SDSN Youth is Looking For Stubborn Urban Optimists to Advance Sustainable Development in Cities
NEW YORK, N.Y., October 19, 2020: The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – Youth Initiative (SDSN Youth) announced the launch of the call for applications for the 2021 cohort of its Local Pathways Fellowship program on Monday, October 19th. The new edition of the program offers a refined curriculum and comprehensive networking opportunities for its fellows.
The Local Pathways Fellowship is one of the world's leading training and research programs on Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities for young urban leaders. It offers the knowledge and resources needed to empower them to take local actions for the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda in their localities. The core component of the Fellowship is a practically-oriented training program that guides fellows through the development of a project of their choice - from local community initiatives to policy changes. The program is supported by multiple partners that contribute with their thought leadership, advisory, and access to opportunities - the SDG Cities Guide, MIT Solve, World Urban Campaign, Milan Urban Food Policy Act, UN-Habitat, Alliance for Peacebuilding and the World Federation of United Nations Associations are among them.
The Fellowship has recently expanded its team to increase the support and guidance provided for its fellows. The team has been constantly working on polishing the program curriculum that now focuses more on project development. The 2021 edition of the program also leverages global networking opportunities for its fellows, fostering even more collaboration among fellows through cooperative assignments and peer-to-peer feedback. Additionally the fellows will be working more closely with the wider SDSN Youth network to build local connections through the SDG Students Hubs and SDSN's national and regional networks for a bigger impact. These new developments will allow the 2021 fellows to benefit from greater visibility and ultimately walk out of the fellowship with a concrete project that successfully localizes SDG 11.
“At the Local Pathways Fellowship we offer an interdisciplinary program that includes an online course, mentorship throughout the development of a project, visibility opportunities, connections with experts from the industry and, what I believe is our strongest asset, a peer-to-peer network of young urban leaders from around the world,” said Ana Ynestrillas, Project Lead of the Local Pathways Fellowship program. “With three cohorts under our belt we have successfully grown into a network of 253 fellows who are leading change on the ground. We are looking forward to welcoming 100 stubborn urban optimists as our new members who are ready to make a bold impact in their cities.”
The Fellowship is open to talented and innovative early-career professionals and students between 18 and 30 years of age (some exceptions may apply), interested in deepening and expanding their understanding of sustainable urban development. Successful applicants should have a minimum of one year of professional or academic experience in development practice, urban planning, community engagement, advocacy, or similar disciplines. The chosen fellows should be based in the same city throughout the entire Fellowship, from February to November 2021.
The 2021 Local Pathways Fellowship applications will be accepted until November 30, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time) . The selected fellows will be notified by January 25, 2021, and the Fellowship begins on February 1, 2021.
Applications and additional information can be found at www.localpathways.org.
For media inquiries and interview requests, please contact: Yulia Lesnichaya, Project Officer, Communications at yulia.lesnichaya@sdsnyouth.org
About Local Pathways Fellowship
The Local Pathways Fellowship (LPF) was launched in 2016 in Quito at the UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) intended to build on the momentum around the adoption of the New Urban Agenda.
Each year, LPF brings together a network of young thought leaders, urban planners, sustainability practitioners, researchers, and innovators from more than a hundred cities across the world to advance local dialogue, collaboration, and problem-solving around Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11) to make cities and urban settlements “smart, fair and sustainable''.
The program, which is in its third year, offers a practically-oriented training program designed to enable young fellows to understand the process of “localizing” SDG 11 in the cities they represent and guide them through the development of their own projects.
The latest 2020 cohort consists of 140 young urban innovators from 100+ different cities around the globe.
For more, visit www.localpathways.org
About Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth
UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth (SDSN Youth) is the official youth initiative of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) launched by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Founded in 2015, the network currently has approximately 1000 member organizations in 85 countries, being coordinated by 26 regional centres, to support localization and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Working with partners from the UN, academia, civil society, business, and government, SDSN Youth trains and supports young leaders and organizations to tackle the most urgent problems in their communities and help shape a sustainable future. The core projects include programs on innovation and entrepreneurship, education, sustainable cities, and sustainable campuses, all designed to respond to community challenges through practical, structured, and science-based approaches.
For more, visit www.sdsnyouth.org
