The Global Change Leaders Program is a seven-week education program offered by Coady Institute’s International Centre for Women’s Leadership. This program enables women from developing countries to strengthen their leadership capacities in order to contribute to innovation and change in their organizations and communities.
Program participants engage in learning grounded in real world experiences and focused on Coady’s core thematic areas. Through a shared learning environment with other emerging women leaders from around the world, participants are exposed to a range of experiences and the beginnings of a potentially lifelong network of support.
In operation since 2011, the Global Change Leaders program provides successful candidates with a full scholarship that includes tuition, travel, accommodations, and meals. Program participants also benefit from the guidance and mentorship of accomplished women leaders from around the world. The program is led by a core team of Coady International Institute staff and supported by other Coady faculty and associates.
Program Eligibility
This program is targeted to emerging women leaders from developing countries who are working on development issues. These are women who:
- Possess a minimum of four years of demonstrated leadership experience in a social or economic development endeavour in sectors such as livelihoods or inclusive economic development, food security, environment, access to education and health care, governance, and the rights of girls and women;
- Have great drive and passion for their work, demonstrated through their outstanding contributions in their organizations and communities;
- Are practitioners in civil society organizations including community based organizations and not for profits, or active in public or private institutions, donor/philanthropic agencies, social movements or in a social enterprise/business;
- Hold a university degree or a combination of post-secondary education and experience; and
- Have strong oral and written English language competencies.
Program Schedule and Components
For 2015, the Global Change Leaders Program consists of two main components:
1. August 24 - October 8, 2015: A seven week on-site intensive course at the Coady International Institute in Antigonish, Nova Scotia where a collaborative relationship is fostered among facilitators and participants to draw out lessons and insights from their rich and diverse experiences. This consists of:
a. A foundation module, in which participants focus on leadership theories and essential competencies, analysis of gender, citizenship and power, practical understandings of these concepts and their application for women leaders within their own contexts, strengthening capacities for social innovations, partnership building in a multi-stakeholder environment, and enhancing abilities to realize citizen-driven asset-based development.
b. Electives, focusing on Coady Institute’s key thematic areas of promoting accountable democracies, building resilient communities and strengthening local economies.
c. A final module, in which participants articulate an action plan for how they will take their new learning home to provide leadership in their organizations and communities and continue to work towards empowering other women moving forward.
2. October 12, 2015 - April 30, 2016: Participants will benefit from one-on-one mentoring from experienced women leaders upon their return home for up to six months to follow on the application of learning into practice. Mentors and mentees will be matched during the residency period based on specific needs and geographic locations. Participants will also join a global alumni network of women leaders.
For further details and application please visit the Global Change Leaders Program page.
