rising political star in your country? Are you planning to run for office? Do you want to win an election? If these apply to you, then the Network of Emerging Women in Politics (NEW Politics) program is the right opportunity for you. 

In 2019, the National Democratic Institute (NDI) launched The Network of Emerging Women in Politics (NEW Politics) program to prepare young women to step into leadership roles and cultivate the skills needed to conduct successful electoral campaigns and win elections. The program is now accepting applications for its second run. The NEW Politics program will offer a series of workshops, mentorship, and networking opportunities over a six-month period to enable young women to better participate in the political process. 

The NEW Politics program is a training, networking, leadership, and training platform. The program will include a week-long “boot camp” of intensive training, as well as four advanced training modules focused on developing advanced skills such as communication, policy development, advocacy, mobilization, recruitment and voter outreach, fundraising, budgeting, and resource development. 

Participants in the program will also design and implement projects using the skills that they acquire from the program. During the program’s first run, participant projects included advocacy campaigns for international women’s day and leadership training forums for young women in their local communities. 

Networking and mentorship are critical components of the program. Program participants are encouraged to lean on their fellow participants for support and engagement both during and beyond the program. Moreover, as leaders in their communities, members are encouraged to mentor and train other women to foster a network of motivated, politically active women. Finally, members should strive to raise the voices of their fellow participants and other women in their political parties well beyond the program’s conclusion. To that end, applicants should demonstrate their commitment to long-term engagement with their parties and other political networks, and are expected to submit a personalized letter of recommendation from a leader in their party or organization that attests to the value that the applicant can bring to the network.

Requirements 

● Be a woman between 18 and 35 years of age. 

● Be a citizen of a country in the Mano River Region. 

● Have received a personalized letter of recommendation from a political party or organization ● Have made a commitment to participate from February - September 2022. 

● Have a one-year valid passport at the time of their application.

If you are interested, please send this application along with a personalized letter of recommendation from a political party or organization to the applicable address at the end of this application form. All applications must be received January 14, 2022. Applications may also be submitted by google form at this link: 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf5fPIa6nP_NQO56i0seV4mpr0rkUW5BiS3bYiBpyyk9_qsYA/viewform

For more information about the program, you can view a short documentary at 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRnrjn5S4GI&t=15s