Leading Minds Fellowship

The Leading Minds Fellowship is designed to foster and harness the power and potential of young leaders aged 15-25, to share their expertise to dismantle barriers to action in policy, programming, advocacy, and financing, and to unlock future breakthroughs. Leading Minds harnesses the insight, foresight, and energy of youth, combining it with the wisdom and experience of world leaders to reimagine global leadership. 

Children and young people have critical skills, experiences, and ideas for safer, more sustainable societies. They are not simply inheritors of our inaction — they are living the consequences today. By working alongside young leaders, we steer the trajectory of global action towards cultivating community-driven strategies to drive policy development, prioritising social equity within financial structures, addressing the 21st century challenges related to shrinking democratic spaces and charting new courses for democratic governance to prepare and engage youth in building a sustainable future.   

Partnering with the next generation of leaders

The Leading Minds Fellowship provides a unique platform for young leaders to shape the agenda of the Leading Minds Conference. 

Through this fellowship, young leaders play a pivotal role in shaping both the Leading Minds Conference and engaging with UNICEF’s ongoing work on innovation, youth engagement, and child rights. They co-design and lead the Leading Minds Conference and shaping of the fellowship programme by engaging with UNICEF experts working on the youth and climate agenda and by collaborating with leading institutes, researchers and thought leaders to drive climate action. And they build a network of young leaders committed to positive change.  

Results to date

In just a short time, the Fellows have made a powerful impact on UNICEF and the world: 

• Global reach: Our Innocenti global youth network has grown to over 5,000 members from 150 countries and continues to expand with the addition of young leaders from diverse backgrounds, generating collaboration, insights and innovation.  
• Shaping research: Insights from Fellows have directly contributed to shaping the Leading Minds Conferences, and informing research and policy. 
• Amplify the voices of youth: The Fellows' work informs reports and publications on topics that are critical to children and young people. 

And their participation makes an equally powerful impact on the Fellows themselves:

• Skills development: Fellows build their capacity to become stronger advocates for children's rights through learning sessions with UNICEF and external experts, developing research briefs and engaging scholars, scientists, innovators, philanthropists, and governments.
• Networking opportunities: Fellows connect with peers, UNICEF staff and other UN professionals, leading researchers and partners around the world and creating lasting personal and professional relationships.
• Global influence: Fellows' work directly informs UNICEF's strategic direction and youth advocacy work by amplifying youth voices in global and local decision-making
• Driving Local Impact: Fellows connect with experts, UN partners and institutions to learn about opportunities to support their community-based climate initiatives, driving greater change at the grassroots levels.

Programme details

• Duration: A rigorous six-month programme with lectures, workshops and opportunities for continued engagement.
• Compensation: Fellows receive a stipend and a platform to showcase their initiatives and projects. 
• Eligibility: Open to young leaders aged 15-25 passionate about children’s rights and driving action for children and young people on key areas of policy, programming and advocacy. 

Apply now

Applications for the Leading Minds Fellowship are currently closed. Stay tuned for updates on future fellowship opportunities.