Become an International Youth Fellow

Applicants select one of three streams as part of the application process: International Development Management (IDM), International Microfinance and Microenterprise (IMM), and Young Professionals in Media (YPM). IDM Fellows are typically placed with organizations working in fields like health and education, IMM Fellows with organizations involved in microfinance or market development, and YPM Fellows with Nation Media Group, a leading media outlet in East Africa.

Participants apply for placements that best match their backgrounds and interests, such as:

• Fields: Agriculture & Food Security, Civil Society, Climate Resilience, Early Childhood Development, Education, Gender Equality, Health & Nutrition, Work & Enterprise
• Placements: Communications, Marketing, Media, Monitoring & Evaluation, Operations, Partnerships, Project Management, Research

This prestigious Fellowship is a launching pad for diverse careers in government, non-profit, media and finance sectors. In a survey conducted in October 2023, 93 percent of Fellows who were currently on their placements felt that participating in the program helped shape their career or study decisions.

The International Youth Fellowship Program is a unique opportunity for recent graduates and early-career professionals in Canada to bring a global dimension to their careers. Through an intensive pre-departure training and an overseas placement, Fellows get hands-on experience in international development. Their placements support local institutions to implement programs that improve the quality of life of the communities they serve.

Fellows will be placed in one of three streams: International Development Management (IDM), International Microfinance and Microenterprise (IMM), and Young Professionals in Media (YPM). IDM Fellows are typically placed with organizations working in fields like health and education, IMM Fellows with organizations involved in microfinance or market development, and YPM Fellows with Nation Media Group, a leading media outlet in East Africa.

Each Fellow spends eight months in Africa or Asia working with agencies and partners of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), one of the world’s largest and most respected international development organizations.

Before Fellows depart for their overseas placement, they attend a three-week pre-departure training in Ottawa, which provides a thorough grounding in the skills and knowledge required to contribute effectively to their host organizations. The pre-departure training is designed by former Fellows, and is facilitated by leading international development professionals, based in Canada and overseas, including many alumni of the Fellowship program.

AKFC covers the majority of costs associated with living and working overseas including travel, accommodation, vaccinations, health insurance, and a modest stipend to cover the cost of living. Successful candidates are required to make a one-time contribution of CAD $1,000 towards the costs of the Fellowship.

Whether a Fellow enters with limited international development knowledge, or extensive field-based experience, the three-plus week pre-departure training significantly elevates the entire cohort’s understanding of international development fundamentals while spending time developing lifelong bonds with their peers in beautiful downtown Ottawa, Ontario.

All three streams —) International Development Management (IDM), International Microfinance and Microenterprise (IMM) and Young Professionals in Media (YPM) — will participate in several sessions together. The YPM cohort will also receive specific sessions focused on responsible journalism in East Africa.

Topics covered include program design, results-based management (RBM), monitoring and evaluation, incorporating gender equality and climate change themes across the project cycle, communication, reporting, proposal development, and personal security. Each session is curated by current professionals at the height of their careers using real-world, practical, hands-on examples leveraging actual project documents and data from AKFC’s overseas portfolio. Additional thematic sessions focused on specific subjects are also provided in various participatory formats, allowing Fellows to discuss, co-create, and problem-solve with leading experts, hiring managers, and program directors from various organizations involved in international development.

During the duration of the three-plus weeks, Fellows will be placed in project groups and work on a practical assignment that will support them in putting their learnings into practice. For example, IDM and IMM Fellows may design a program in response to a development challenge presented by one of the facilitators. The assignment would require Fellows to develop a brief concept note and pitch their ideas to a panel of experts and colleagues.

YPM Fellows may be assigned to create compelling content and to craft communications and marketing strategies, which they would pitch to a panel of experts and colleagues.

To get a better sense of what the pre-departure training is like, check out this video made by the 2024-25 YPM Fellows!

To become an International Youth Fellow, applicants must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• Be 30 years of age or younger at the time of the application deadline
• Be able to demonstrate qualities and characteristics of global citizens
• Hold at minimum an undergraduate university degree

“I don’t think I’ve ever been more prepared for a job. From a heightened understanding of the Aga Khan Development Network, to increased knowledge on international development, I am feeling very enriched, excited, and prepared.” – 22/23 Fellow , Post-Training Survey

“This Fellowship has been an incredible experience so far. My coworkers have been supportive and interested in promoting my development, and I have developed both personally and professionally in unpredictable and significant ways… The location of my placement has also been incredible, and it has been a joy integrating into Kenyan culture and experiencing the city.” – 23/24 Fellow, Mid-Placement Report

“The most valuable thing my placement has given me isn’t any specific new hard skill or increased knowledge, but rather the confidence to know that I can thrive in a new and challenging environment and field of work. Having never worked in development before, fourth months into ‘jumping in the deep end’, I feel a new sense of capability and self-confidence in my personal and professional capacity.” – 22/23 Fellow, Mid-Placement Report

Read more first-hand accounts from our Fellows here.

New information sessions are planned for early 2025.

For more information, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.