Northern ÁùºÏ±¦µä International Center invites you to engage with the Mandela Washington Fellowship program by being a coach to promising young leaders. Coaches will have the opportunity to share personal and professional expertise in order to positively influence outcomes across the globe. The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the U.S. Government’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Established in 2014, the Mandela Washington Fellowship has engaged nearly 6,500 young leaders from every country in Sub-Saharan Africa through academic and leadership training. The Fellows, between the ages of 25-35, are accomplished innovators and leaders in their communities and countries and are seeking individuals who can help them reimagine their contributions and strengthen the value they bring back to their business, profession and communities at home. Coaches are integral in refining the Fellows’ visions and providing valuable insights for Fellows’ future success.
What do coaches do?
Coaches are industry professionals (who do not necessarily need to be in the same industry as the fellow they are paired with) who have expertise in project planning and implementation and who are paired with a Mandela Washington Fellow to navigate a “Focus Project.” Each Fellow is required to select and complete a Focus Project, and coaches provide guidance through the lens of their experiences. These individuals lend constructive criticism and critical thinking prompts to the Fellow’s Focus Project so that they may better identify challenges, problems or needs facing their organization, business or community.
What should coaches expect?
Coaches are required to use Mandela Washington Fellowship-approved tools in order to complete three 60-minute, one-on-one coaching sessions between June 19 – July 27, 2024. Given the robust schedule that the Mandela Washington Fellows will have, timeslots throughout the Fellowship will be predetermined by program staff for coaches to plan their one-on-one sessions with their assigned Fellows. This helps mitigate scheduling conflicts. Coaches should anticipate that there might be more time dedicated on the front end of the Fellowship to better understand their Fellow’s industry or unique circumstances, in order that they may provide the most relevant coaching for maximum positive impact. Additionally, a coaching orientation and general guidance meeting is planned for May of 2024. Coaches are asked to connect with their Fellows in order to discuss their vision and progress using a Focus Project toolkit (provided prior to coaching sessions). Coaches should take time to listen and understand the Fellows’ goals, challenges and environment in order to provide guidance that advances their project’s ideation or forward progress. Together, Fellows and Coaches will work to evolve the project concept so that it has the best chance for success in future implementation or iterations. While it is not a requirement, coaches may offer more time to their Fellows if they so choose. Coaches are encouraged to participate in multiple program components like scheduled networking events and group activities as their calendars permit.