Opportunity Of A Lifetime

[singh_comradz]

The Faiths Act Fellowship is an exciting international programme that has recently been launched by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation and the Inter Faith Youth Core.

The purpose of the Faiths Act programme is to provide an opportunity for diverse people of faith to campaign together for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Its goal is to increase the contribution of the different faith communities to the realisation of the MDGs before 2015. The Foundation has identified the improvement of integrated health care systems, particularly halting and reversing the spread of malaria, as an immediate priority for this programme.

Young people of faith have a particular role to play in this vision. As change-makers for future generations, they are able to establish new forms of inter-faith collaboration placing a committed concern for the poorest at the heart of a renewed dialogue of life and action. For this reason the Foundation is starting a Fellows Programme in 2009 led by the Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core (IFYC) for 18-25 year olds and initially seeking candidates drawn from the US, UK, and Canada.

Candidates must have the potential to become accomplished leaders, have completed at least their secondary education and be able to demonstrate a firm commitment to work for justice in their own faith community. They will need to be able to commit a year of their life to this work as MDG ambassador, ten months of which will be hard work, travel, workshops, speaking engagements, presentations in a well-planned project devised by them in conjunction with the IFYC. They will receive a basic but adequate stipend, insurance cover and health care provision.

Candidates selected will work in pairs in their own faith communities based in host organisations in their countries. Their task will be to mobilise their communities, particularly recruiting other young people to raise awareness and life-saving funds for the struggle against malaria and to promote the MDGs. They will be fully supported by the IFYC, their host organisations and the accompanying work of the Foundation, and receive intensive training to develop a variety of skills in interfaith work, the MDGs, communications and media, and project development.

The programme will begin with induction first in London lasting two weeks beginning on 3 August: advanced training with a wide variety of inputs then an educational exposure trip in groups of ten to either Malawi, Tanzania or Mali for three to four weeks. The Africa-based immersion will focus on developing an understanding of health care in Africa, the role of faith communities and the inter-connectedness of the eight different MDGs. Both in London and Africa future ambassadors will have opportunities to explore the social and cultural life around them and particularly to interact with local faith communities. On return they will receive further preparatory training in Chicago to equip them to perform effectively in their chosen projects. Autumn/Winter 2009 and Spring 2010 will find them working in their local faith communities as interfaith pairs linked by skype to IFYC in Chicago. Specific targets will be set for numbers mobilised, presentations, workshops, fundraising during this period, and these targets monitored throughout the period.

It should be an incredible opportunity and equip these young people with a wide portfolio of skills and experience to go forward and achieve whatever they would like to in the future. The deadline for application is January 15th, and The Tony Blair Faith Foundation very much hopes to encourage some exceptional young people across the faiths to apply.

Sikh fellows will be picked from the UK, USA and Canada.

http://www.faithsactfellow.org/ to apply online

Tony Blair Faith Foundation

The Faiths Act Fellowship

Introduction

The Faiths Act Fellowship will bring together thirty young leaders aged between 18-25 drawn from the different faiths from the US, UK, and Canada to embark on a 10 month journey of interfaith service. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation has launched this initiative in conjunction with the Interfaith Youth Core, which aims to build relationships among young people from different religious traditions by empowering them to work together to serve others. Interfaith Youth Core is the co-ordinating body for the Fellowship programme.

Training begins with a 2-month intensive initiative that includes fieldwork with primary health care partners fighting deaths from malaria in Africa. Fellows will return to their home countries for 8 months to mobilize young people of faith to raise awareness and resources to promote the Millennium Development Goals. They will focus particularly focus on fighting deaths from malaria.

Purpose of the Fellowship

Halting and reversing the spread of malaria is one of today’s most urgent moral challenges. 500 million people contract the disease each year and one million die, the vast majority under 5 years old and in Africa. Yet, malaria is preventable and treatable. And, progress in the fight against deaths from malaria will speed our achievement of 6 of the 8 Millennium Development Goals.

Young people of faith have a particular role to play in this vision. As change-makers for future generations, they are able to establish new forms of inter-faith collaboration by placing a committed concern for the poorest at the heart of a renewed dialogue of life and action. The Faiths Act Fellows will become ambassadors for inter-religious cooperation in the fight against deaths from malaria and the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals.

Once in their home countries, galvanising, motivating and organising across faith communities for the MDGs, we hope that the Fellows will reach 1,000 people each. This would mean over the programme, 30,000 across the world will have been touched by the programme and our objective is to spread the work ever wider.

Potential candidates

Candidates must have the potential to become accomplished leaders, and be able to demonstrate a firm commitment to work for justice in their own faith community. They will need to be able to commit a year of their life to this work as MDG ambassador, ten months of which will be hard work, travel, workshops, speaking engagements, presentations in a well-planned project devised by them in conjunction with the IFYC. They will receive a basic stipend, insurance cover and health care provision.

Candidates selected will work in interfaith pairs in their own faith communities based in host organisations in their countries. Inspired by their different religious traditions, they will motivate and equip young people in congregations, schools and university religious student groups to lead their faith communities in spreading awareness of the MDG challenge, raising life-saving funds for the fight against deaths from malaria and promoting a new inter-religious dialogue of life and action.

The programme

The programme will begin with induction first in London lasting two weeks from August 2009, then an educational exposure trip to a malaria hotspot in Africa. Fellows will learn and work in teams in selected African countries, hosted and guided by an organization that is doing excellent primary health care work. In Africa, they will learn about the realities of malaria and the urgency behind the Millennium Development Goals. Both in London and Africa, Fellows will have opportunities to explore the social and cultural life around them and particularly to interact with local faith communities.

On return they will receive further preparatory training in Chicago to equip them to perform effectively in their chosen projects. The rest of the programme will find them working in their local faith communities as interfaith pairs, mobilizing young people of faith to work together in raising awareness of the MDGs and funds for malaria eradication. They will be hosted by a local organization that does related work and will work as a team.

Host organisations

In their home countries, Fellows will be hosted by a local organization whose mission fits closely with this project. Host organizations in the UK include Muslim Aid, World Vision UK, Tzedek, and the Christian-Muslim Forum. We are now seeking host organizations in the US, and Canada. Interested organizations should submit an application (go to www.faithsactfellows.org).

In order to be eligible, the organization’s work must already prioritize interfaith social action or the engagement of faith communities in international development and have the human, physical and technological resources to host and manage two full-time Fellows from late September, 2009 through to late May, 2010.

Faiths Act Fellowship

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should I Apply to Become a Fellow?

As changemakers for current and future generations, young people have the opportunity to establish a new vision of inter-religious interaction that places protecting the welfare of the world’s poorest at its center. As a Faiths Act Fellow, you will act on this opportunity by becoming an ambassador for inter-religious cooperation in the fight against malaria and the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals.

This will be a tremendous opportunity for Fellows to learn about the critical issues of the Millennium Development Goals, malaria and public health in the developing world, and inter-religious cooperation through both study and practice. By the end of the programme, you will also have developed essential professional skill sets in leadership, communications, advocacy, education and interpersonal relations. For Fellows who wish to pursue careers in related areas, including religion, public health, intercultural or international relations, this programme will provide you an excellent professional and academic foundation.

Where Will Fellows Live?

Fellows will spend their first two months in training and staying in lodging that will be arranged by the programme. Following the training programme, Fellows will return to their home countries and must arrange housing within commuting distance of their host organization.

Fellows will be responsible for finding and paying for their own housing within commuting distance of their host organization. Some Fellows may be placed in their home city and not need to relocate, while others will need to relocate to a new city. As there will only be a few host organizations in each country and we need to ensure a strong fit between the Fellows and their host organizations as well as between the paired Fellows, we cannot guarantee that any Fellow will be able to live in their home city.

Will Fellows Get Paid?

Fellows will receive a modest living allowance, which will vary according to each placement city’s cost of living.

Will Fellows Get Health Care or Travel Insurance?

All Fellows will be covered by travel insurance for trips taken while on this programme. Fellows who live in the United States will also receive health insurance.

Can I Apply if I Don’t Live in the US, UK or Canada?

The Faiths Act Fellows programme may extend to other countries in future phases of this work, but for Phase One you must be a citizen or a legal resident of one of these countries to apply for the Fellowship. If you are a citizen or a legal resident, but are currently living outside the country, you may apply, but you must be willing to relocate back to the country in which the programme is operating.

You must be a citizen or a legal resident of one of these countries to apply for the Fellowship. If you are a citizen or a legal resident, but are currently living outside the country, you may apply, but you must be willing to relocate back to the country in which the programme is operating.

Am I Old/Young Enough to Apply?

You must be at least 18 and not more than 26 years of age on August 1, 2009 to be eligible. This means your date of birth must fall between August 1, 1991 and July 31, 1982.

How Long is the Programme?

The Fellowship is 10 months in total. It begins the first week of August, 2009 with two months of training, followed by 8 months of outreach work. The programme ends in late May, 2009.

Will Fellows Work in Africa?

Fellows will spend one month in a malarial hotspot in Africa during the initial two-month training, but most of their work will be done in their home country. Their primary goal is not direct malaria/primary health care intervention work, but to mobilize young people of faith to raise awareness and funds for the fight against malaria.

Can I Study Part-time When I am a Fellow?

Yes, you may study part-time as long as it won't interfere with your ability to accomplish the objectives of this programme. For the first two months of the program (August and September), you will be in intensive training in other parts of the world and will not be able to study during this period. Also, you must be able to accomplish your studies from your placement city as it is highly likely that you will need to relocate for this Fellowship. For example, if you are presently taking evening classes at a university in Glasgow and are placed with a host organization in London, you must take distance-based courses or change universities.

Please also pm me if you are going to apply but you need to do this asap

[BOSS]

Vaheguroo Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguroo Ji Ki Fateh

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation are looking for applicants from all faiths and spaces are limited so please apply promptly.

[HARKIRAT]

Maaan i need a job ! ( a better one) lol... Does it matter if your a full time uni student? Are you required to have the Queens English Shudh?

[singh_comradz]

Maaan i need a job ! ( a better one) lol... Does it matter if your a full time uni student? Are you required to have the Queens English Shudh?

Can I Study Part-time When I am a Fellow?

Yes, you may study part-time as long as it won't interfere with your ability to accomplish the objectives of this programme. For the first two months of the program (August and September), you will be in intensive training in other parts of the world and will not be able to study during this period. Also, you must be able to accomplish your studies from your placement city as it is highly likely that you will need to relocate for this Fellowship. For example, if you are presently taking evening classes at a university in Glasgow and are placed with a host organization in London, you must take distance-based courses or change universities.

[singh_comradz]

apologies, a slight correction to this topic. Sikhs from the USA and Canada are also WELCOME TO APPLY :rolleyes:

P.S plz do so online by 15th january 2009, on www.faithsactfellow.org

[singh_comradz]

further info on faiths act fellows

PLEASE APPLY ONLINE BY 15TH JANUARY on faithsactfellow.org, this is an excellent opportunity for sikhi parchar

[singh_comradz]

bump

[khalistan_zindabaad]

Would be good for those who are active in our community and have panthic thinking and would be able to put the sikh side across and not just own pamp.

[singh_comradz]

we still need more sikh applicants...please apply if u are interested!

[singh_comradz]

last day for applications!