The Step-Up Fellowship program aims to support and build the capacity of first-time voter integrity champions. These champions are exceptional young leaders committed to promoting integrity, accountability, and transparency in their communities.

The Fellowship program offers a unique opportunity for selected young leaders to receive training, mentorship, and networking opportunities. It involves a rigorous 3-month fellowship that includes fieldwork and capacity-building activities with Step Up Nigeria to empower and equip them with the necessary skills and knowledge. This comprehensive approach aims to develop effective change agents who can advocate for service delivery improvements through their votes.

Objectives

  • Empower a group of exceptional young first-time voter integrity champions from deprived communities in Lagos & Nasarawa to hold the government to account for poor service delivery issues.
  • Strengthen the anti-corruption, transparency, accountability, and leadership capacity of the selected fellows, and offer mentorship and coaching.
  • Facilitate networking opportunities for the selected fellows with other young leaders, experts, and organizations working on similar issues.
  • Build the leadership skills of first-time voters to demand improved service delivery in their communities through evidence-based advocacy.
  • Create an inclusive platform for first-time voters to engage with aspiring political office holders from various political parties, address service delivery challenges, and foster accountability and transparency.
  • Support selected fellows in developing and implementing local projects that address vital service delivery challenges in their communities and promote integrity and transparency in electoral processes.

Fellowship Component

Training:

  • Fellows will receive training on critical topics such as anti-corruption, transparency, accountability, and leadership through in-person workshops and online learning modules. This will be used equip fellows with the knowledge and skills they need to become effective change agents in their communities.
  • Practical sessions on communicating with impact through public speaking, activity reporting, and evaluation to equip fellows with the skills necessary for effective leadership.
  • Each fellow will be paired with an experienced mentor who will provide guidance and support throughout the fellowship period.
  • Networking opportunities for fellows to connect with other young leaders, experts, and organizations working on similar issues.

Field Work:

  • Fellows will engage in sensitization sessions using storytelling to engage communities and raise awareness about critical service delivery challenges.
  • Fellows will participate in advocacy visits to elected representatives to follow up on service delivery demands and ensure they deliver critical services promised to the communities during the elections.
  • Stipends and technical support will be provided to fellows to develop and implement activities that promote integrity and accountability in their communities.

Internship:

  • Advocacy visits to schools and education stakeholders towards institutionalizing the teaching of anti-corruption education in schools.
  • Interactive anti-corruption education sessions with the Step Up Nigeria team to engage children, youth, communities on the negative impact of corruption, motivating them to act with integrity.

Selection Criteria

  • The candidate must be a first-time voter between 18 and 35.
  • The candidate must have demonstrated a commitment to promoting integrity, accountability, and transparency in their community.
  • The candidate must have demonstrated leadership qualities in their community by preventing vote-selling and demanding better service delivery in their community using innovation, and creativity.
  • The candidate must be able to communicate in either Pidgin or English, and in the local Language.
  • The candidate must clearly show how they will use the fellowship to advance their work and contribute to their community.

We aim to build a generation of young people from deprived communities committed to demanding improved service delivery and fostering a more engaged and informed electorate.