Apply for Action Canada Fellowship Program

Each year, they select Fellows from a wide variety of backgrounds both personal and professional who want to have a significant impact on how public policy is made in their communities and across Canada.

Objectives

• The four objectives of the Action Canada Fellowship are:
  • Canada: Fellows will be able to apply knowledge of major sectors, institutions, issues, and regions of Canada to deepen their understanding of current Canadian issues and policy decisions.
  • Policy:
    • Fellows will be able to explain the complexity of policymaking in Canada, a country with great diversity in needs and interests. They will create effective and responsive policy recommendations.
    • Fellows gain an understanding of the complexity of policymaking in a country with great diversity in needs and interests. They emerge equipped with the tools to create effective and responsive policies.
  • Leadership: Fellows will demonstrate the following leadership skills: self-awareness, authenticity, and clarity of purpose. They will show confidence in their ability to have an impact within their community/country.
  • Connection: Fellows will establish close ties to peers with different viewpoints from across the country, sectors, backgrounds, and generations.

Program Specifications

• In addition to your presence and active participation in all the virtual sessions and study tours, Fellows must also commit to:
  • Task force project: Fellows will be divided into three teams at the beginning of the program and will independently, with the support of a mentor, develop a research project and write a policy report to be presented at the end of the program.
  • Op-eds: Each Fellow will write an op-ed on a topic of their choice.
  • Blogs or vlogs: Fellows will be asked to write a blog or record a vlog after one of the study tours that will be published on the Action Canada website to capture and share their experience.
  • Roles during virtual sessions and study tours: Each Fellow will be tasked several times over the program year with roles such as being discussant lead during presentations, thanking the speakers, etc.
  • Public policy videos and podcasts: Fellows will be asked to participate in the creation of videos and podcasts about public policy-making.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Action Canada Fellowship is open to all Canadian citizens and permanent residents;
• The program is for emerging leaders, with a focus on those under 35, but there is no age maximum for Action Canada Fellows;
• They accept applications from all sectors, regions in Canada, in English and French;
• They are looking for emerging leaders who:
  • Are curious;
  • Have an intense desire to learn and understand Canada and its future public policy choices better;
  • Are strongly motivated to share, collect, analyse and appreciate different perspectives;
  • Inspire change by identifying potential areas to influence and asking difficult questions intended to understand trade-offs;
  • Are interested in self-reflection and stretching themselves as leaders;
  • Are excited by the idea of collaborative leadership, working in teams and taking action;
  • Are open to develop real relationships and long-lasting friendships with a diverse group of leaders;
  • Want to engage in civic engagement and dialogue;
  • Have a track record of leadership, work experience, achievement and impact in their respective field or community; and
  • Can commit to an intensive and immersive learning experience consisting of four week-long study tours, 10 virtual sessions and 8-10 hours of individual work a week on their research project throughout the Fellowship year.

Selection Criteria

• Recent record of leadership, achievement and impact.
• Open-mindedness, curiosity, energy, courage to learn new things and acquire new experiences.
• Demonstrated teamwork ability and interest in working with others.
• A passion for Canada, with the potential to become a leader in Canada and the commitment to make a positive contribution to Canada.
• A noted interest in public policy and its importance as a tool for positive change.
• Candidates must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents to be considered for selection. They must reside in the country during the Fellowship year.
• There is no age limit for applicants interested in the Fellowship.

Application Requirements

• Applications need to include the following elements:
  • Basic information about yourself (i.e. address, date of birth).
  • A short bio and resume that covers, professional experience, community engagement, recognitions, education.
  • A letter of motivation that should address some of the following questions:
    • What are your leadership aspirations?
    • In what areas do you need to develop to achieve these aspirations, and how do you hope this Fellowship will help you grow in those ways?
    • How have you demonstrated civic engagement and how do you want to contribute to Canada?
    • How have you turned ideas into action?
    • In what ways have you sought to understand differing perspectives to understand public policy issues?
  • A brief policy essay.
  • Names and contact information (email and phone number) for two references.

For more information, visit Action Canada.