Call for Applications: Youth for Water and Climate Programme 2023-2024

The YWC Programme targets young people, aged 18 – 30 years old and currently based in Europe, who wish to gain tools and knowledge and expand their network to pursue a career within the water and climate sector. It also targets youth who wish to further strengthen their entrepreneurial water & climate project.

The 2023-2024 YWC Programme is presented in partnership with GWP Hungary, Vilnus University, Group of the European Youth for Change, Earth Forever Foundation, WaveMakers United & GWP Mediterranean. It is a 9-month capacity-building programme, led by the International Secretariat for Water – Solidarity Water Europe (ISW) with the financial support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Agence de l’Eau Artois-Picardie.

In the water sector, indicators show that there are serious gaps in the work force due to the shortage of human resources, differences in the skills required depending on the rural or urban environment, the lack of incentives for workers, and the lack of coordination between the needs of the industry and the offering at educational institutions.

The YWC Programme aims to address these gaps and equip young people to become leaders and entrepreneurs to address the challenges of sustainable management of water resources, build climate resilience and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

The tools, structure and content of the YWC programme were developed with a consortium of partners including the Global Water Partnership (GWP), GWP – Central and Eastern Europe, cewas, GWP Hungary and Good Planet Belgium.

Cost Covered

• The fees and costs related to the workshops will mostly be covered by the organisers:
  • International transportation
  • Accommodation and food
  • Activities and program expenses
• Covered by the participants:
  • Local transportation
  • Insurance (mandatory)
  • Other personal expenses

Why should you join the YWC Programme?

• The program will offer a participation in up to two international workshops, a mentorship opportunity, support in finding an internship, a community of practice and a complete online curriculum to support youth who wish to further develop their professional skills and/or entrepreneurial skills in the water and climate sector.
  • Learn and boost your skills
    • As a participant of the Youth for Water and Climate Programme, you will take part in at least one 5-day international seminar, the first one being organized in Strasbourg, France (from 11th to 15th December 2023). The possible date for the second in-person workshop is August 2024 (to be confirmed).
    • Through these international seminars, you’ll benefit from a European vision of water-related issues, with insights specific to each mobility country, by meeting local players in the field and reflecting together on the sector’s themes.
    • Finally, you’ll enjoy personalized workshops in line with the key themes of the YWC Curriculum.
    • The YWC Curriculum is an open-source and freely available online course which will provide you with the tools and skills to face our planet’s climate and water challenges.
    • The objective is also to provide you with cross-disciplinary leadership and methodological skills, so that you can apply your water & climate solutions in your professional career, or as an independent entrepreneur.
    • Throughout the YWC Programme, you will be invited to complete the online curriculum at your own pace.
    • Here are the themes of the modules that will be covered, which you will also deepen in workshops during the international seminars.
      • Take-up a career in the water & climate sector
      • Develop personal professional skills to become a great leader
      • Learn how to start an impactful business or plan your own project
      • Start a professional career in a water and climate organization
  • Receive mentoring from experience professionals
    • During the entire program, you will be matched with a mentor, an experienced professional from the water and climate sector, with whom you shall connect at least once a month via phone, skype/WhatsApp or email.
    • He/she will give you personalized advice on your future career and tell you all about the jobs in the sector and the opportunities available to you.
    • In the pilot phase of the YWC Programme, mentors included directors of Water agencies, managers of organizations in the water sector, representatives of local, national or international institutions, etc.
    • Throughout the program, you will receive guidance to maximize the impact of this relationship through the Mentorship Guide developed by the partners.
  • Join a wide community of practice
    • Participating in this program will enable you to forge valuable connections and build your network through interactions with mentors, partners, and fellow water sector professionals. You will be invited to actively participate in an online community of practice with all mentors, partners, and young participants of the YWC Programme.
    • The community of practice will be a safe platform for collaboration and coordinated action, building leadership capacity, sharing of ideas, and improving the quality of knowledge and learning approaches. You will be invited to take ownership of this space and actively participate in its design and management.

Eligibility Criteria

• You are between 18 and 30 years old
• Currently living in one of these countries: France, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Hungary, Greece and the Netherlands
• Studying, working and/or volunteering in a field related to water and climate
• Strong commitment and interest for water and climate related issues (national, regional or international level)
• Significant motivation to take part in the program & availability to take part in all the program activities.
• Must be able to communicate in English
• Must have access to Internet
• Be fully available for the first mobility organized in Strasbourg from 11th to 15th Decemeber 2023.

For more information, visit Global Water Partnership.