The VOICE Fellowship 2025 by IISER Pune

If you are a regional communicator, storyteller, journalist, or content creator passionate about climate change and public health, the VOICE Fellowship 2025 at IISER Pune is an inspiring opportunity. This fully funded fellowship offers training, mentorship, networking, and hands-on experience to strengthen climate-health communication in rural and underserved communities. Below is a complete guide to help you in preparing and applying for this opportunity!

🌎 Fellowship Summary

• Location: India

• Organiser: CARE Project, IISER Pune

• Fellowship Name: VOICE Fellowship 2025 (Communicating Action and Resilience for Environmental Health)

• Funding: Fully funded (residential program)

• Duration / Format: 5-day residential training (16–20 December 2025)

• Target Participants: Rural/regional communicators, content creators, journalists, storytellers across India

• Focus Areas: Environmental health, climate change impacts (air quality, waterborne disease, heat stress, food insecurity, mental health)

• Deadline to Apply: 10 October 2025

• Selection Announcement: 2 November 2025

• Start Date: 16 December 2025

🌿 Programme Overview

The VOICE Fellowship is part of the CARE Project (Communicating Action and Resilience for Environmental Health) at IISER Pune. The CARE Project seeks to bridge scientific knowledge and local understanding in vulnerable environments by fostering participatory research, communication, and community resilience.

The fellowship is designed as a residential, immersive 5-day program where participants will:

• Engage with scientists, health experts, and mentors in interactive sessions

• Learn evidence-based storytelling techniques and communication toolkits

• Conduct fieldwork and collaborative exercises to explore local climate-health issues

• Develop and present a local communication plan or project

• Receive mentorship and networking support for post-fellowship work

The aim is to empower communicators rooted in rural/regional geographies to more effectively report, narrate, and engage on the nexus of climate stressors and public health in their communities.

🎁 Benefits & Support

Participants selected for the VOICE Fellowship receive:

• Fully funded residential stay during the 5-day workshop (travel, accommodation, meals)

• Certificate of participation

• Mentorship and networking opportunities with experts in health, environment, and science communication

• Access to training materials, toolkits, and community of fellows

• Hands-on experience, including field exposure and project planning support

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants should meet the following:

1. Background / Role

   • Rural or regional communicators, journalists, storytellers, content creators

   • Interest in environmental health, climate change, public health impacts

   • Having access or connections to local communities is an advantage

2. Experience & Skills

   • No strict requirement for formal science communication experience

   • Prior engagement in storytelling, community outreach, journalism, or content creation is a plus

   • Ability and willingness to engage with scientists/experts and learn new communication techniques

3. Geographic / Residency

   • Open to applicants from across India, with preference for rural/regional areas

   • Willingness to travel to attend the residential program in Pune

4. Commitment

   • Must be able to attend all program days (16–20 December 2025)

   • Open to collaboration, reflective learning, and applying new skills beyond the fellowship

📝 Application Procedure

How to Apply

1. Fill out the online application form (with personal, background, and contact details)

2. Write a statement of interest — your motivation, relevant experience (storytelling, journalism, community work) and interest in climate health communication

3. Showcase prior work or portfolios, if any (articles, content, media, community engagement)

4. Demonstrate commitment to applying learnings in local/regional contexts

5. Submit before the deadline — ensure accuracy and completeness

📆 Timeline & Key Dates

• Application deadline: 10 October 2025

• Selection results announced: 2 November 2025

• Fellowship dates: 16–20 December 2025

ℹ️ Tips & Useful Suggestions

• Tailor your statement of interest to reflect specific health-climate challenges in your region (e.g. heat waves, water pollution, respiratory issues)

• Use any prior storytelling, journalism, or community work to strengthen your profile

• Show how you would apply the fellowship learnings beyond the workshop — propose a small local project or communication plan

• Be prepared for fieldwork, group learning, and interactive sessions

• Ensure prompt and clear responses if selected (logistics, travel, scheduling)

• After the fellowship, stay engaged with mentor networks and try implementing your communication plan locally

🔗 Apply Now

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