Call for Applications for Social Accountability Fellowship (SAF) 2025 in Ondo State

We invite applications for our Social Accountability Fellowship (SAF) 2025, designed for youth in Ondo State, Nigeria

Are you passionate about youth civic engagement, transparency, and driving change in your community? 

Do you aspire to shape more accountable governance systems and influence youth-focused policies? 

The Social Accountability Fellowship (SAF) 2025 is your opportunity to build the skills, knowledge, and networks needed to champion transparency, youth participation, and inclusive development in local communities.

About the Fellowship

The Social Accountability Fellowship (SAF) is an innovative civic and leadership training under our Strengthening Participation, Accountability, and Transparency in States (SPATS) Project in Ondo State, supported by ALDA – European Association for Local Democracy, under the WYDE Civic Engagement Project, and implemented in collaboration with Elbarlament, People in Need, and the European Partnership for Democracy, with funding from the European Union. 

The fellowship is designed to empower emerging leaders and innovators in the field of social accountability. Through this fellowship, you will have the chance to participate in intensive training, hands-on projects, and collaborative learning experiences with like-minded individuals and experts. 

Fellowship Objectives

The Objectives of the Social Accountability Fellowship are as follows:

1. To conduct a 2-month hybrid fellowship for young people, women, and persons with disabilities aged 18 – 35 years in Ondo State.
2. To lead research and advocacy activities for the development of youth development policies to facilitate increased youth participation in governance.
3. To build a #FollowTheProject dashboard to drive social accountability and transparency in tracking the government’s programmes and projects in grassroots communities.

The Fellowship Curriculum and Facilitators

The curriculum is robust and strategically designed to enhance youth participation in governance. It covers key areas such as the role of artificial intelligence, data analysis, and emerging technologies in driving participatory governance. Other focal points include youth engagement in public budgeting systems, the effectiveness of audits at subnational levels, and monitoring public procurement to ensure improved service delivery.

These sessions will be led by seasoned facilitators, including Executive Directors, Country Representatives, Program Managers from leading civil society organizations, top development practitioners, and representatives from relevant government ministries.

What To Gain from The Fellowship

By participating in the Social Accountability Fellowship, young people, women, and persons with disabilities will gain critical skills in civic engagement, policy advocacy, and community mobilization. Through tailored training and hands-on experience, they will be empowered to influence youth development policies, contribute to the design of a digital dashboard for public project tracking, and actively monitor, track, and report government-funded projects in their communities. This inclusive initiative ensures that underrepresented voices are amplified in governance, fostering transparency, accountability, and sustainable development at the grassroots.

Candidates who are admitted and complete the fellowship will be awarded a ‘certificate of completion’, stipends and be inducted to become part of our civic community to influence policies and shape development in their community.

Target Audience

This project seeks to empower young people aged 18 – 35 years, women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and youth development state agencies with the information and skillset to directly contribute to influencing youth development policies in Ondo State; follow up, monitor, and report government projects in grassroots communities;  and foster increased youth participation in governance related activities.

Fellowship Delivery Model

Hybrid fellowship—combining physical and virtual sessions. Majorly, classes will be virtual, while the closing session and ceremony will be held in Akure, the state capital.

Read more details about the project here.

Application

Be part of a new wave of young civic leaders—join the SAF 2025 and help strengthen democratic accountability from the grassroots up. CLICK THE LINK TO APPLY.

Deadline

The application deadline is 25th June 2025.

Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.