HerStart International Fellowships

Contribute your skills and gain international volunteer experience while collaborating with women and global partners to drive social entrepreneurship and gender equality.

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Why an International Fellowship?

Go overseas with a comprehensive support package

For over 30 years, YCI has guided thousands of Canadians through volunteer abroad programs. Before departure, you will receive holistic training that prepares you for life overseas and builds your knowledge in key areas including gender, climate and social impact. Once in Ghana, Tanzania or Uganda, our experienced team will get you settled and provide you with tailored support throughout your placement. Upon your return home, reintegration support will help you debrief your experience and guide you to your next opportunity!

Costs covered by YCI:

An international roundtrip flight
A monthly stipend to cover basic living costs during placement
A stipend towards vaccines and medications
In-country emergency medical and evacuation insurance
Required travel visas

Contribute to women’s economic empowerment

Amplify your personal and professional growth

Add to your CV and lived experience by building new knowledge, skills and networks to shape your impact-driven journey through an immersive international volunteer fellowship.

Gain exclusive access to:

An international network of like-minded people and organizations that will be with you long after the Fellowship
High-quality training and mentorship from our global partners and subject matter experts in their fields, including gender equality, social enterprise, monitoring and evaluation, climate action, and human-centred design
Ongoing support from our experienced teams before, during and after your placement
Unique opportunities to build transferable skills, including coaching and mentorship, cross-cultural communication, project management and more

Experiences built for a better future

A HerStart Fellowship is a specialized experience for Canadians built around your diverse skills, knowledge and passions including:

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Gender Equality

Support YCI and global partners to identify gendered barriers, design gender-responsive solutions and amplify women’s strengths.

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Climate Action

Join the team to raise awareness of environmental issues, design climate-responsive solutions and build a network of green businesses.

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Social Entrepreneurship

Support the development of social entrepreneurs and the implementation of the HerStart Catalyst Fund, which provides financial grants and coaching for women-led social enterprises.

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Communications

Use your creative skills to design and deliver innovative trainings and communication materials for the HerStart fellows, partners and women entrepreneurs.

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Monitoring & Evaluation

Apply your data collection, analysis and reporting skills to the critical topics of women’s empowerment, climate action and social entrepreneurship.

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Program & Partnerships

Collaborate with staff, partners and fellows by flexing your project management, partnership development or volunteer engagement skill sets to deepen HerStart’s impact.

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3-month fellowships 6-month fellowships

3-month fellowships

Looking to grow personally and professionally? Have you always wanted to volunteer abroad and gain global experience? A 3-month International Fellowship allows you to share your skill sets and support young women to become agents of social change – all while gaining new knowledge to enhance your future.

6-month fellowships

Two women wearing black standing in front of a bicycle in Tanzania

Steps to Become an International Fellow

Step 1: Application & Interview

Step 2: Position Offer

Step 3: Pre-Departure Preparation

Step 4: International Deployment

Hear from our network

"I expanded my knowledge on the principles of ethics in international development, human-centred design and the impact of gender inequality in communities. I've harnessed valuable transferable skills such as cross-cultural communication, empathy in leadership and project management that will be instrumental in my future career development."

— Noor El-Talmas, Communications Fellow, Tanzania

"I gained invaluable cross-cultural volunteer experience, as well as experience in program management, research, data analysis, reporting and presenting. I am confident that the knowledge and skills I gained over the past three months will equip me for any career path I choose to pursue going forward. "

— Landyn Imagawa, Program & Partnerships Fellow, Ghana

"The most impactful and memorable takeaway from my HerStart Fellowship was co-creating a women’s rights and responsibilities workshop. We researched women’s issues in Uganda and discussed ways of balancing familial responsibilities alongside newfound economic empowerment."

— Emma Reeves, Gender Equality Fellow, Uganda

"Collaborating with YCI’s partner organization, Norsaac, as a HerStart Fellow was a life-changing experience. I had the opportunity to support development projects across Northern Ghana and I learned more about the realities of development work and where I fit in. The amount of knowledge and experience I gained in just three months was beyond anything I could have imagined. "

— Sheilagh Newland, Communications Fellow, Ghana

"My fellowship journey with YCI’s HerStart program has been a transformative experience, both personally and professionally. Collaborating with inspiring young women social entrepreneurs, contributing to organizational growth and impact, and engaging in holistic training opportunities have shaped me into a more empowered and empathetic individual. "

— Aarif Vinuu Senthil, Social Entrepreneurship Fellow, Uganda

"I had the chance to develop my podcasting, social media, videography and photography skills. I feel more independent, more adaptable, and more confident in my personal and professional abilities."

— Shelly Steffler, Communications Fellow, Ghana

"The HerStart Fellowship experience has been amazing! I joined the program when I was still figuring out my next step and this experience turned out to be exactly what I needed. I got to meet and work with some incredible people from Canada, Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda. I enhanced and developed new skills that I will take with me throughout my career and I got to contribute to a program that aligns with my values."

— Sarah Naylor, Program and Training Fellow

"I had the opportunity to collaborate with an incredible international team of program designers, social entrepreneurship experts, in-country partners and other volunteer HerStart Fellows from across Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Canada. I learned from experts, honed new skills, and deepened my understanding of social and green entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, inclusive growth and design thinking."

— Shanna Sunley, Research & Insights Fellow, Cohort 1

"The HerStart Fellowship has been beneficial for my professional development and personal growth. The YCI team is highly passionate about supporting young people to find their passion in social impact and development work. This opportunity also exposed me to a network of other organizations and development practitioners who I had the chance to learn from. This was certainly an important step in my career."

— Joseph Flores, Climate Action Fellow

"The HerStart program allowed me to learn about topics like climate action, green entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and gender equality while giving me the space to create innovative solutions to enhance the lives of women and their communities. This program also does a wonderful job in demonstrating Canada’s leadership and commitment towards international development."

— Ramsha Ahmed, Program and Training Fellow, Cohort 1

"The HerStart Fellowship allowed me to experience a completely new context and speak with incredible individuals in Ghana to learn about their realities within the realm of women’s social entrepreneurship through a human-centred lens. Acquiring the skills to work remotely, across cultures and time zones has been a standout piece, and I’m eager to put it to use in the future!"

— Katarina Alurovic, Research and Insights Fellow

FAQ

You have questions, we have answers. We’re here to help you figure out if a HerStart International Fellowship is right for you.

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What is a HerStart Fellowship?

A ‘HerStart Fellowship’ is an opportunity to volunteer with YCI’s HerStart Innovate the Future program. Canadians have the opportunity to meaningfully contribute their time and energy to the bold goals of the HerStart program, while also learning about the critical global topics of women’s empowerment, climate action and social entrepreneurship. This volunteer opportunity has been designed as a fellowship to provide high-quality training, resources, hands-on experience and networking for fellows, while also recognizing the level of knowledge and skills that successful applicants will bring to their positions.

Am I eligible for a HerStart Fellowship?

Requirements and desired qualifications for HerStart Fellowships are listed within each position description on the Opportunities page. However, the key eligibility must-haves for all positions include:

Canadian citizen or permanent resident
Professional level English language skills (written and verbal)
Enrolled in or graduated from a post-secondary institution (or have equivalent work experience)
Access to a personal laptop to use throughout placement
Able to commit to the full term of engagement
Able to meet the fundraising goal before the start date
Able to meet all travel requirements for international placements
Be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (two doses) at least 14 days prior to departure and be able to provide proof of vaccination

Please note that individuals from all age, gender, academic and professional backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply. Although previous international development experience will be considered an asset, it is not required to participate in the HerStart Fellowship program.

What is the time commitment and length of the International Fellowship?

International Fellowship placements are full-time engagements in which volunteers collaborate with global staff and partners during regular in-country working hours. To suit different types of availability and program needs, placements are either 3 or 6 months in duration. Each International Fellowship also includes a week of virtual pre-departure training before you go and a week of reintegration support when you return home.

What types of benefits would I receive as a HerStart International Fellow?

HerStart International Fellows have the opportunity to access many resources, connections and experiences to advance their personal and professional development. A few examples include high-quality training, ongoing mentorship, and membership to an exclusive international network focused on women’s empowerment, climate action and social enterprise. Fellows will be eligible for one vacation day per month while on placement. International Fellows will also have most of their travel and living costs covered by YCI (see below).

Which expenses are covered by YCI?

To help make international volunteering more accessible, YCI covers many costs involved in the fellowship experience. Expenses covered include international roundtrip airfare, required travel visas and a monthly allowance to cover basic living costs including accommodation, communications, food and transportation. Fellows also receive a stipend towards necessary vaccines and medications and in-country emergency medical and evacuation insurance.

What type of training and learning opportunities will I receive throughout the International Fellowship?

Learning and development is a key component of the fellowship experience. Each fellow participates in a comprehensive training process, which includes pre-departure training, in-country orientation, ongoing training events and activities throughout the placement, as well as reintegration trainings and activities upon your return home.

There is a week-long schedule of virtual pre-departure training before you go. During this period, you will engage in interactive Zoom sessions and online courses designed and facilitated by subject matter experts, including YCI staff, fellows and partners. This will cover a wide array of topics, including an orientation to the HerStart program, health and safety overseas, and the core themes of the program (gender equality, social entrepreneurship, climate action and ethical development). Throughout your placement you will actively contribute to the peer-to-peer learning process by leading and engaging in training opportunities with other fellows, partner organizations and YCI staff. You will also be guided through reintegration support and related activities when you return home to debrief the experience and prepare you for your next endeavour.

What do I need to submit in the application process?

The application form includes the submission of your CV, past writing or creative samples, and answers to a few long answer questions related to the themes and requirements of the program. You are also able to indicate which roles and countries you are most interested in being considered for. Note that a cover letter is not required. Two professional or academic references will be requested in the final stages of recruitment. If you applied to be considered for a previous cohort, you will need to submit a new application to indicate your updated experience, passions and interests.

How has COVID-19 impacted the International Fellowship program?

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the nature of YCI’s work, especially as it relates to international travel. Given the complex realities and changing nature of COVID-19 regulations and guidelines, YCI will be resuming HerStart International Fellowships at a reduced capacity. All individuals who are interested in a HerStart International Fellowship should be highly flexible, adaptable and adhere to the following criteria.

International Fellows must be:

Fully vaccinated (two doses) against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccination
Able to meet the Canadian, destination country and airline requirements related to COVID-19 testing
Agree to follow all COVID-19 mitigation measures as issued by the Canadian Government, YCI staff and local authorities in placement countries

As the current global context continues to evolve, so too will YCI guidelines and processes. As new information and best practices emerge, policies and processes may be adjusted. All individuals considering a HerStart International Fellowship must be willing to meet all requirements and recognize that these may change over time.

Could my departure date be postponed or put on hold?

Yes, given the evolving nature of COVID-19 regulations internationally, International Fellowship departure dates could change based on several factors, including specific travel restrictions, flight availability, COVID-19 regulations in host country, visa entry and/or work permit requirements, and your health status leading up to your departure date.

These factors are all actively monitored by YCI and we will endeavour to keep you informed if we foresee any changes; however, we request your flexibility and patience as we navigate this unprecedented time.

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HerStart International Fellowships

Why an International Fellowship?

Experiences built for a better future

Steps to Become an International Fellow

Hear from our network

FAQ

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